What if the spanish won the Eighty Years war.

The Eighty Years war was a war between the Spanish and the Dutch/Belgian rebels. The low countries wanted to become independent from Spain. They wanted it because they didn't like Spanish taxes and they also disliked the Spanish executions of protestant Christians. In the end the Dutch won and they became an independent nation and they soon had a colonial empire. But what would have happened if they lost the war and still were Spanish territory. Well I think this will be an interesting scenario. Probably Spain would be much more powerful in this timeline because the low countries were pretty wealthy. Spain would maybe stay a big superpower forever. What do you think?

While Spain would be more powerful I think that Spain could not keep a hold of the Netherlands and they would probably be taken by another country such as France eventually.

Honestly, I don't think much would change. The main reason for Spain's downfall wasn't military defeats but a crumbling economy brought on by runaway inflation caused by the Spanish silver trade which would have still happened victory or not over the Netherlands.

But the Dutch were one of Spanish wealthiest provinces and they paid a lot of tax so they were still pretty important. Also without the dutch their may will be no declaration of independence in the USA. The declaration of independence in the USA was inspired by the Dutch declaration of independence also known as: het plakkaat van verlatinge.

You can have one of wealthiest regions in the world but inflation will cripple either way. Its no secret that the Spanish monarchs were notorious for poor economic decisions so most likely they would drive the Dutch provinces into economic ruin. Also just because the Dutch would have lost doesn't mean the US wouldn't use their declaration of independence. I mean we used the Roman Republic as a model for US democracy even though that imploded eventually

But the Dutch also had a big colonial empire with quite much influence. Also after the 80 years war the Dutch had a golden age and invented a lot of technology.

Well, it is my understanding most of the Dutch Colonial Empire was acquired from Portugal during the 80 years war, as Portugal was under Spanish lordship in the Iberian Union, which dragged Portugal into war with the Dutch, who had colonial ambitions. You can figure it out. Portugal lost a lot of its trading posts and empire in general to the Dutch, especially in the Spice Islands, which is why the Dutch would eventually take over modern day Indonesia. So, if the Spanish won the 80 Years War, no Dutch empire, they could still establish colonies, but they wouldn't be as big or influential, probably with more influence in the Americas then anything.

The Dutch Colonial empire lasted for about 50 and was taken over by the English in the anglo dutch wars. So besides Australia and Indonesia, The Dutch empire not existing would not affect the world on a colonial level. On the other hand, the Revolution of the Low Countries was a very influential one, as it was on a religiuos basis and they established the iconic tricolor flags. They also kept the French in check during Louis XIV's rampage through Europe.

But the most common change would be that their anthem would actually make sence.