Independence does not become William's objective even after the proclamation of the Act of Abjuration.

Because William had in 1580 turned to the duke d'Anjou, who has agreed to take over the “lordship” of the Low Countries, Archduke Matthias returns home in 1581.

The prince hopes for assistance from the duke's brother, King Henry III of France, and considers the “lordship” of Anjou as only a kind of limited, constitutional “sovereignty” like that which the rebels had hoped to impose on Philip II at the beginning of their rising.

Anjou, however, sees the lordship as a means to total dominion over the Netherlands and, seeking to exploit the unsettled conditions here, in 1581 proclaims himself duke of Brabant and count of Flanders, but the titles remain fictitious.

The Netherlanders have continued to recognize Spanish rule after the Union of Utrecht.

The Union contributes, however, to the deterioration in the relationship between the provinces and their lord, and the States General in 1581 solemnly renounce their allegiance to the king of Spain in the Oath of Abjuration, thus creating the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (or "of the Seven United Low Countries") (Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden/Provinciën).

The provinces of Holland and Zeeland, unwilling to grant the French prince any direct authority, meanwhile plan to create Orange their hereditary count.

Anjou, however, far from aiding the cause of liberty, has added to the prevailing confusion.

Orange, with great difficulty, effects his reconciliation with the States General.

Campion's captors, on his refusal under severe torture to recant his religious convictions, invent charges that he has conspired to overthrow the Queen.

Campion, who exhibits religious zeal and great courage throughout his ordeal, is convicted of treason and hanged in December.

Parsons has meanwhile returned to the Continent and been assigned by William Allen—an influential English Catholic living abroad—the task of directing from abroad the Jesuit mission to England.

Meanwhile, the duc d'Anjou is having no success in his second wooing visit to Elizabeth.

Anjou, irritated by restraints upon his authority, even attempts the seizure of power by military force, resulting in the so-called French Fury of January 17, 1583, when his troops try to capture Antwerp.

The coup misfires, but William manages to keep Anjou (who returns to France) in his post despite the outraged feelings of the Netherlanders.

Jean Baptiste Androuet du Cerceau, who in 1572–77 had succeeded his father, Jacques Androuet, as the major architect of Charles IX's Château Charleval, had in 1579 begun work on the Pont Neuf, which is his only surviving work.

Henry III names Baptiste supervisor of France's royal office of works In 1584; it is believed that Baptiste is responsible for the Hôtel d'Angoulême and the Hôtel de Lamoignon (1584).

As Henry III remains childless, Anjou's death on June 10, 1584, makes his distant cousin the Protestant Henry of Bourbon-Navarre heir presumptive to the crown of France.

Much of the Queen Mother's attention until the death of Alençon in 1584 had been devoted to restraining his dangerous ambitions, which had again threatened to involve France in hostilities with Spain.

After the Treaty of Joinville (December 1584) between the Guises and Spain, at King Henry's bidding, Catherine, though gravely ill, returns to this dual threat.