Synod of Dort Part 3: Persecution in the Netherlands

In 1555, the Holy Roman Emperor was growing old and decided to split up his large kingdom. He gave the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands to Philip II of Spain. Philip the II was an ardent Roman Catholic who believed he had to wipe out any opposition to that view of Christianity, including those who now believed in the teachings of the Reformation. While the Holy Roman Emperor had given a lot of freedom to the Netherlands, Philip II tightened his control. He set up a Dutch Inquisition to...