Yes, I thought of you and Don Carlos! I knew you would have a point of reference.
So a little backstory for the Spanish Netherlands here (sorry for the lack of gossipy sensationalism, this is not my period :P).
Late Middle Ages Large chunks of the Low Countries belong to the Dukes of Burgundy.
Right around the time of Ash The Burgundian male line dies out. The female line has marged with the Habsburgs via their "You, happy Austria, marry" policy. But the French want to invoke Salic Law and absorb Burgundian possessions into France.
At the end of the ensuing war, the French end up with Burgundy, and the Austrians the Habsburg Netherlands, aka territory that includes parts of what today are the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany.
Early Renaissance Through further fortunate marriages, the Habsburgs end up with Charles V in control of Austria, the Habsburg Netherlands, and Spain, among other places.
Mid sixteenth century The Habsburgs split into German and Spanish lines. Your Philip gets Spain and the now Spanish Netherlands.
But the Reformation is in full swing now! Many people in the Netherlands are prepared to kill and be killed to remain Protestants. For eighty years. Because Philip is not prepared to geben Gedankenfreiheit. :P
The Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands and Spain happens. The northern Spanish Netherlands manage to secede and form the Dutch Republic (today's Netherlands), extremely Protestant. (Until WWI, Wikipedia tells me, when Catholicism experienced a resurgence.) The southern Spanish Netherlands, today's Belgium and Luxembourg, mostly, remain Spanish and predominantly Catholic.
1714 At the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, the Spanish Netherlands become the Austrian Netherlands. Not to be confused with what we call the Netherlands, which are the United Provinces of the Netherlands in our period.
Re: War of the Spanish Succession: Netherlands
So a little backstory for the Spanish Netherlands here (sorry for the lack of gossipy sensationalism, this is not my period :P).
Late Middle Ages
Large chunks of the Low Countries belong to the Dukes of Burgundy.
Right around the time of Ash
The Burgundian male line dies out. The female line has marged with the Habsburgs via their "You, happy Austria, marry" policy. But the French want to invoke Salic Law and absorb Burgundian possessions into France.
At the end of the ensuing war, the French end up with Burgundy, and the Austrians the Habsburg Netherlands, aka territory that includes parts of what today are the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, and Germany.
Early Renaissance
Through further fortunate marriages, the Habsburgs end up with Charles V in control of Austria, the Habsburg Netherlands, and Spain, among other places.
Mid sixteenth century
The Habsburgs split into German and Spanish lines. Your Philip gets Spain and the now Spanish Netherlands.
But the Reformation is in full swing now! Many people in the Netherlands are prepared to kill and be killed to remain Protestants. For eighty years. Because Philip is not prepared to geben Gedankenfreiheit. :P
The Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands and Spain happens. The northern Spanish Netherlands manage to secede and form the Dutch Republic (today's Netherlands), extremely Protestant. (Until WWI, Wikipedia tells me, when Catholicism experienced a resurgence.) The southern Spanish Netherlands, today's Belgium and Luxembourg, mostly, remain Spanish and predominantly Catholic.
1714
At the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, the Spanish Netherlands become the Austrian Netherlands. Not to be confused with what we call the Netherlands, which are the United Provinces of the Netherlands in our period.