I have a few slight criticisms of this otherwise excellent article. Don Juan is twice held responsible for not preventing the Sack of Antwerp. However, the poor man was not even in the country at the time. See for instance the wikipedia article John of Austria. I think a slight adjustment is in order, because the gist of the argument is correct. Another section of the article sees the Spanish Netherlands incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire in 1706, or before, followed by "British and French invasions." In reality, though the arrangement between William III and Louis XIV of 1701 apportioned the Spanish Netherlands to Austria, this arrangement was abrogated by the French after William's death. The Spanish authorities in the Southern Netherlands
then recognized Philip V (the Bourbon candidate) and France occupied the country. And this provoked the Anglo-Dutch invasion of 1702 and following years. The Southern Netherlands were only definitively apportioned to Charles III(the Habsburg candidate), by then Charles VI of Austria, after the Peace of Utrecht. See War of the Spanish Succession. Finally, though Parker is quoted as saying that the Army of Flanders was the longest-standing army (1567-1706) in early-modern Europe, such a claim cannot be maintained. The Army of the Dutch States-General was in continuous existence at least between 1588 and 1795. But other nations have bragging rights in this respect also.--Ereunetes (talk) 19:54, 8 June 2010 (UTC)Reply
- Sounds like a sensible proposal to me. Hchc2009 (talk) 19:05, 10 June 2010 (UTC)Reply
