Title:  The Rise of the Dutch Republic, 1559-60

Author:  John Lothrop Motley

Release Date:  January, 2004 [EBook #4805] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on March 12, 2002]

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of the project gutenberg EBOOK the Dutch republic, 1559-60 ***

This etext was produced by David Widger widger@cecomet.net

[Note:  There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of the file for those who may wish to sample the author’s ideas before making an entire meal of them.  D.W.]

MOTLEY’S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, PG EDITION, VOLUME 5.

THE RISE OF THE DUTCH REPUBLIC

John Lothrop Motley, D.C.L., LL.D.

1855

ADMINISTRATION OF THE DUCHESS MARGARET.

1559-1560 [Chapter I.]

Biographical sketch and portrait of Margaret of Parma—­The state council—­Berlaymont—­Viglius—­Sketch of William the Silent—­Portrait of Antony Perrenot, afterwards Cardinal Granvelle—­General view of the political, social and religious condition of the Netherlands—­ Habits of the aristocracy—­Emulation in extravagance—­Pecuniary embarrassments—­Sympathy for the Reformation, steadily increasing among the people, the true cause of the impending revolt—­Measures of the government.—­Edict of 1550 described—­Papal Bulls granted to Philip for increasing the number of Bishops in the Netherlands—­ Necessity for retaining the Spanish troops to enforce the policy of persecution.

Margaret of Parma, newly appointed Regent of the Netherlands, was the natural daughter of Charles the Fifth, and his eldest born child.  Her mother, of a respectable family called Van der Genst, in Oudenarde, had been adopted and brought up by the distinguished house of Hoogstraaten.  Peculiar circumstances, not necessary to relate at length, had palliated the fault to which Margaret owed her imperial origin, and gave the child almost a legitimate claim upon its father’s protection.  The claim was honorably acknowledged.  Margaret was in her infancy placed by the Emperor in the charge of his paternal aunt, Margaret of Savoy, then Regent of the provinces.  Upon the death of that princess, the child was entrusted to the care of the Emperor’s sister, Mary, Queen Dowager of Hungary, who had succeeded to the government, and who occupied it until the abdication.  The huntress-queen communicated her tastes to her youthful niece, and Margaret soon outrivalled her instructress.  The ardor with which she pursued the stag, and the courageous horsemanship which she always displayed,