The Dutch Revolt and the Medieval Tradition of Urban Dissent

Abstract

The political culture which came to the forefront in the Dutch Revolt, ultimately leading to the abjuration of Philip II of Spain, drew on two distinct traditions. The first was a tradition of practical critical evaluation of the prince's politics by the representatives of the great cities of the county of Flanders and of the duchy of Brabant; the second a more theoretical tradition of important texts elaborated in previous moments of political crisis and thus imbued with a 'constitutional' meaning. This awareness of an important medieval legacy of rebelliousness has helped to elaborate a political culture in which historical consciousness and the practical defence of concrete urban interests and values through both political stance and urban rituals merged, and were finally passed on to the following generations of burghers. The power of the prince was thus balanced by a set of values and principles which finally led to the abjuration of King Philip as a 'logical' outcome of the Revolt.

‘In fide constans’? Politiek van herinnering in het Mechelse stadsbestuur

“…42 Ook trof de belasting zeker niet alleen de 'Clergye', maar ook de staten en steden van Karels landen, wat vooral bij die laatste veel gemor veroorzaakte, vooral na de centralisering van de bestuurlijke instellingen die overal (behalve in Mechelen) terecht gezien werd als een drastische inperking van de eigen autonomie. 43 Als resultaat van de aanzienlijke financiële inspanning kon Karel zich wel beroepen op een goed georganiseerd en wijd en zijd gevreesd leger, dat ook op die manier in de kroniek naar voren komt: 'soo es dan hertog Karel ghetrocken met grooter macht voor de stadt van nusen [...] ende heeft de stadt seer sterkelijke beleghen'. 44 Ook is sprake van de vele 'lombarden ende inghelschen', de Italiaanse en Engelse huursoldaten die allengs de ruggengraat van Karels legers gingen vormen.…”

Inclusiveness and exclusion: trust networks at the origins of European cities

“…The arbitrariness and abuse of power by their monopolistic governments from the thirteenth century onwards led to revolts that triggered the intervention of the territorial rulers who imposed a division of power among contending factions (Blockmans 1989;Boone and Prak 1995;Boone 2007;Curull 2009, 10). From a structural viewpoint, one may also argue that cities had simply grown too large and had internally become too diversified to be ruled by a merchants' trust network.…”

Records out and archives in: early modern cities as creators of records and as communities of archives

“…from French and Latin into Dutch and taken to the nearby Friday market-since the late thirteenth century the place where all important public and political meetings are staged (Boone 2007)-to be read aloud by the leaders of the rebellion. By reading historic promises of protection and cooperation, and pardons granted by Philip the Good after Ghent's political unrest in the 30s and 40s, they sought to provide the audience with ''both a past of legendary rights and a blueprint for action'' (Arnade 1996, p. 111).…”