The Plakkaat van Verlatinghe was the act whereby the Estates General of the Netherlands abjured their overlord, King Philip II of Spain, on 26 July 1581. This record is considered to be the birth record of the country of the Netherlands, similar to the Declaration of Independence in the United States.
The original is in Spanish hands, as it was sent to the King. A draft version on display at the Nationaal Archief, the National Archives of the Netherlands and available online.
First page of the draft of the Plakkaat van Verlatinghe. Credits: Nationaal Archief (public domain)
About Yvette Hoitink
