Bron 6
Iconoclasm and
repressionThe atmosphere in the Netherlands was tense due to
the rebellion preaching of Calvinist leaders, hunger
after the bad harvest of
1565, and economic difficulties due to the
Northern Seven Years' War. Early August 1566, a mob
stormed the church of
Hondschoote in Flanders (now in Northern France).
This relatively small incident spread North and led to a
massive
iconoclastic movement by Calvinists, who stormed
churches and other religious buildings to desecrate and
destroy statues and images of
Catholic
saints all over the Netherlands.
According to the
Calvinists, these statues represented worship of idols.
The number of actual image-breakers appears to have been
relatively small
and the exact backgrounds of the movement are debated,
but in general, local authorities did not step in to
rein in the vandalism.
The actions of the iconoclasts
drove the nobility into two camps, with Orange and other
grandees opposing the movement and others, notably
Henry of Brederode, supporting it. Even before he
answered the petition by the nobles, Philip had lost
control in the troublesome Netherlands. He saw no other
option than to send an army to suppress the rebellion.
On
22 August
1567,
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba,
marched into Brussels at the head of 10,000 troops
Bron:
Wikipedia (Engels)
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