The Edict of Orleans was swiftly revoked. War erupted again in France and Hugenot towns along the Loire went up in arms, led by Henry of Navarre. Conflict emerged in the regency between Catherine de Medici and the Guises. Catherine maintained power, albeit insecure. Francis II was supported by his uncles, Henri, King of Poland-Lithuania and Duke of Orleans and Francis, Duke of Alencon. Alencon died childless but Orleans had a son, Charles. In 1584,Francis II reached majority at the age of 12 but in practice Catherine kept power. Only when Catherine died in 1589 did Francis II gain power. The Duke of Guise forced him to limit his power and grant more power to the estates. The Hugenots were finally crushed and Francis II conquered Navarre.
The Calvinist Dutch revolted, led by William the Silent, Prince of Orange. The Spanish responded ruthlessly against the Dutch, destroying towns and villages. Thousands of soldiers were sent to the Netherlands, led by the Duke of Alba. The Dutch broke dikes and flooded large areas of countryside rather than let those areas fall to the Spanish. However, without foreign support, the rebellion was doomed. After William the Silent died in battle, the Dutch were crushed. Calvinists fled the Netherlands and Spanish rule was secure.
After Mary Tudor's death in 1558, Philip II remarried in 1560 to his cousin, Archduchess Barbara of Austria. In 1561, Barbara produced a daughter, the Infanta Isabella. Barbara miscarried the next year and failed to produce any more children. She died in 1572. Don Ferdinand married Anna of Austria and they had a son, Philip in 1572. Philip II became King of Portugal in 1580. Don Carlos meanwhile failed to produce a child and died in 1580. Philip II died in 1598 and Don Ferdinand became King Ferdinand VI of Castile & III of Aragon.