Why did William I leave the Netherlands for Dillenburg in 1567?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Portrait of William I, Prince of Orange, by Adriaen Thomasz Key. He wears a dark embroidered coat, a white ruff collar, and a black cap, with a trimmed beard and mustache. — William I Portrait of William I, oil on panel by Adriaen Thomaszoon Key, c. 1579; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

In April 1567, William I, Prince of Orange, retired to his family seat at Dillenburg as a prudent response to the escalating political and religious instability in the Netherlands.1

Following violent outbreaks of religious fanaticism in 1566, King Philip II of Spain appointed the duke of Alba as captain general to suppress rebellion and heresy by force. Although William had worked to maintain public order and protested his loyalty to the king, he refused to take a new, mandatory oath of unconditional obedience required of all officeholders. By withdrawing to Dillenburg, William joined a general exodus of thousands who fled the country as the administration prepared for the arrival of Alba’s army and the subsequent reign of terror.1