Five Brothers and a War

History—1500 to 1600 AD

Willem was favored by Charles V, who quickly promoted him to an army command, at the tender age of 22. He was also appointed to the Dutch Raad van State (“Council of State”), the highest advisory to the head of state, and one that still exists today.

Willem van Oranje

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Upon Charles V’s abdication, Philip appointed Willem to the position Stadhouder (“Governor”) over Holland. Over time, the Protestant to Catholic convert become disillusioned with the manner in which the Protestants were being treated by the Catholics, particularly Cardinal Granville, and became determined to oust the Spanish. He strongly opposed the Spanish treatment of the Dutch, yet did not necessarily oppose the king. With his military, diplomatic and leadership skills, he managed to extricate the Dutch from the Spanish through a very long and complex series of events, many defeats and setbacks, and a number of victories.

holland

Five Brothers and a War

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