It lasted from 1568 to 1648, with a break in hostilities from 1609 to 1621 known as the Twelve Years' Truce. During this war the Netherlands was led by a succession of Princes of Orange – William, Maurice and Frederick Henry – and the States General assembly. A key cause of the war was Philip II of Spain’s harsh treatment of Protestants in the country. He persecuted them and had them executed. There was also growing discontent about the removal of long-held privileges and the imposition of high taxation, such as the notorious ‘tenth penny’ tax introduced by the Duke of Alba. Following lengthy negotiations, in 1648 the Dutch and Spanish ended the war by signing the Peace of Münster. It saw Spain recognising the Dutch Republic as an independent state with borders that largely correspond with those of the Netherlands today.
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