Act of Abjuration
The Plakkaat van Verlatinghe, also called van Afzwering Act, was signed in The Hague on July 26, 1581 official declaration of the Republic of the United Netherlands, with Philip II was formally deposed. It is regarded as the Declaration of Independence of the Republic.
Background
In response to the Catholic southern provinces, which in the Union of Arras (Dutch: Unie van Atrecht ) explicitly had in 1579 to Catholic Spain known, founded the seven northern provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel, Friesland and Groningen on 23 January. 1579 the Union of Utrecht, which was a forerunner of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. Attempts of William of Orange, to mediate between the two parties failed. He joined the Union of Utrecht. With this union the story of an independent Dutch state began.
1581 declared the associated in the Union of Utrecht provinces their formal independence from Philip II of Spain, formally deposed and were led by the States-General to the Republic. The post of governor was William of Orange, who led the resistance struggle.
The Assembly of the States-General then chose Francis of Anjou to the Prince. After his assassination in 1584, however, no successor could be found, since both the Queen of England, and the French king refused the offer so as not to provoke Philip. The result was the emergence of a republic from the federated provinces of the Union of Utrecht.
Plakkaat van Verlatinghe
The Plakkaat van Verlatinghe explained that all the inhabitants of that land, " will henceforth be released from the oath which they have done to the king of Spain, as he was called Lord of this land, or agreed to pay are " ( voortane ontslagen van den eede the zy the Coninck van Spaegnien, as heere van dese voorsz. gheweest Hebb land border, moghen eenichsins ghedaen hebben often in hem ghehouden beings ).
Provinces
The provinces listed in the Declaration are ( in order of mention):
- Brabant
- Funds
- Flanders
- Holland
- Zeeland
- Mechelen
- Utrecht
The provinces of Groningen and Overijssel (including Drenthe) also said himself away, but were not specifically mentioned, because they were regarded as parts of funds or Utrecht.
Aftermath
There is some evidence that the Plakkaat van Verlatinghe the U.S. Declaration of Independence was used as a template, which was written by Jefferson in 1776 (Lucas, 1994).