When did Mary I of Valois die and what happened to her fiefs?
Mary I of Valois died in 1482 after which her fiefs passed to her husband Archduke Maximilian. This transfer brought the Low Countries under the control of the House of Habsburg.
Questions about Seventeen Provinces
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who united all seventeen provinces into a single political entity and when was this completed?
Charles V united all seventeen provinces under one rule by completing the unification in 1543 with the Duchy of Guelders. The Pragmatic Sanction of 1549 legally bound these provinces together for inheritance purposes.
Which seven northern provinces gained independence during the Eighty Years War starting in 1568?
Seven northern provinces including Holland Zeeland Friesland and Utrecht gained independence to form the Seven United Provinces. These territories separated from the southern provinces that remained under Spanish control after military campaigns led by the Duke of Parma.
What economic changes occurred in Antwerp and Bruges after the revolt began in 1568?
The Sack of Antwerp in 1576 followed by its fall in 1584 triggered a closure of the Scheldt river to navigation. Prosperity migrated northward as cities like Amsterdam gained importance while Bruges lost its status as the dominant commercial hub of northern Europe.
How is the original territory of the Seventeen Provinces divided among modern nations today?
France controls most of the French departments of Nord and Pas-de-Calais including Artois while Belgium contains the former Duchy of Brabant and County of Flanders along with Luxembourg. The Netherlands encompasses the historical core of Holland and Zeeland plus parts of Limburg.