Since 600 BC the area which forms now the Netherlands is inhabited by Germanic tribes, like the Bataves, the Frisians and the Caninephates. The southern part of the Netherlands are conquered by the Roman Empire in shortly before 0. Around 256 the Germanic tribe of the Franks enter the area and since 296 they rule the area as defender of the border of the Roman Empire. This culminates in the forming of the Frankish Realm. The northern part of present-day becomes a Germanic speaking area, whereas the south remains a Romanic speaking area. The region north of the Rhine is ruled by Frisians and Saxonians. The Frankish Realm becomes an independent state, but in 639 the country is divided in Austrasia and Neustria. Both kingdoms are reunited in 719. At the division of the Frankish Empire in 843, the Netherlands become mainly part of the Middle Frankish Empire. In 925 the area is annexed to the East Frankish Empire, later continued by the German Empire. In the feudal German Empire the duchies and counties, together known as the Netherlands, come between 1384 and 1451 under the rule of Burgundy, continued by Habsburgians since 1506. The last duchy, Gueldres, is annexed in 1543. After the division of the Habsburgian countries in 1555 the Netherlands come under control of Habsburg-ruled Spain.

In 1568 a rebellion against the Spanish occupation starts. Shortly after the start the Netherlands become as the Republic of the United Netherlands a de facto independent federal state, lead by Willem van Oranje. In 1648 this is formalized in the treaty of Munster as a result of which the republic leaves the German Empire. The republic is rules by aristocrats around the family of Orange Nassau. The head of state is an hereditary Stateholder. The Netherlands develops into a colonial power with colonies in the Americas, Africa and the Far East.

After a revolution the republic is in 1795 restyled into the Batavian Republic, a French puppet state. This is a parliamentary state, but gradually power comes in the hands of more or less authoritarian French vassals. The country is renamed Batavian Commonwealth in 1805 and in 1806 the French restyle it the Kingdom of Holland. In 1810 Holland is annexed by France.

In 1813 independence is restored as the Sovereign Principality of the Netherlands. After the treaty of Vienna in 1815 the Netherlands unites with the former Austrian Netherlands and Liege into the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This is a constitutional monarchy with real power in hands of the King. After a revolution in 1831 Belgium secedes from the Netherlands.

In 1848 liberals under Johan Rudolf Thorbecke grab power and the Netherlands become a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. During the upcoming decennia the suffrage gradually enlarges. Prime ministers come from the liberals, the conservatives or from the protestant Anti-Revolutionaire Partij (Anti-Revolutionary Party, ARP). The personal union with Luxembourg is terminated in 1890. After the elections of 1897 the Nicolaas Gerard Pierson of the Liberale Unie (Liberal Union, LU) forms the government. He is succeeded in 1901 by Abraham Kuyper of the ARP, but in 1905 the liberals win the elections and Theodoor Herman de Meester can form the government. The confessionals regain power in 1908 with Theodoorus Heemskerk, but in 1913 the liberal parties succeed in forming the last liberal government with a democratic programme under Pieter Willem Adriaan Cort van der Linden. In 1918 male suffrage and in 1920 universal suffrage are introduced, thus making the Netherlands a parliamentary democracy.

In 1918 the liberals are defeated and the confessional parties become the majority force in Ducth politics. The catholic leader Charles Joseph Maria Ruys de Beerenbrouck of what would be later the Rooms-Katholieke Staatspartij (Roman Catholic States Party, RKSP) becomes prime minister. In 1925 he is succeeded by Hendrikus Colijn of the ARP, followed by Dirk Jan de Geer of Christelijk-Historische Unie (Christian Historical Union, CHU). Between 1929 and 1933 Ruys de Beerenbrouck is prime minister again, followed by Colijn between 1933 and 1939. He is succeeded in 1939 by De Geer. In 1940 Germany occupies the country. In exile Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy of the ARP becomes prime minister.

After the liberation the left-wing liberal Willem Schermerhorn of the Vrijzinnig-Democratische Bond (Freethinking Democratic League, VDB) becomes prime minister. During his premiership his party joins the new social-democratic Partij van de Arbeid (Labour Party, PvdA). After the elections of 1946 Louis J.M. Beel of the Katholieke Volkspartij (Catholic People's Party, KVP) becomes prime minister. The confessional parties continue to govern in coalitions with either the PvdA or the conservative liberal Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, VVD). Despite a confessional majority, Willem Drees of the PvdA is prime minister from 1948 until 1958 in a coalition with the confessional parties and until 1952 also with the VVD. Under his premiership the Netherlands and its remaining colonies are transformed in 1954 into a federation: the Kingdom consists out of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Suriname. The name Kingdom of the Netherlands is used for the federation as well as for the Netherlands itself. In 1957 the Netherlands are a co-founder of the European Communities in 1957 (renamed European Union in 1993).

Drees' coalition is succeeded in 1958 by governments of the confessional parties with the VVD, first under Beel, who is succeeded in 1959 by Jan Eduard de Quay (KVP), in 1963 by Victor Marijnen (KVP), in 1965 by Jo Cals, in 1966 by Jelle Zijlstra (ARP) and in 1967 by Piet de Jong (KVP). Confessional majorities dissappear, but the confessional parties remain in coalition governments. In 1971 Barend Willem Biesheuvel (ARP) becomes prime minister. The 1972 elections lead in 1973 to the premiership of Joop den Uyl (PvdA). His coalition of left wing and confessioanl parties loses the 1977 elections and Dries van Agt of the KVP can form a coalition with the VVD, the ARP and the CHU. During his premiership the KVP, ARP and CHU merge into the Christen Democratisch Appèl (Christian Democratic Appeal, CDA). After 1981 Van Agt forms a coalition with the PvdA and the liberal democrat D66. This coalition breaks in 1982 and the PvdA leaves the government. After the 1982 elections he is succeeded in 1982 by Ruud Lubbers of the CDA. He forms a coalition with the VVD, but after the 1989 elections the PvdA joins the government instead of the VVD.

The 1994 elections makes it impossible for the CDA to form a majority with one other party. After the refusal of the liberal democrat Democraten 66 (Democrats 66, D66) to join a coalition with the CDA, Wim Kok forms the purple coalion of his PvdA, the VVD and D66. This coalition keeps a majority at the 1998 elections, but in 2002 the parties lose the elections. Jan Peter Balkenende of the CDA becomes prime minister in a coalition with the VVD and the right wing populist Lijst Pim Fortuyn (List Pim Fortuyn, LPF). This government collapses in one year and after new elections Balkenende forms a coalition with VVD and D66.