Table of Contents

Illustrations; Acknowledgements; Abbreviations; Glossary; Maps; 1. Prologue; 2. The beginnings of the States General; 3. The first crisis (1477–94); 4. The Netherlands becomes part of a composite monarchy (1506–31): Philip the Handsome (1494–1506); 5. Dominium politicum et regale in a composite monarchy: the regencies of Margaret of Austria (1507–30); 6. Dominium politicum et regale in a composite monarchy: the regency of Mary of Hungary, I (1531–50); 7. The Netherlands at the centre of the Habsburg composite monarchy: the regency of Mary of Hungary, II (1550–5); 8. The Netherlands at the centre of the Habsburg composite monarchy: the governor-generalship of Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy (1555–9); 9. Rule from Madrid: the regency of Margaret of Parma (1559–67); 10. The governor-generalships of the duke of Alba (1567–73) and of Don Luis de Requesens (1573–6); 11. The beginnings of parliamentary government: Holland and Zeeland (1572–6); 12. Rule by the States General: myths and realities (1576–81); 13. Parliamentary government and dominium regale (1580–1600); 14. Epilogue; Bibliography; Index.