Suppression of Protestantism by the ruling Spanish Habsburgs led to the revolt of the Netherlands and the independence of the northern provinces as a republic in 1581.
* 1813 Dutch oust French after 30 years of French rule and choose to become a constitutional monarchy.
* 1815 United Kingdom of Netherlands formed to include Belgium and Luxembourg.
* 1830 Catholic southern provinces secede as Belgium.
* 1848 New constitution û ministers to be accountable to parliament.
* 1897û1901 Wide-ranging social legislation enacted. Development of strong trade unions.
* 1898 Wilhelmina accedes to throne, so ending union with Luxembourg, where Salic Law is in force.
* 1914╨1918 Dutch neutrality respected in World War I.
* 1922 Women fully enfranchised.
* 1940 Dutch attempt to maintain neutrality, but Germany invades. Fierce Dutch resistance.
* 1942 Japan invades Dutch East Indies.
* 1944╨1945 "Winter of starvation."
* 1945 Liberation. International Court of Justice set up in The Hague.
* 1946 PVDA formed.
* 1946╨1958 PVDA leads center-left coalitions with CVP. Marshall Aid from USA speeds reconstruction.
* 1948 Queen Juliana takes throne.
* 1949 Joins NATO. Most of East Indies colonies gain independence as Indonesia.
* 1953 2,000 die in North Sea floods.
* 1957 Founder-member of EEC.
* 1960 Economic union with Belgium and Luxembourg comes into effect.
* 1973 PVDA wins power after 15 years spent mainly in opposition. Center-left coalition, first ever majority of left-wing ministers.
* 1980 Two main opposition Protestant parties unite in CDA. Queen Beatrix accedes to throne.
* 1977╨1981 CDAûVVD coalition.
* 1982 PVDA rejects deployment of US Cruise missiles in Netherlands. CDAûVVD center-right coalition under Ruud Lubbers.
* 1989 VVD refuses to support finance for 20-year National Environment Policy (NEP). Elections. Lubbers' CDAûPVDA center-left coalition.
* 1990 NEP introduced.
* 1992 Licensed brothels and euthanasia legalized.
* 1994 Elections. PVDA heads new coalition. Politically-conservative VVD holds balance of power.
