But...

Unfortunately, within three years it was apparent that the religious truce would not hold. The differences between the agrarian, Roman Catholic south and the commercial-industrial, Calvinist-dominated north were too great to coexist harmoniously. Not helping matters was the fact that the Spanish king had chosen as his representative Alessandro Farnese (later the duke of Parma), who was well known for his diplomatic and military skills. The problem? By emphasizing Roman Catholic unity and showing moderation in his treatment of the Protestants in the south, he regained the confidence of the southern provinces and reestablished Spanish control over them. By 1585, the union of the northern and southern Low Countries was over.