Thread by @Arby_K

The birth of a Republic out of many independent provinces ruled ultimately by a single foreign ruler.

At its centre a former representative of the monarchy, turned rebel.

A national identity in the making.

Story in the evening ...

https://twitter.com/Arby_K/status/1352443562722435077

Wilhelm von Nassau was born in 1533 to Wilhelm von Nassau, Count of Nassau Dillenburg and his wife Juliane. In 1544, his cousin, René, died leaving Wilhelm his estates in the Low Countries and the Principality of Orange. Holy Roman Emperor Karl became his regent. 1/10

Emperor Karl ruled 17 duchies, counties & lordships in the Low Countries. Karl took Wilhelm under his wing, giving the Lutheran Prince a Catholic training. Wilhelm progressed rapidly in the imperial court, playing a role in war and in peace against the Valois in 1550s. 2/10

Karl's son Felipe inherited his father's Kingdom in Spain and the provinces in the Low Countries by 1556. Felipe doubled down on Protestants in his domain. In 1559, he appointed Wilhelm as the Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht. 3/10

Wilhelm married Anna von Sachsen bringing him closer to the Protestant circles. The Low Countries were already unhappy with the domination of Habsburg court in their affairs. In 1566, the nobles send a statement backed, among others, by Wilhelm's brother, Ludwig, to King. 4/10

Though the Habsburg Governor promised support for the nobles, it did not materialize on ground as the King waited on it. An insurrection led by Protestant mobs led to destruction of churches and the King recalling his Governor and replacing her with the Iron Duke. 5/10

Seen complicit in the insurrection, Wilhelm retired to Nassau, pleading loyalty to the King. But the iron hand of the new Governor added to the insurgency. Wilhelm's brothers, Ludwig and Adolf, led the rebels to victory at Heiligerlee in 1568, though Adolf died in battle. 6/10

But the victory was easily reversed. The next decade saw the beginning of a long war of independence and emergence of "Wilhelmus" as the main leader of the freedom fighters and as its rallying cry. Wilhelm's brothers, Ludwig & Heinrich, died in battle at Mookerheide in 1574. 7/10

The war effort stretched Habsburg finances. The Iron Duke was recalled in 1573 and eventually replaced by the King's brother, Don Juan, in 1576. The same year, unpaid Spanish soldiers sacked Antwerp in such a devastating manner, that the provinces united as one in Brussels. 8/10

The Pacification of Ghent called for expulsion of the Spanish soldiers and end of religious persecution. A political union was formalized in Brussels in 1577, but soon separate unions within unions were formed based on religious beliefs - Catholic South & Calvinist North. 9/10

By 1581, Habsburg forces had retaken the southern half, but the northern half declared independence with Wilhelm as de facto head of state. It would take another 28 years till others recognized the new nation, Dutch Republic, but by then Wilhelm had been assassinated. 10/10