outhern provinces, now Belgium, was finally put down. The inhabitants
there were mostly Catholics, and their strife was only against the
general despotism and cruelty of Spain. But the North would never yield.
The terrific siege of Leyden, with its accompanying horrors of
starvation and defiance, is world-famed.[9] In 1581 Holland finally
proclaimed its complete independence of Spain.

[9] See _Siege of Leyden_, page 145.

At enormous expense and waste of his American treasure, Philip II
continued to pour troops and troops into the rebellious provinces. Their
leader throughout had been the highest of their nobles, William of
Orange, called "the silent." Philip openly proclaimed an enormous reward
to the man who could reach and assassinate this obstacle in his path;
and at last after repeated attempts the reward was earned (1584).[10] The
fall of William ended all chance of the union of the northern and
southern provinces; he had been the only man all trusted. But Holland
under his son Maurice continued the strife even more bitterly. No
sacrifice was too great for the heroic Dutch. Spain was exhausted at
last; Philip II died a disappointed man. His son, Philip III, in 1609
consented sullenly to a truce--peace he would not call it--and it was
many years before Spain formally acknowledged the independence of her
defiant provinces.

[10] See _Assassination of William of Orange_, page 202.

SUCCESSES OF PHILIP

Philip II had met also an even heavier defeat from Protestant England.
But before speaking of this, let us look to his few successes. In 1580
he added Portugal to his dominions and so, temporarily at least, united
the entire Spanish peninsula as one state. This gave him control over
the vast Portuguese colonial possessions and over the rich trade with
India and the isles beyond. Australia was probably touched more than
once by his ships, though not definitely discovered until 1606.[11]

[11] See _Earliest Positive Discovery of Australia_, page 340.

It was under Philip that in 1564 the Spaniards extended their American
settlements northward and founded St. Augustine, the first town within
the present mainland of the United States. The French had attempted to
plant a colony even earlier. At the first outbreak of their civil wars,
some Huguenots had fled from persecution to the coast of Florida (1562).
The Spaniards regarded this as an encroachment on their territories.