Prince Frederick Henri of Orange conquered the Spanish Netherlands

Prince Frederick, a capable stateman, and army leader, favoured sieges above open battles well known for his slow desisions.
After the succesfull siege of Maastricht ending the 22nd of August Henri desides to advance West.
The Pappenheim was soundly deafeated in an attemed to lift the Siege among the casulites numerous officers of the Army of Flanders.
The move of Hneri, came to a suprise for many, not at least the representatives in the field of the States General. These men made sure the costly army, whihc they paid, was not wasted in adventures.
The campaing how ever was from the start, part of a grand plan. The plan comprimise that the Walon counties would be conquered by France and the Dutch counties by the North Netherlands. This would be done due to revolt in the Spanish held teritories. However there was no revolt and no French army.
Even it was early September the State army advanced quick and nealry without hesitation towarts Louvain. Louvian was taken by a short siege. The city asked for term after a releef army comanded by Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba was defeated by Henri. After Louivan the road was ope to Brussels wich surrendered without a shot.
The whole campaign was a dash very late in the season.
Another suppise to all was that Henri contained the reformed ministers, part of the State army. Did the ministers led claim in MAastricht of one of the lrgest churches. In Louvain Hneri determined that the Protestant service had to be performed in an other building. As in Maastrcht the Chatolic church was not banned and in Louvian there was not even a ban on prosessions.
The whole month of Novemebr the Aarenberg palce in Brussle, where Henri took seat, was like a bee hive of Nobles form the other Spanish states, representatives of the Flemish and Brabant cities Ambasadors of the Crown and from the French king. Bottom line of the discussions was freedom of consience or freedom of religion in the Spanish Netherlands. The whole thing had strong resemblence with the meetings prior to the Pacification of Ghent in 1579. Henri, well aware of his unique and relative sudden position acted as a thrue statesman. He manged that all states, including the Walon ones signed a revised act of seclusion, whith they denounced the rule of the king of Spain. Before the year end Henri was elected in a new created title Prince of the Netherlands, Lord Protector. This all was possible due to the inactivity of the French and the collapse of the Spanish to provide their soldiers even the basic needs let alone payment.
The role of Lord Protector was how ever completly unclear, and fore now it was not more than the same as Stasholder, that is Captain general of the army and member or the State General. The varouis states would be governed anr ruled as they used to do. In February all States sworn loyalty to the new Union which was based on the Union of Utrecht, with some adaptions, trying to improve soem of the unclear areas the Union of Utrecht had but not all of the short commings.
The impact and speed of the collaps and creation of this new State or Union, more a federation and confederation left the other powers for several months in paralised confusion. Henri aided by his advisers and secrataries among them Constantijn Huygens wasted no time in order to consolidade their power. They only not had to deal with hostile forces in the former Spanish Netherlands, but above laa forces in the North. Regent faction form Holland losing thier power and influence, and confronted by new competition from Brabant and Flemish citis. Antwerp and Genth regaining their excess to the North Sea. Protestan ministers, more of the orthodox, acusing Henri betrail of the ''thru'' fait.
Henri had a large boost in his presige when in May 1634 a new army under the Spanish commander Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Spain was defeated and rooted. He secured his position even more when Pappenheim invade the North east Provinces and deafted this raiding army.
Beside these invasions, whihc were the result of the raging war in the East ( the thirty years war) There were numerous incidents atmed to ndermine the Union. These underminigs increased more frequent wiht his detoriating health. Inspite of the odd constitution of the Union, the states of East Frissia forced their lord to join the Union like the duke of Bentheim did. Much to the delight of the Protestant factio since these sates were predominant Protetant, that is Calvinistic. Lutherans were considered heretics accoridn to the Calvinist.
Rude map :
The_Low_Countries.png
 
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