John of Austria, Philip II's half-brother, was accepted as
Governor-General after he had given a general promise to observe the
wishes of the people.

Don John made a state entry into Brussels, but he soon found that the
Prince of Orange had gained complete ascendancy over the Netherlands
and that he was by no means free to govern as he chose. Don John soon
grew weary of a position of dependence; he seized Namur and took up his
residence there, afterwards defying the States-General. A universal
cry for Orange was raised in the confusion that followed, and William
returned in triumph to the palace of Nassau. Both North and South
demanded that he should be their leader; both Protestant and Catholic
promised to regard his government as legal.

In January 1578, the Archduke Matthias, brother of the Emperor, was
invited by the Catholic party to enter Brussels as its governor.
William welcomed {97} the intruder, knowing that the supreme power was
still vested in himself, but he was dismayed to see Alexander of Parma
join Don John, realizing that their combined armies would be more than
a match for his. Confusion returned after a victory of Parma, who was
an able and brilliant general. The Catholic Duke of Anjou took Mons,
and John Casimir, brother of the Elector-Palatine, entered the
Netherlands from the east as the champion of the extreme Calvinists.

The old religious antagonism was destroying the union of the provinces.
William made immense exertions and succeeded in securing the alliance
of Queen Elizabeth, Henry of Navarre, and John Casimir, while the Duke
of Anjou accepted the title of Defender of the Liberties of the
Netherlands. His work seemed undone on the death of Don John in 1578
and the succession of Alexander, Duke of Parma. This Prince sowed the
seeds of discord very skilfully, separating the Walloon provinces from
the Reformers. A party of Catholic Malcontents was formed in protest
against the excesses of the Calvinists. Religious tolerance was to be
found nowhere, save in the heart of William of Orange. North and South
separated in January 1579, and made treaties which bound them
respectively to protect their own form of religion.

Attempts were made to induce Orange to leave the Netherlands that Spain
might recover her lost sovereignty. He was surrounded by foes, and
many plots were formed against him. In March 1581, King Philip
denounced him as the enemy of the human race, a traitor and a
m