introduction:

In this article attention will be paid to the Treaty of Münster of January 30, 1648 in the light of the history of ideas. First the reasons for the upheaval in the Netherlands will be discussed, and the person and ideas of the leader of the revolt against Spain, William of Orange (section 1). Secondly the main events in the Eighty Years War will be discussed, as far as this is necessary to understand the reasons for and the contents of the above mentioned Treaty (Dethlefs, 1998; Six , 1942; Wenner, 1998 ) (section 2). Thirdly the contents of the Treaty will be discussed. In this respect a division will be made between the political and religious aspects of the Treaty, and the economic aspects (section 3). Finally, the reception and consequences of the Treaty are discussed (section 4). In section 5 some conclusions are drawn.