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Why did William I and other great lords oppose Cardinal Granvelleās influence in the Brussels government?
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William I
Portrait of William I, oil on panel by Adriaen Thomaszoon Key, c. 1579; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.
William I, Prince of Orange, and other great lords opposed Cardinal Granvelleās influence in the Brussels government primarily because they felt excluded from their rightful share in the administration of the country. As the chief counselor to the regent Margaret of Parma, Granvelle became the most powerful figure in the government, often sidelining the high nobility in favor of the Secret Council, where permanent officials composed ordinances without consulting the traditional aristocratic advisors.12
The opposition was driven by several key factors:
- Political Marginalization: The high nobles resented being excluded from the decision-making process, which they viewed as a violation of their traditional role in the Council of State.12
- Centralization and Dependency: The lords opposed Philip IIās policy of converting the Netherlands into a Spanish dependency, a process Granvelle actively facilitated.3
- Ecclesiastical Changes: The introduction of a new ecclesiastical hierarchy in 1559, which Granvelle supported as archbishop of Mechelen, threatened the interests of the nobility and abbots, who feared losing their influence and positions to the new church structure.2