Union of Utrecht

E10657

The Union of Utrecht was a 1579 treaty uniting several northern Dutch provinces into a defensive alliance that became the constitutional foundation of the Dutch Republic.

Observed surface forms (2)

Surface form As subject As object
Groningen joined the Union of Utrecht 0 1
Unie van Utrecht 0 1

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf founding document
historical treaty
political alliance
alsoKnownAs Union of Utrecht
surface form: Unie van Utrecht
appliesToJurisdiction Northern Netherlands
country Habsburg Netherlands
countryCreated Dutch Republic
surface form: Republic of the Seven United Netherlands
created States General of the Netherlands
surface form: States General of the Netherlands as common institution
dateSigned 1579-01-23
dissolvedBy Batavian Republic
surface form: Batavian Revolution
established loose confederation of provinces
followedBy Act of Abjuration
hasEffect constitutional basis of the United Provinces
foundation of the Dutch Republic
hasPurpose defensive alliance against Spanish rule
political union of northern provinces
hasShortDescription 1579 treaty uniting northern Dutch provinces in a defensive alliance
influenced constitutional development of the Dutch Republic
inForceUntil 1795
inspiredBy earlier provincial alliances in the Low Countries
language Dutch
Latin
legalStatus constitutional charter of the Dutch Republic
limitedPowersOf central government
locationSigned Utrecht
opposedBy Philip II of Spain
Habsburg Spain
surface form: Spanish Monarchy
partOf Eighty Years' War
surface form: Dutch Revolt
predecessor Pacification of Ghent
presentDayLocation Netherlands
religiousPolicy provincial freedom of religion
toleration for different Christian denominations
reservedPowersTo provincial estates
signatory City of Bruges
Ghent
surface form: City of Ghent

Second Battle of Ypres
surface form: City of Ypres

County of Holland
Zeeland
surface form: County of Zeeland

Drenthe, Netherlands
surface form: Drenthe

Duchy of Guelders
Lordship of Friesland
Lordship of Groningen
Lordship of Utrecht
Overijssel
significantFor emergence of Dutch independence from Spain
typeOfGovernmentEstablished federal republic
yearSigned 1579

Referenced by (16)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Union of Utrecht alsoKnownAs Union of Utrecht
this entity surface form: Unie van Utrecht
Union of Arras chronologicallyRelatedTo Union of Utrecht
Lordship of Utrecht endEvent Union of Utrecht
Pacification of Ghent followedBy Union of Utrecht
Pacificatione Gandavensi followedBy Union of Utrecht
Dutch Republic foundedBy Union of Utrecht
Eighty Years' War keyEvent Union of Utrecht
Union of Arras opposedTo Union of Utrecht
Siege of Groningen (1594) outcome Union of Utrecht
this entity surface form: Groningen joined the Union of Utrecht
Union of Brussels precedes Union of Utrecht
Act of Abjuration predecessor Union of Utrecht
Habsburg Netherlands significantEvent Union of Utrecht
Seventeen Provinces significantEvent Union of Utrecht