Union of Arras

The Union of Arras (Dutch: Unie van Atrecht) was an accord signed on 6 January 1579 in Arras (Atrecht), under which the southern states of the Netherlands, today in Wallonia and the Nord-Pas-de-Calais (and Picardy) régions in France and Belgium, expressed their loyalty to the Spanish king Philip II and recognized his Governor-General, Don Juan of Austria. It is to be distinguished from the Union of Utrecht, signed later in the same month.

These were the conditions:

• There should be no more garrisons of foreign troops;
• The Council of State should be organized like that of the time of Charles V;
• Two thirds of the council members should be installed by all member states consenting.
• All privileges that were in force before the Dutch Revolt should be reinstated.
• Catholicism was the only religion. Any other religion (i.e. Calvinism) should be abolished.

The regions that signed it were:

• County of Hainaut
• County of Artois
• Lille, Douai and Orchies (Lilloise Flanders)
• Bishopric of Cambrai

The regions that favored the Union, but did not sign it, were

• County of Namur,
• County of Luxembourg,
• Duchy of Limburg.

Alexander Farnese, the Duke of Parma, used these counties as a base to start his conquest of the separatist parts (members of the Union of Utrecht).