ABSTRACT
In October 1599, a traveller from Madrid arrived at the Hieronymite monastery of Guadalupe and declared that he had come as a messenger of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella. Taking a cue from the latter part of their reign, the historiography of the Archdukes Albert and Isabella traditionally depicts them as princes of peace. In late November and early December, Albert and Isabella went to Louvain, Brussels and Antwerp, where they swore to uphold Brabantine Joyous Entry. Perseus was likened to Albert and his noble steed Pegasus to Isabella. When dealing with the States General, Albert may have been his usual dissimulating self, confounding contemporary and historian alike, but once the evidence is put into proper perspective, his intentions are not all that hard to fathom. Albert tabled that Elizabeth should break with the Dutch, hand the cautionary towns over to him, resurrect the old alliance between England and Burgundy and find a solution for refugees living in either country.
