250,000 BC first humans in the low lands
4000 BC People become less nomadic
5000 BC Farms in Limburg
3000 BC Vlaardinger culture
3500-2000 BC Long Barrows (hunebedden) in Drenthe
100 BC settlements of the Germanic tribes: Cananefati along the coast of Zuid Holland, Tubanti in the east. Batavi between the Rivers. Frisi on the north and west coast.
58-51 BC The Romans conquer Gallia Belgica, the land north of the Seine and south of the Old Rhine and subject the tribes through treaty or war.
50 BC Roman Empire begins administration of the land, mostly below the Rhine. Utrecht (Trajectum), Nijmegen (Novo Magus), and Maastricht (Mosa Trajectum) begin as Roman Settlements.
69-70 AD Well Romanised Batavi chief Julius Civilus instigates a revolt agains the Romans ivolving tribes from the low lands down to France.
100-200 AD Blossoming of agriculture, trade and industry under the Romans.
Ca 375 AD The effects of population migrations become plain: due to pressure behind from the Huns, various Germanic tribes make their presence known within the Roman Empire. Tribes merge to become known as larger groups: Frisians in the northwest absorb Cahauci, Saxons having absorbed Angles and Jutes displace tribes in eastern Holland who, having merged under the Franks have already moved south a good century earlier to around Tongres in Belgium.
496 AD Frankish warchief Clovis (Chlodovech), first of the Merovingians (meaning from the sea as his grandfather was supposedly begotten by a monster, Merrovech, which came from the waves) becomes a christian and proceeds to weld the area from the Rhine in the north and far east from the River south to the Pyerenees into a Frankish empire.
695 AD the Anglo Saxon monk Willibrord is appointed as Bishop of the Frisians. He founds churches in Utrecht and on the Holland Coast.
754 AD Anlo Saxon evangelist Bonifatius is murdered in Dokkum, Friesland
768 AD Charlemagne takes power in the Frankish empire. His grandfather Pepin, the former Major Domo took the authority earlier from the Merovingians who had become weak (les Rois Faineants).
800 AD Charlemagne gets a big surprise in Rome: politely he is asked "Step this way, please" and the next thing he knows a crown is lowered onto his head. He is not pleased. With good reason, the move is designed to put Church over Empire.
810-1000 AD Raids of the Normans. the population's security is severly shaken, more so than the actual damage done. They do not just raid but often stay.
814 Charlemagne dies, Louis the Pious succeeds him. he will not match his predecessor's accomplishments.
843 The treaty of Verdun parcels out the Empire. The low lands become part of Lotharingia, Falnders part of West Francia.
1000 AD The feudal system has come into being. Formerly tenants of the monarch, the nobles from the caste of knights, as do the clergy become a caste in their own right. People are starting to erect defenses against the water beyond theterps: dikes are constructed to protect the land.
1200 AD a third caste (derde stand), of citzenry (burgerij) comes into being
1253 AD Willem II, king of Germany and Count of Holland dies battling rebellious Frisians
1346-1354 Conflict of the "Hoeken" and "Kabeljauwen" give rise to the institution of political representation of nobility and citizenry.
1356 Duchess Johanna of Brabant and her husband take the "Blijde Inkomste" Oath, significantly limiting Royal Authority.
1369 Duke Philip the Brave (de Stoute) of Burgundy, youngest son of the French King, wins Flanders through marriage.
ca 1400 The Burgundians become powerplayers between the French kingdom and the German Empire.
1428 The Countess of Holland, Zeeland and Hainault Jacoba of Bavaria gives up her holdings to Philip the Brave in the Treaty of Delft (Zoen van Delft)
ca 1450 The Burgundians hope to restore Lotharingia as a "Royal Friesland".
1464 Philip XXX the Good convens the first Assembly "Staten-General" with representatives from all the regions of the Netherlands.
1477 Charles the Brave falls at the battle of Nancy. End of the Burgundian expansion. Daughter Maria, wife of Maximilian of Austria, son of the German Emperor, is forced through the Grand Privilege (Groot Privilege) by the Staten Generaal to severely limit her authority. The Habsburg era begins.
1500. Birth of Charles V
1506 Charles V appointed Lord of the Netherlands.
1516 Charles V appointed King of Spain.
1519 Charles V appointed Emperor of Germany.
1533 William is born in Nassau, Germany.
1544 William of Nassau inherits the princedom Orange in suothern France as well as extensive properties in the Netherlands from his cousin René of Châlon.
1548 Bourgondische Kreits. The seventeen Netherland territories, ten southerly and seven northerly are forged into one unit. These include Friesland, Groningerland, Gelre and the bishopry of Utrecht. City chiefs (Stadhouders) head each region.
1555 Charles V transfers his rule to his sonPhilip II. He is anti-protestant and levies high taxes despite tough economic times.
1559 Philip II deaparts the Netherlands for good and hands the reins to his half sister Margaret of Parma.
1566 The political atmosphere becomes tense due to high rain prices and resulting famine. An association of three hundred nobles petition for moderation: less taxation and more religous freedom. Count Berlaymont sneers "Ce ne sont que des gueux" (It is just a bunch of beggars). As a result resistance fighters will adopt "Geus" as an honorary appellation.
1566 Protestants rip into the catholic churches, plunder and smash statues and reliquaries. This event becomes known as the tempest of the statues (beeldenstorm).
1567 Calm has returned, but nonetheless the Duke of Alva leads an army of 10,000 Spanish and Italian mercenaries into the Netherlands. A special court is set up (Raad van Beroerten, Bloedraad) and 1100 heretics are sentenced to death.
1568 William of Orange finances and organises a military force in Germany and invades the Netherlands. He wins the battle at Heiligerlee where his brother Adolf falls, but ultimately the campaign is not a success. Alva, now the appointed authority in the Netherlands has counts Egmond and Horne beheaded on the Big Market in Brussels.
1572 The Spanish besiege Haarlem. Kenau Simonsdr Hasselaar distinguishes herself on the battlerment hurling hot oil and worse on the heads of the soldiers trying to scale the walls ans so becomes a legend. But the city falls despite the citizens' valiant defense. Alkmaar holds out. in the end of this year Leiden is surrounded.
1574 The Orange army enters Limburg hoping to get the enemy away from Leiden. They engage on the Mokerhei, but the Orange Army is routed and the Spanish return to lay siege on Leiden. The resistance opens dykes, driving the Spaniards from their trenches.