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Origin of Holland Its first Count Aggrandizement of Flanders Its growing Commerce Fisheries Manufactures Formation of the County of Guelders, and of Brabant State of Friesland State of the Provinces The Crusades Their good Effects on the State of the Netherlands Decline of the Feudal Power, and Growth of the Influence of the Towns Great Prosperity of the Country The Flemings take up Arms against the French Drive them out of Bruges, and defeat them in the Battle of Courtrai Popular Success in Brabant Its Confederation with Flanders Rebellion of Bruges against the Count, and of Ghent under James d' Artaveldt His Alliance with England His Power, and Death Independence of Flanders Battle of Roosbeke Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, obtains the Sovereignty of Flanders.
He therefore convoked a new assembly at Utrecht; and the deputies of Holland, Guelders, Zealand, Utrecht, and Groningen, signed, on the 29th of January, 1579, the famous act called the Union of Utrecht, the real basis or fundamental pact of the republic of the United Provinces. It makes no formal renunciation of allegiance to Spain, but this is virtually done by the omission of the king's name.
In order to convince them of the justice of his pretensions, Charles levied a force almost as efficient as his army of the preceding summer, and fell upon Guelders. A truce, a triple compact with France and England, had recently been renewed, so that for the moment his hands were free from complications, an event commented upon by Sir John Paston, as follows: "April 16, 1473, CANTERBURY.
The dukes of Guelders, who had changed their title of counts for one of superior rank, acquired no accession of power proportioned to their new dignity.
Ten Breeches was produced, and peeling off one pair of breeches after another, soon produced enough material to surround the entire island of Manhattan, which was thus bought for sixty guelders, or Dutch dollars. In due time came the first Dutch governor, Wouter Van Twiller.
As to Duke Adolf, he was condemned by this tribunal of his peers to life imprisonment as punishment for his unfilial and unjustifiable cruelty towards Arnold, late Duke of Guelders.
This young man, called Charles of Egmont, and who is honored in the history of his country under the title of the Achilles of Guelders, fell into the hands of the French during the combat in which he made his first essay in arms. The town of Guelders unanimously joined to pay his ransom; and as soon as he was at liberty they one and all proclaimed him duke.
His leaps were sometimes such that his boldest companions did not like to follow him. He seems even to have thought the most hardy field sports of England effeminate, and to have pined in the Great Park of Windsor for the game which he had been used to drive to bay in the forests of Guelders, wolves, and wild boars, and huge stags with sixteen antlers.
"Tell me how it was," said George, eagerly. "It is like singing my own praises, Fairburn," the young officer went on, "but here goes. I'll put it in a score of words. All last year I went as Ensign Blackett, seeing bits of service here, there, and everywhere at Bonn, on the Rhine, then at Huy, and again at Guelders but there was no chance for me.
It was finally decided that Frederic III. should display his power to the extent of investing Charles at once with the duchy of Guelders, while the more important investiture should be postponed. Very imposing was the ceremony enacted in the market-place. Frederic was exalted upon a high platform ascended by a flight of steps.
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