The Twelve Years' Truce

The Twelve Years' Truce (1609-1621) was a peace agreement between Spain and the Dutch Republic during the Eighty Years' War. After years of conflict over Dutch independence from Spanish rule, both sides agreed to a ceasefire to allow for diplomatic negotiations and recovery. The truce lasted for twelve years, during which trade flourished for the Dutch, and Spain was able to reallocate its military resources. However, the underlying issues remained unresolved, leading to the resumption of hostilities after the truce ended, highlighting ongoing tensions in European politics during that period.