Editing Utrecht (section)

====The end of independence====
In 1528 the bishop lost secular power over both Neder- and Oversticht—which included the city of Utrecht—to [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor]]. Charles V combined the [[Seventeen Provinces]] (the current [[Benelux]] and the northern parts of France) as a personal union. This ended the prince-bishopric of Utrecht, as the secular rule was now the [[lordship of Utrecht]], with the religious power remaining with the bishop, although Charles V had gained the right to appoint new bishops. In 1559 the bishopric of Utrecht was raised to archbishopric to make it the religious centre of the Northern [[ecclesiastical province]] in the Seventeen Provinces.

The transition from independence to a relatively minor part of a larger union was not easily accepted. To quell uprisings, Charles V struggled to exert his power over the city's citizens who had struggled to gain a certain level of independence from the bishops and were not willing to cede this to their new lord. The heavily fortified castle [[Vredenburg (castle)|Vredenburg]] was built to house a large garrison whose main task was to maintain control over the city. The castle would last less than 50&nbsp;years before it was demolished in an uprising in the early stages of the [[Dutch Revolt]].