urope. He {88} had a kind of fierce
fanatical religion which led him to revenge his father's death at the
hands of the Moors on many a hapless Christian. He was avaricious, and
the lust for booty determined him to sack the rich cities of the
Netherlands without regard for honour. He was in his sixtieth year,
but time had not weakened his strong inflexible courage. Tall, thin,
and erect, he carried himself as a Spaniard of noble blood, and yielded
to none in the superb arrogance of his manners. His long beard gave
him the dignity of age, and his bearing stamped him always as a
conqueror who knew nothing of compassion. It was hopeless to appeal to
the humanity of Toledo, Duke of Alva. A stern disciplinarian, he could
control his troops better than any general Philip had, yet he did not
wish to check their excesses, and seemed to look with pleasure upon the
awful scenes of a war in which no quarter was given.

Alva led a picked army of 10,000 men--Italian foot soldiers for the
most part, with some musketeers among them--who would astonish the
simple northern people he held in such contempt. "I have trained
people of iron in my day," was his boast. "Shall I not easily crush
these people of butter?"

At first the people of the Netherlands seemed likely to be cowed into
complete submission. Egmont came out to meet Alva, bringing him two
beautiful horses as a present. The Spaniard had already doomed this
man to the block, but he pretended great pleasure at the welcome gift
and put his arms round the neck which he knew would not rest long on
Egmont's shoulders. He spoke very graciously to the escort who led him
into Brussels.

Margaret of Parma was still Regent in name, but in reality she had been
superseded by the Captain-General {89} of the Spanish forces. She was
furious at the slight, and showed her displeasure by greeting the Duke
of Alva coldly. After writing to Philip to expostulate, she discovered
that her position would not be restored, and therefore retired to Parma.

Egmont and Hoorn were the first victims of Alva's treachery. They died
on the same day, displaying such fortitude at the last that the people
mourned them passionately, and a storm of indignation burst forth
against Philip II and the agent he had sent to shed the noblest blood
of the Low Countries.

Alva set up a "Council of Troubles" so that he could dispatch other
victims with the same celerity. This became known as "the Council of