Protestantism: The French And The Dutch Revolt

During the 16th century a main focus of European national attention existed in the difference in ideals and unwillingness to find common ground specifically in the religious arena. The influence of magnates during this time is significant and their opposition to Philip II was obvious and justified due to the repression of Protestantism by Philip II and the Catholic Church. “The Dutch Revolt did not just happen at one moment; it evolved over a period of time and underwent numerous changes before eventually coalescing into a conscious desire among some provinces to achieve independence from Spanish rule” (Darby 1). Ultimately William the Orange, the Count of Egmont, and the Duke of Aerschot were not the slightest bit enchanted with Philip's increasingly
This would create a more centralized government that had more capacity to maintain control over the people. Phillip II appointed Margaret of Parma also known to be his half sister as governor of the Netherlands and continued the policy of his father, Charles V by appointing members of the high nobility of the Netherlands to the Council of State. One major difference between father and son that greatly contributed to Phillip II’s general unpopularity was the fact that he was raised in Spain, leading to his lack of fluency in both Dutch and French. By dominating the prevailing body with approved of magnates, the people were unable to be spoken for, providing clear evidence that Spanish were more concerned with the expansion and upkeep of their territories than they were with the needs of the people that they were
The magnates who were still absent after Egmont’s rebuttal in Spain were invited back to the Council of State. In 1566, Calvinists were holding open-air meetings guarded by armed sympathizers. In July 1566, the radical section of the Compromise agreed to co-operate with the Calvinists. They both had the same objective to pressure Philip II into relaxing his oppressive rule. They were curious as the Compromise were lesser nobility who wanted to recover their social and economic status while the Calvinists wanted religious toleration to be followed by the establishment of Calvinism throughout the