This book is a comprehensive history of the United Netherlands during the late sixteenth century. It covers the period from the death of William the Silent, the leader of the Dutch Revolt against Spain, to the Twelve-Year Truce of 1609. The book examines the political, social, and religious factors that led to the Dutch revolt and analyzes the military campaigns, battles, and treaties that shaped the destiny of the Dutch Republic. The book is a classic work of history and an essential resource for scholars and students of European history. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.