The Dutch Revolt of the 16th century was a conflict between the Protestant Low Countries and the Catholic Spanish Empire. This led to the division of the seventeen provinces of the Netherlands and, ultimately, the formation of the Dutch Republic. This struggle culminated in a religious split. The Dutch-speaking north was tolerant of various religious affiliations, while the French and Walloon south remained loyal to Philip II and was predominantly Catholic. In order to determine the significance of the Reformed faith in the success of the Dutch Revolt, the interpretations of both Peter Griel and Wallace will be explored. Furthermore, social, economic and political factors will be taken into consideration in order to determine their significance in the success of the uprising. Based on Ole Peter Griel et al's (2007) interpretation of events, it is evident that the seventeen provinces that made up the Netherlands, was a powerful economy in early modern Europe, Antwerp in particular was a region that was successful in trade. The prosperous urbanized area, together with both the cultural and linguistic differences between the northern and southern provinces, provided an ideal backdrop for the manifestation of political and religious demands. Furthermore, Philip II (1556 – 1598), king of Spain and the Habsburg Netherlands, was indifferent to the traditional political and cultural aspects of the provinces. The crisis of 1566 was the result of a combination of political, economic and religious frictions. Initially the tax increase appears to be a trigger for the revolt. The local nobility who complained about the reorganization of the Catholic bishoprics was clearly resentful. This was imposed by Cardinal Granville with...... middle of paper......tizens.. Therefore the Dutch Revolt occurred due to a combination of factors. Primarily the Dutch uprising was about religious freedom or liberation from Habsburg rule. noble disaffection, religious tension caused by the growth of Calvinism. It is clear that in the Netherlands there was a struggle for authority. The personalities of the figures involved in these conflicts inevitably had an impact on the success of the Dutch uprising. The alienation of Alva, which also included Catholics in the taxes, and the Protestants' united front against the Spanish troops suggest that repression was a more significant factor than religious atrocities. In 1579, the Treaty of Utrecht was signed, uniting the northern provinces of the Netherlands. The success of the Dutch Revolt, however, was not officially recognized as a republic until the Peace of Westphalia 1648.