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THE LIFE AND DEATH of JOHN OF BARNEVELD, ADVOCATE OF HOLLAND
By John Lothrop Motley, D.C.L., LL.D.
MOTLEY'S HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANDS, Project Gutenberg Edition, Volume 90
The Life of John of Barneveld, v5, 1609-14
Establishment of the Condominium in the Duchies—Dissensions between the Neuburgers and Brandenburgers—Occupation of Julich by the Brandenburgers assisted by the States-General—Indignation in Spain and at the Court of the Archdukes—Subsidy despatched to Brussels Spinola descends upon Aix-la-Chapelle and takes possession of Orsoy and other places—Surrender of Wesel—Conference at Xanten—Treaty permanently dividing the Territory between Brandenburg and Neuburg— Prohibition from Spain—Delays and Disagreements.
Thus the 'Condominium' had been peaceably established.
Three or four years passed away in the course of which the evils of ajoint and undivided sovereignty of two rival houses over the sameterritory could not fail to manifest themselves. Brandenburg, Calvinistin religion, and for other reasons more intimately connected with andmore favoured by the States' government than his rival, gained ground inthe duchies. The Palatine of Neuburg, originally of Lutheran faith likehis father, soon manifested Catholic tendencies, which excited suspicionin the Netherlands. These suspicions grew into certainties at the momentwhen he espoused the sister of Maximilian of Bavaria and of the Electorof Cologne. That this close connection with the very heads of theCatholic League could bode no good to the cause of which the States-General were the great promoters was self-evident. Very soon afterwardsthe Palatine, a man of mature age and of considerable talents, openlyannounced his conversion to the ancient church. Obviously the sympathiesof the States could not thenceforth fail to be on the side ofBrandenburg. The Elector's brother died and was succeeded in thegovernorship of the Condeminium by the Elector's brother, a youth ofeighteen. He took up his abode in Cleve, leaving Dusseldorf to be thesole residence of his co-stadholder.
Rivalry growing warmer, on account of this difference of religion,between the respective partisans of Neuburg and Brandenburg, an attemptwas made in Dusseldorf by a sudden entirely unsuspected rising of theBrandenburgers to drive their antagonist colleagues and their portion ofthe garrison out of the city. It failed, but excited great anger. Amore successful effort was soon afterwards made in Julich; the Neuburgerswere driven out, and the Brandenburgers remained in sole possession ofthe town and citadel, far the most important stronghold in the wholeterritory. This was partly avenged by the Neuburgers, who gainedabsolute control of Dusseldorf. Here were however no importantfortifications, the place being merely an agreeable palatial residenceand a thriving mart. The States-General, not concealing theirpredilection for Brandenburg, but under pretext of guarding the peacewhich they had done so much to establish, placed a garrison of 1400infantry and a troop or two of horse in the citadel of Julich.
Dire was the anger not unjustly excited in Spain when the news of thi