A very nice document indeed but since we are on the subject of "important history", the following piece should also be taken note of. Especially note all the similarities with the declaration of independence.
This document is called the "Act of Abjuration" or "Plakkaat van Verlatinghe", signed on 26 July 1581
And wikipedia may be quoted as stating :
"The Act was remarkable for of its extensive Preamble, which took the form of an ideological justification, phrased as an indictment (a detailed list of grievances) of King Philip. This form, which is strikingly similar to that of the American Declaration of Independence, has often given rise to speculations that Thomas Jefferson, when he was writing the latter, was at least inspired by the Act of Abjuration.
The Preamble was based on Vindiciae contra tyrannos by Philippe de Mornay, and other works of monarchomachs may have been sources of inspiration also.[
The rebels, in their appeal to public opinion, may have thought it more important to quote "authoritative" sources and refer to "ancient rights" they wished to defend. By deposing a ruler for having violated the Social Contract with his subjects, they were the first to apply the theoretical ideas that two hundred years later would ultimately form the basis for the American Declaration of Independence."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Act_of_AbjurationTimbo, this is the conflict that is linked to the 80 years of (intermittend) war that won the Netherlands their independence (from Spain but also other monarchs).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighty_Years%27_War You know, the one we talked about a few years back when you were over here. A sidepoint; The Netherlands is one of the few nations if not the only one that became a monarchy (again) after having been a republic for many many years. It was a republic from the 16th century to the 19th century and a constitutional monarchy from the 19th century to present. Note also that a constitutional monarchy is noticebly different from a common (absolute) monarchy. The function is much more ceremonial and subject to the laws of the land like any other person. Initially the function of our king/queen was indeed very comparable to the position of a modern president. Now it is much more symbolic with significantly reduced powers and a much reduced public profiel, but the function is still hereditary.
Happy reading and learning,
Wouter
