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Union of Utrecht

European history

Quick Summary

The Union of Utrecht, signed on January 23, 1579, was a pivotal agreement within the larger union of the Low Countries. It established a "closer union" among northern provinces and cities, including Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht, with the primary goal of resisting Spanish rule. This pact laid the groundwork for the formation of a distinct state in the northern Netherlands, which became known as the United Provinces of the Netherlands, or the Dutch Republic. This union was a key development in the Eighty Years' War for Dutch independence from Spain.123

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