Heroes of Modern Europe

ilent, Father

eceived nothing beyond vague promises that he would come one day to visit his dominions overseas. It was still the belief of the King of Spain that he held supre

untries and were holding religious services openly, troops of Protestants marched about the streets singing Psalms and shouting "

ght to assemble for worship outside the walls. A change had come over this once worldly noble-henceforth he cared nothing fo

e him resentful of authority that would place him in subjection. But William parted from his friend, recognizing sadly that they were inspired by different motives. "Alas! Egmont," he said, embracing the noble who would not desert the cause of Ph

itation." His own wife was a Lutheran, and by such a promise it might become his duty to destroy her! An alliance with foreign princes was the only safeguard against the force which Spain was preparing. The

He sent the Duke of Alva to stamp out h

erlands without regard for honour. He was in his sixtieth year, but time had not weakened his strong inflexible courage. Tall, thin, and erect, he carried himself as a Spaniard of noble blood, and yielded to none in the superb arrogance of his manners. His long beard gave him the dignity of age, and his bearing stamped him always as a

rs among them-who would astonish the simple northern people he held in such contempt. "I have tr

iful horses as a present. The Spaniard had already doomed this man to the block, but he pretended great pleasure at the welcome gift and put hi

ish forces. She was furious at the slight, and showed her displeasure by greeting the Duke of Alva coldly. After writ

such fortitude at the last that the people mourned them passionately, and a storm of indignation bu

one who chose to give evidence against his friends was assured that he would have a generous reward for such betrayals. The Duke of Alva was President of the Council and had the right of final d

s declared an outlaw. His eldest son was captured at the University of Louvain and sent

saken the astute Prince of Orange. He proceeded to raise an army, though he had not enough money to pay his mercenaries. He was preparing for a struggle against a general, second to none in Europe, a general, moreover, who had veterans at his command and the authority of Spain behind him. Yet the first disaster did not daunt either William of Orange or his brother Louis of Nassau,

t his troops from an attack on England. She would secretly encourage the Beggars to take Spanish ships, but she

f Count Egmont

untry, suffering from the condemnation of his allies because he had not been successful. Alva's victory would have seemed too easy if there had not been a terrible lack of funds among the Spanish, owing t

nemies of the Spanish sprang up among their former allies. Catholics as well as Protestants were angry at Alva's demand of a tax of the "hundredth penny" to be levied on all property. Alva's name had been detested even before he

g marriage with Anne of Austria ought to have been celebrated with some appearance of goodwill to all men, bu

o destroy Montigny, but he did not choose to order his execution openly. The knight had been sentenced by the Council of Blood after three years imprisonment, but still lingered on, hoping for release through the exertions of his family. The King was busied with weddin

s to acknowledge the Prince of Orange as their Stadtholder. Brill was an unexpected triumph which the brilliant, impetuous Louis of Nassau followed up by the seizure of Flushing, the key of Zealand, which was the approach to Antwerp. The Sea-Beggars then

helmus van Nassouwen, which is still sung in the Netherlands. Burghers now opened their purses to give money, for they felt that victories must surely follow the capture of Brill and Flushing. William took the field with hired soldiers, and was met by the news of the terrible massacre of Protestants in France in 1572 on the Eve of St Bartholomew. All

states both maintaining a gallant struggle. He was recognized as Stadtholder by a meeting of the States in 1572, and liber

Malines and of Zutphen. The outrages of his soldiers were almost inhu

r and the siege, begun in December 1572, was turned into a blockade, and still the Spaniards could not enter. The heads of the leaders of relief armies which had been defeated were flung into Haarlem with insulting gibes. The reply to this was a barrel which was sent rolling out carrying eleven heads,

e left of a garrison of 4000. It seemed as if the courage of Haarlem had been unavail

nwilling to be beaten in endurance. Alva was disappointed to find that immediate submission did not follow. He left

e must be freedom of worship throughout the Netherlands, where all the ancient charters of liberty must be restored

he relief of Leyden, which was invested by the Spaniards in 1574. He gathered a force of mixed nationality and no cohesion, and was surprised and killed with

wind to the outskirts of Leyden, where they engaged in mortal conflict. The forts fell into their hands, some being deserted by the Spanish who fled from the rising waters. William of Orange received the news at Delft, where he had taken up his reside

d and Zealand if she would engage in the struggle against Spain. Elizabeth dared not refuse, lest Fran

supreme authority on the Prince of Orange, commander in war and governor in peace. Requesens was dead; a general patriotic r

he Cross and knelt to ask God's blessing before they entered on the massacre! Greed for gold had come upon the Spaniards, who hastened to secure the treasures accumulated at Antwerp. Jewels and velvets and laces were coveted as much as the contents of the strong boxes of the merchants,

d, to drive the foreigner from their country. The Union of Brussels confirmed this treaty in January 1577, for the South were anxious to rid themselves of the Spaniards though they desired

John soon grew weary of a position of dependence; he seized Namur and took up his residence there, afterwards defying the States-General. A universal cry for Orange was raised in the confusion that f

l vested in himself, but he was dismayed to see Alexander of Parma join Don John, realizing that their combined armies would be more than a match for his. Confusion returned after a victory of Parma, who

of the Netherlands. His work seemed undone on the death of Don John in 1578 and the succession of Alexander, Duke of Parma. This Prince sowed the seeds of discord very skilfully, separating the Walloon provinces from the Reformers. A party of Catholic Malcontents was fo

by foes, and many plots were formed against him. In March 1581, King Philip denounced him as the enemy of the human race, a tr

ng career, and pointed out Philip's crimes and misdemeanours. His own Imperial descent was contrasted with the King of Spain's less illustrious an

ith the other States in casting off their allegiance to Philip. The French Prince was invested with the ducal mantle by Orange when he entered Antwerp as Duke of Brabant, and was, in reality, subject to the idol of the Netherlands

t the people did not share his views, and were suspicious of his motives wh

lured back by Parma to the Spanish party. In 1584 a young Burgundian managed to elude the vigilance of William'

well as his worldly fortunes, but the struggle he had waged for nearly twenty years had a truly glorious ending. The geni