Breda

Breda, a town of North Brabant, Holland, at the confluence of the navigable Mark and Aa, 60 miles ENE. of Flushing by rail, and 30 NNE. of Antwerp. It formerly possessed the means of laying the surrounding country under water in the event of an attack, but the importance of the town as a military position has passed away, and in 1876 the fortifications were removed. Its Gothic cathedral (1510) has an octagonal steeple 311 feet high, and several interesting monuments; whilst the castle (1350) received its present shape from William III. (1696), and in 1828 was converted into a military academy. There are manufactures of carpets, linen, hats, soap, leather, &c., and dye-works, breweries, and rope-walks. Pop. (1869) 14,765; (1891) 22,987. Breda is celebrated as the place where, in 1566, the protest of the Dutch nobles, known as the 'Compromise of Breda,' against the measures of Philip II. of Spain in the Netherlands, was presented and rejected. The 'Declaration of Breda' (April 1660) was Charles II.'s manifesto prior to the Restoration; whilst by the 'Treaty of Breda' (1667) between England, France, Holland, and Denmark, England got St Christopher, Antigua, and Montserrat, and France Acadia. Breda has suffered numerous sieges, having been captured by the Spaniards (1581), by the Dutch under Maurice of Orange (1590), by Spinola (1625), again by the Dutch (1632), and twice by the French (1793-95), who were finally driven out in 1813.