William of Orange isn't assassinated

So what if Balthasar Gérard isn't such a good shot and misses William.

As William was 51 when he was killed he could have lived for another decade or more. {Does anybody know what the average life span was of a noble in the 16 century}

What effect if any does William surviving have on the Netherlands and their potential independence?

Could any of the other northern German Protestant state join making an uber Holland.

With William surviving another decade could there be direct male linage instead of the current female linage form William of Orange to the Orange-Nassau's.

Lets discuss

Syphon said:

So what if Balthasar Gérard isn't such a good shot and misses William.

As William was 51 when he was killed he could have lived for another decade or more. {Does anybody know what the average life span was of a noble in the 16 century}

What effect if any does William surviving have on the Netherlands and their potential independence?

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Willem of Orange was a bridgebuilder between the various religions in the Netherlands, the Calvinists, Lutherans, and the Calvinists (I believe he had been all three in his lifetime), so it could possibly mean closer cooperation between them during the revolt.
The most important change could be that the rich merchants in Holland gain less influence in the Netherlands compared to the stadholder, as Maurits will be older when he succeeds his father. Maybe this ends in a kingdom of the Netherlands.

Syphon said:

Could any of the other northern German Protestant state join making an uber Holland.

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Could be, but iI see no reason why. Maybe because of some butterflies the Netherlands manages to kick the Spanish out of the Netherlands and becomes the champion of protestantism during an alternate 30 year war or something.

Syphon said:

With William surviving another decade could there be direct male linage instead of the current female linage form William of Orange to the Orange-Nassau's.

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Willem of orange left two sons already. It wasn't his fault the line ended. If you want the line continued you need Willem III/William III get kids or let Willem II live longer so he get more sons than only future Willem III.

pompejus said:

Willem of Orange was a bridgebuilder between the various religions in the Netherlands, the Calvinists, Lutherans, and the Calvinists (I believe he had been all three in his lifetime), so it could possibly mean closer cooperation between them during the revolt.
The most important change could be that the rich merchants in Holland gain less influence in the Netherlands compared to the stadholder, as Maurits will be older when he succeeds his father. Maybe this ends in a kingdom of the Netherlands.

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There was an imminent plan to declare Willem the Count of Holland, before his assassination. It was controversial, but likely to go through, with his prestige instead of Maurice. (After his death, there was the failed experiment with Leicester, and Maurice never had the support to formally abolish republic).

If Willem is declared Count of Holland, this would be the traditional title and there would be little incentive to upgrade this to "King".

chornedsnorkack said:

If Willem is declared Count of Holland, this would be the traditional title and there would be little incentive to upgrade this to "King".

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Oh, there's always prestige to be pursued. In OTL, Frederick-Henry (fr'ex) spent guilders out of the ass and married as many of his children as possible to European royalty. Paid off in the end, too, since various European courts did begin addressing him in a more "royal" style- I can't remember the honorifics off the top of my head, but it had more of a monarchical feel to it.

Eventually someone in the Orange-Nassau line would try to get a Princely or Kingly title beyond mere Count, especially if the Netherlands in this ATL become as influential as OTL Netherlands was during the Golden Age.

Wiiliam I refjected 2 times the title of Count of Holland and Count of Zeeland ( 2 seperate titles) The reason was that ther was no legitimate ground of these titles (they were made up by the counsilors of the 2 states) and he still had some strange loyalty to his King. The King of Habsburg.
Even if Balthasar missed him or was caugth just before he fired.
The big impact would be that Antwerpen would never fall. William I had the skills and talents to organise things just a bit better than his contemporaries. ( at the rebel side)
When Antwerp remains in the rebels hand, even then it will lose much of her glory to cities in Holland and Zeeland.
On the other hand Antwerpen ( one of the largest cities of Europe that time) in rebel hands will give a drive to liberate more of Flander and Brabant, the originating land of the calvinist revolt. Maybe coquest of Artois and more, later by Maurice and Frederick.
The Netherlands would be ruled more on an equal balanced scale than in OTL only by the State of Holland and Amsterdam who regarde the rest of the 7 provinces as a not more than bufferstates.
Or if Willian I accept the Count titles it end up in a kind of monarchy.