William the Silent

:For other men named William of Orange, see William of Orange (disambiguation)

War

William responded by leading a large army into Brabant, but Alva carefully avoided a confrontation, expecting the army to fall apart quickly. He proved to be right, as William lacked the money to support the army. He made several more plans to invade in the next few years, but little came of it, lacking support and money. William remained popular with the public, partially through an extensive propaganda campaign through pamphlets. One of his most important claims, with which he attempted to justify his actions, was that he was not fighting the rightful owner of the land, the Spanish king, but only the inadequate rule of the foreign regents in the Netherlands, and the presence of foreign soldiers.

Related Topics:
Brabant - Propaganda

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On 1 April, 1572 a band of Watergeuzen captured the city of Brielle, which had been left unattended by the Spanish garrison. Contrary to their normal "hit and run" tactics, they occupied the town and claimed it for the prince. This event was followed by other cities in opening their gates for the Watergeuzen, and soon most cities in Holland and Zeeland were in the hands of the rebels, notable exceptions being Amsterdam and Middelburg. The rebel cities then called a meeting of the Staten Generaal (which they were technically unqualified to do), and reinstated William as the stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland.

Related Topics:
1 April - 1572 - Brielle - Holland - Zeeland - Amsterdam - Middelburg - Staten Generaal

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Concurrently, rebel armies captured cities throughout the entire country, from Deventer to Mons. William himself then advanced with his own army and marched into several cities in the south, including Roermond and Leuven. William had counted on intervention from the French Protestants (Huguenots) as well, but this plan was thwarted after the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre on 24 August, which signalled the start of a wave of violence against the Huguenots. After a successful Spanish attack on his army, William had to flee and he retreated to Enkhuizen, in Holland. The Spanish then organised countermeasures, and sacked several rebel cities, sometimes massacring their inhabitants, such as in Mechelen or Zutphen. They had more trouble with the cities in Holland, where they took Haarlem after seven months and a loss of 8,000 soldiers, and they had to give up their siege of Alkmaar.

Related Topics:
Deventer - Mons - Roermond - Leuven - Huguenots - St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre - 24 August - Enkhuizen - Mechelen - Zutphen - Took Haarlem - Siege - Alkmaar

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In 1574, William's armies won several minor battles, including several naval encounters. The Spanish, now lead by Don Luis de Zúñiga y Requesens who succeeded Alva in 1573, also had their successes, and their decisive victory in the Battle of Mookerheyde on 14 April cost the lives of two of William's brothers, Louis and Henry. Requesens's armies also besieged the city of Leiden. They broke up their siege when nearby dykes were cut by the Dutch. William was very content with the victory, and established the University of Leiden, the first university in the Northern Provinces.

Related Topics:
1574 - Luis de Zúñiga y Requesens - Battle of Mookerheyde - 14 April - Leiden - University of Leiden

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William married for the third time on 24 April 1575. He had his previous marriage legally disbanded in 1571, on claims of insanity of his wife Anna. Charlotte de Bourbon-Monpensier, a former French nun, was also popular with the public. Together, they had six daughters:

Related Topics:
24 April - 1575 - Nun

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• Louise Juliana (1576 – 1644);
• Elisabeth (1577 – 1642);
• Catherina Belgica (1578 – 1648);
• Charlotte Flandrina (1579 – 1640);
• Charlotte Brabantia (1580 – 1631); and
• Emilia Antwerpiana (1581 – 1657).

After failed peace negotiations in Breda in 1575, the war lingered on. Things looked bright for the rebels when Don Requesens died unexpectedly in early 1576, and a large group of Spanish soldiers, not having received their salary in months, deserted. While the new regent, Don John of Austria, arrived, William of Orange managed to have most of the provinces and cities sign the Pacification of Ghent, in which they declared to fight for the expulsion of Spanish troops together. However, he failed to achieve unity in matters of religion. Catholic cities and provinces would not allow freedom for Calvinists, and vice versa.

Related Topics:
Breda - Don John of Austria - Pacification of Ghent

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When Don John signed the Perpetual Edict in February 1577, promising to comply with the conditions of the Pacification of Ghent, it seemed that the war had been decided in favour of the rebels. However, after Don John took the city of Namur in 1577, the uprising spread throughout the entire Netherlands. Don John attempted to negotiate peace, but the prince intentionally let the negotiations fail. On 24 September 1577, he made his triumphal entry in the capital Brussels.

Related Topics:
Perpetual Edict - Namur - 24 September - 1577

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At the same time, Calvinist revolters grew more radical, and attempted to forbid Catholicism in their areas of control. William was opposed to this both for personal and political reasons. He desired freedom of religion, and he also needed the support of the less radical Protestants and Catholics to reach his political goals. On 6 January 1579, several southern provinces, unhappy with William's radical following, sealed the Treaty of Arras, in which they agreed to accept their regent, Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma (who had succeeded Don John).

Related Topics:
6 January - 1579 - Treaty of Arras - Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma

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Five northern provinces, later followed by most cities in Brabant and Flanders, then signed the Union of Utrecht on 23 January, confirming their unity. William was initially opposed to the Union, as he still hoped to unite all provinces. Nevertheless, he formally gave his support on 3 May. The Union of Utrecht would later become a de facto constitution, and would remain the only formal connection between the Dutch provinces until 1795.

Related Topics:
Brabant - Flanders - Union of Utrecht - 23 January - 3 May - Constitution - 1795

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