ABSTRACT
King Philip II left the Netherlands in August 1559, but he left behind careful arrangements for its government, arrangements which, it was intended, would ensure that his valuable Spanish Hapsburg would be in secure hands. His niece Margaret of Parma was Regent. Loyal to Spain, she would prove to be capable – though underestimated by Philip and his more ultra- advisors – with no sympathy for rebellious elements but nonetheless in touch with the needs of the populace, conscious and understanding of some of their grievances. As usual, Margaret was served and advised by three councils – the Council of State with its offshoots, the Council of Finance and the Privy Council, the latter dealing with judicial matters. The Council of State was comprised of the important nobles of the Netherlands and provincial Stadhouders. However, a senior member of all three was to be Antoine de Perrenot – the Bishop of Arras and future Cardinal Granvelle. De Perrenot was the son of Nicholas de Perrenot, a distinguished minister of the Emperor Charles V and, as we have seen, brother of Jerome who had been a tutor to William. Antoine de Perrenot, the Cardinal Granvelle, was loyal, able, and domineering. Also, Philip had put in place other advisors, including Tomas de Armenteros as “confidential secretary” to Margaret, the Count de Berlaymont, Stadhouder of Namur, and a third individual, a financial official based in Antwerp to monitor financial affairs. These individuals would be in close contact with Granvelle and report directly to him and to Philip back in Spain. Such arrangements meant that there was a de facto inner council which, while loyal and fully respectful to Margaret, under Granvelle’s leadership would supplant the Council of State.
