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Why did William I support the duc d’Anjou as a possible ruler of the Netherlands?

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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.

William I, Prince of Orange, supported François, duke of Anjou, as a ruler of the Netherlands primarily to secure essential military and political assistance from France against Philip II of Spain.12

By inviting the duke—the brother of King Henry III—to take on the "lordship" of the Low Countries, William hoped to gain the backing of the French crown. He envisioned this lordship as a limited, constitutional sovereignty, similar to the constraints the rebels had originally hoped to impose upon Philip II. Furthermore, William believed that aligning with the French prince would provide a necessary counterweight to Spanish forces and help maintain the unity of the provinces during the revolt. Despite significant opposition from Protestant factions, William persisted in this policy, viewing French intervention as a vital strategic necessity for the survival of the rebellion.12