1477 Mary of Burgundy married Maximilian, of the House of Habsburg thus joining the Low Countries with the Habsburg Empire
1516 The Catholic King Charles I of Spain ruled the Netherlands
1519 King Charles I of Spain became Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V
1500s The Protestant Reformation swept through Europe and the Dutch Protestants were persecuted by the Roman Catholics
1556 The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, gave control of the Low Countries to his son, King Philip II of Spain
1568 William I, the Prince of Orange, led a revolt against the Spanish government
1573 - 1574 The siege of Leiden between the rebels and the Spanish. 1574 The dikes were opened allowing a Dutch fleet to sail over the flood waters and rescue Leiden
1579 Union of Utrecht The southern provinces of the Low Countries (which is now Belgium) wanted to return to Spanish control but the Dutch rebels continued with the revolt
26 July 1581 The Dutch declared their independence from Spain
1602 The Dutch East India Company was formed in Jakarta, Indonesia
1600's The expansion of the Dutch East India colonies, including Sri Lanka, continued due to the massive Dutch sea power. Dutch Traders were the only Europeans allowed to trade with Japan
1621 The Dutch West India Company was founded and the colonies of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware were founded
1630-1654 The Dutch conquered Brazil
1648 Spain recognized Dutch independence
1689 William III was married to Mary the daughter of King James II of England
1689-1702 William and Mary ruled England
1689-1714 France fought with the Netherlands
1700s The Dutch aided the Americans during the the American Revolution and were drawn into a war against the British when they were defeated
1795-1813 France and Napoleon conquered the Netherlands
1813 The Dutch defeated the French
1814 William VI, prince of Orange, became King William I of the Netherlands
1800's Belgium and Luxembourg became independent
1914-1918 World War I - the Netherlands remained neutral
1940 German troops invaded the Netherlands and the country was occupied until the end of WWII in 1945
August 1945 The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki bringing WW11 to an end.