United States or Morocco ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !


Cardinal Andrew of Austria Governor Francisco Mendoza, Admiral of Aragon, invades the neutral States of Germany His atrocious Conduct Prince Maurice takes the Field His masterly Movements Sybilla of Cleves raises an Army, which is, quickly destroyed Great Exertions of the States-General Naval Expedition under Vander Goes Its complete Failure Critical Situation of the United Provinces Arrival of the Archduke in Brussels Success of Prince Maurice His Expedition into Flanders Energy of the Archduke Heroism of Isabella Progress of Albert's Army Its first Success Firmness of Maurice The Battle of Nieuport Total Defeat of the Royalists Consequences of the Victory Prince Maurice returns to Holland Negotiations for Peace Siege of Ostend Death of Elizabeth of England United Provinces send Ambassadors to James I. Successful Negotiations of Barneveldt and the Duke of Sully in London Peace between England and Spain Brilliant Campaign between Spinola and Prince Maurice Battle of Roeroord Naval Transactions Progress of Dutch Influence in India Establishment of the East India Company.

At the head of the party who so reasoned was De Barneveldt; and his name is a guarantee with posterity for the wisdom of the opinion. To allow the violent opposition to subside, and to prevent any explosion of party feuds, the prudent Barneveldt suggested a mere suspension of arms, during which the permanent interests of both states might be calmly discussed.

"The Stadtholder, Prince Maurice, the boy general and ruler, wished to make himself hereditary sovereign of the Netherlands, and was opposed by the judge, Barneveldt, and Grotius. The prince carried the day; Barneveldt was executed, and Grotius imprisoned in this castle, where he was kept nearly two years.

His greatness has found a record in every act of his life; and his death, like that of William, though differently accomplished, was equally a martyrdom for the liberties of his country. We cannot enter minutely into the train of circumstances which for several years brought Maurice and Barneveldt into perpetual concussion with each other.

Matters now converged to a crisis: we have more than once mentioned the opposite politics of Prince Maurice and Barneveldt, the Grand-Pensionary; the former wishing to draw the whole sovereign power to himself; the latter endeavouring to preserve and stabilitate the the constitution of the Provinces, as it had been settled by the Act of Union.

Honored in 1572 by the first meeting within its walls of the deputies of the United Provinces, it was also at different times the seat of memorable synods, and was particularly famous for that meeting of the protestant theologians in 1618, the Ecumenical Council of the Reformation, which decided the terrible religious dispute between Arminians and Gomarists, established the form of national worship, and gave rise to that series of disturbances and persecutions which ended with the unfortunate murder of Barneveldt and the sanguinary triumph of Maurice of Orange.

Thus the states-general were not much affected by the news of her death; and so rejoiced were they at the accession of James I. to the throne of England that all the bells of Holland rang out merry peals; bonfires were set blazing all over the country; a letter of congratulation was despatched to the new monarch; and it was speedily followed by a solemn embassy composed of Prince Frederick Henry, the grand pensionary De Barneveldt, and others of the first dignitaries of the republic.

He, therefore, on his own authority, arrested the six deputies of Holland, in the same way that his uncle Maurice had seized on Barneveldt, Grotius, and the others; and they were immediately conveyed to the castle of Louvestein.

Afterward, when, as a partisan of Barneveldt, he was persecuted, condemned to perpetual imprisonment, and shut up in the castle of Löwestein, he wrote his treatise on the Rights of Peace and War, which for a long time was the code of all the publicists of Europe.

Grotius also gained the esteem of Barneveldt, the grand pensionary, in whose fate he was afterward involved. In 1587, the Dutch sent Count Justin of Nassau and Barneveldt, at the head of an embassy, to Henry IV. of France. Barneveldt permitted Grotius to accompany him. Grotius had been preceded by his reputation. He was known to M. de Busenval, the monarch's ambassador in Holland.