PS: Ask for tickets, ask for subscriptions

The Netherlands has two major economic centres, Amsterdam in the north and Ampwert in the south, while the political centre of the Netherlands is in Brussels.

Brussels is located on the banks of the Senne River, with the low flat Flemish plain to the north and the slightly undulating Brabant Plateau to the south, with an average elevation of 58 meters.

Brussels has a history of more than 1,000 years.

In 979 A.D., Duke Charles, who took the Senne River valley as his fiefdom, chose the island of Saint-Géri on the Senna River as his settlement, built a fortress and a pier on the island, and built a luxurious residence for himself.

The name "Brussels" is derived from this.

Due to the easy access to the river, the distribution of goods and the rise of port trade, by the 13th century it became a handicraft city with a considerable scale of craftsmanship, and the production of woollens, tapestries and lace was famous throughout Europe.

Among them, hundreds of years later, the Emperor Napoleon of France experienced a battle here, which gave birth to a proverb - the Waterloo of life.

Due to its unique political position and prosperous economy, Brussels defeated Amsterdam and Ampyet and became the center of the Netherlands under the Spanish kingdom.

Five days before Philip II got the news, it was August 3rd.

On this day, white clouds appeared in the sky of Brussels, just obscuring the sun that was still shining just now, and for a while, the sky and the earth seemed to be a lot darker, as if to indicate something.

The bustling streets of Brussels have not slowed down much because of the weather, and people are doing their business in oblivion, shouting, shouting, and noisy, all of which show that this political and economic city, although a little less than in the past, is still prosperous in Europe.

At this time, when people were busy doing business, three people wearing beggar clothes and tying begging bags suddenly came in front of the city gate.

Although they wore shabby-looking beggar's clothes, a discerning person could tell that they were just clothes sewn from fine linen.

What's more, from them, everyone did not see that kind of lowly and humble atmosphere, but showed a noble temperament that stood above others, which made passers-by suspicious and eyed.

Later, he was surrounded and protected by a group of guards, and he looked like he was extraordinary.

For a time, pedestrians and small traders only regarded this as a playful for the children of the nobility, and regarded it as a joke.

Since Protestantism spread to the Netherlands, it has been welcomed by most of the Dutch people with small wealth, and has become a common phenomenon among the aristocracy.

Charles V and Philip II, on the other hand, as devout Catholics, naturally did not allow their purse strings to get out of control.

As a result, the Inquisition was set up to hunt down Protestants, the nobles and commoners were silenced for a while, and the economy slowly declined, and the whole of the Netherlands was shrouded in this long-term white terror, and everyone was terrified.

Naturally, the nobles could not endure this kind of ideological control for a long time, so they often engaged in such acts of rebellion as silent resistance.

What a lot of drinking, talking nonsense, and pretending to be a wandering knight, ramming in the streets, strange behavior, and so on.

Therefore, although it is somewhat strange for several nobles to pretend to be beggars, it is not unacceptable.

Everyone's stop to watch the performances of these nobles can be regarded as a spice in life.

At this time, sharp-eyed people recognized them as the great nobleman William Orange, the Earl of Ögmont, and Admiral Horn.

Especially William. Fan. Orange, who was one of the most noble princes in the Netherlands, the Prince of Orange, and the governor of the three provinces of Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht, it can be said that in the whole of the Netherlands, his prestige and power were only greater than that of the Duchess of Parma, the governor of the Netherlands.

He is also a representative of the native power in the Netherlands.

Soon, Count Egmont and Admiral Horn were also recognized, and for a while, everyone understood that this was not just a show, but a political show.

For a time, the unique political sensitivity of Brussels people immediately fermented in their hearts:

Something big is going to happen in the Netherlands!

Just when the Prince of Orange and the other three came to the Doge's Palace in Brussels, the price of food in Brussels immediately rose by three floors.

The Prince of Orange looked at the Governor's Mansion in front of him with a complicated look in his eyes.

In his hand, at this time, he was holding a petition, which was signed by the Dutch nobles, who demanded:

The abolition of the "bloody edict", the withdrawal of the Spanish garrison, the convening of the Estates-General Council, the removal of unpopular Catholic bishops, etc.

Soon, the petition passed through the hands of the slaves and reached the hands of Margaret, Duchess of Parma, Governor of the Netherlands.

As the illegitimate daughter of Charles V, and recognized by Charles V, she received a strict elite education from an early age, and the goal of training was the Governor of the Netherlands.

Her predecessors were Charles V's aunt, Archduchess Margrethe of Austria (1507-1530), and Charles V's sister, Queen Mary of Hungary (1530-1555).

They had been firmly holding the Dutch cows for the Habsburgs, and it was with this precedent that the Duchess of Parma was able to accept the position of governor of the Netherlands.

During the reign of the Netherlands, the Duchess of Parma, although she had been carrying out her brother's orders, was open and tolerant to the Netherlands, which kept the powder keg of the Netherlands from exploding.

At this moment, she was worried about the situation in the Netherlands, and suddenly received a petition, a petition from her most valued subordinate, the Prince of Orange.

After reading the petition, Margaret knew she could not agree.

By agreeing to these conditions, Spain really only has nominal ownership of the Netherlands, and all other rights except for taxes are undoubtedly lost.

It would not be long before the Netherlands would be freed from Spain, and her duty of guarding the Habsburg cow would be ruined.

Her ears still echoed with her father's teachings:

Margaret, the Netherlands will be in your hands in the future, and you must defend it for the Habsburgs!

Moreover, she could not forget the sincere support of her younger brother Philip II.

She knew very well that she was able to go from an illegitimate daughter to a female archduchess, and to marry a Duke of Parma and become the governor of the Netherlands, all because of the trust of her father, Charles V, and her younger brother Philip II.

She must not fail to live up to this trust and kindness.

"Bring them in!" The Duchess commanded in a deep voice, her face gloomy.

Soon, the butler invited the Prince of Orange and others who were standing at the door.

"Good day, Honorable Governor!" The Prince of Orange and the other three greeted respectfully.

The Duchess looked at these dependent subordinates earnestly and carefully, and said bitterly:

"Are you all my subordinates, do you all want to be traitors to the Habsburgs? Is it because there is not enough power in the hands? ”

"No, Your Excellency the Governor, we have signed this petition for the sake of all the Dutch people, and for the future of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and I ask you to grant our request and hand it over to His Majesty the King who is far away in Madrid!"

As the leader, the Prince of Orange took a step forward, and a gentle voice suddenly sounded.

"No, it's impossible, you still give up this rebellious behavior, I can forgive you!"

"Don't try to oppress me with all the nobles, even if I give in, His Majesty the King of Madrid will never agree, so your petition is just a piece of waste paper!"

As she spoke, the female governor said unusually, with unprecedented sternness, and stared viciously at the few nobles in front of her.

"Please do not forget that the Netherlands is the domain of the Habsburgs, and the Netherlands belongs to His Majesty Philip II, and no one can force him, nor me, the governor, to do anything contrary to the interests of the Habsburgs!"