Quote Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat View Post
Oh. Dear. :feignedshock:

'The Netherlands' was a geographic name. 'Les Pays-Bas', that is, 'The Low lands'. It was also a political name, a collective name for seventeen Germanic/French provinces.

The [/i]country[/i] of the Netherlands, in any name, shape or form, only came about when several provinces sat themselves together and assumed sovereignity.


Likewise, the name 'the America's' is older than the United States of America. It was called 'Spanish America', or 'French America'. Yet, the country 'The United States of America' dates back not to Columbus, not to the first British settlementm but to, exactly, July 4th, 1776.
Similarly too, there has always been a 'Germany'. Yet, the country of East Germany does not date back to 1870 or before. It dates back to 1949.

As with East Germany in 1900, there was no notion of a country of the Northern Netherlands in 1500. The birth of the Netherlands was simultaneous to the birth of Republicanism.
I feel the need to point out that the Dutch Republic was composed of a number feudal lordships, not constitutional Republics. The Dutch Republic was also an oppressive theocracy.

I can see why the Dutch might think a Constitutional Monarchy a good idea.

Oh, I've just realised something. I think most surviving Constitutional Monarchies are Protestant, while there are lots of predominantly Catholic Republics.