ABSTRACT
Renewal of war by Spain against the Dutch Republic loomed. By 1620 the Thirty Years’ War had been waging, and the Bohemian Revolt was crushed. The Catholic Hapsburg powers of Spain and the Empire were apparently unstoppable in their domination. The Dutch Republic was under threat. Spain intended to renew the war against the Dutch, not for reconquest, which was unfeasible, but to economically damage the Dutch Republic. Maurits realised the danger and that war was inevitable. Archduke Albert of the Spanish Netherlands still hoped for peace. Maurits exploited this hope. By discreet contacts, unofficial direct messages to Albert, the use of various intermediaries, mixed signals, and keeping the States-General ignorant of the whole picture, he prolonged unofficial negotiations with Albert. Spain was fully intent on renewing the war but gave Albert some discretion in negotiations if the Dutch seemed as though they might agree to being under limited sovereignty in exchange for peace. Maurits manipulated the visits of Albert’s envoy to The Hague, making it appear that Spain was the aggressor. When negotiations finally broke down and Spain declared a renewal of the war, Maurits’s diplomacy had clearly made Spain the aggressor. Also, equally important, Maurits had gained the Dutch Republic valuable time.
