Title:  History of the United Netherlands, 1590(a)

Author:  John Lothrop Motley

Release Date:  January, 2004 [EBook #4861] [Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] [This file was first posted on April 9, 2002]

Edition:  10

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of the project gutenberg EBOOK history united Netherlands, 1590(a) ***

This eBook 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.]

HISTORY OF THE UNITED NETHERLANDS From the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year’s Truce—­1609

By John Lothrop Motley

MOTLEY’S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Vol. 61

History of the United Netherlands, 1590(a)

CHAPTER XXI.

Effect of the Assassination of Henry III.—­Concentration of forces for the invasion of France—­The Netherlands determine on striking a blow for freedom—­Organization of a Dutch army—­Stratagem to surprise the castle of Breda—­Intrepidity and success of the enterprise.

The dagger of Jacques Clement had done much, and was likely to do more, to change the face of Europe.  Another proof was afforded that assassination had become a regular and recognised factor in the political problems of the sixteenth century.  Another illustration was exhibited of the importance of the individual—­even although that individual was in himself utterly despicable—­to the working out of great historical results.  It seemed that the murder of Henry III.—­that forlorn caricature of kingship and of manhood—­was likely to prove eminently beneficial to the cause of the Netherland commonwealth.  Five years earlier, the murder of William the Silent had seemed to threaten its very existence.

For Philip the Prudent, now that France was deprived of a head, conceived that the time had arrived when he might himself assume the sovereignty of that kingdom.  While a thing of straw, under the name of Charles X. and shape of a Cardinal Bourbon, was set up to do battle with that living sovereign and soldier, the heretic Bearnese, the Duke of Parma was privately ordered to bend all his energies towards the conquest of the realm in dispute, under pretence of assisting the Holy League.

Accordingly, early in the year 1590, Alexander concentrated a considerable force on the French frontier in Artois and Hainault, apparently threatening Bergen-op-Zoom and other cities in South Holland, but in reality preparing to invade France.  The Duke of Mayenne, who had assumed the title of lieutenant-general of that kingdom, had already visited him at Brussels in order to arrange the plan of the campaign.