How Important Was the Role of William of Orange to the Success of the Dutch Revolt?

Orange was a key figure in many aspects of the revolt. To analyse his impact to the revolt we must ultimately consider the contribution he made to the revolt in terms of what he achieved of the revolt's aims that would not have been achieved had he not been present.
<Tab/>Orange helped start the first revolt by leading the opposition to Granvelle, seeing him as infringing upon the liberties of the Netherlands nobility; giving himself a position of respect and therefore influence as a result. Whilst the events that followed the revolt of the grandees' against Granvelle were important to Orange; he played little part in them. He played no part in the revolt of the confederates or Iconoclastic fury, and therefore cannot be directly associated with the events following Alva's arrival in the Netherlands. His 1568 attack was not important because it failed to make a significant impact on the direction of the Netherlands. Orange's true importance can be found in a variety of contexts later on in the revolt.
<Tab/>Orange played a key role in uniting a very diverse group of rebels in an anti-Spanish coalition from 1572-6. The rebels were a very diverse group of people: Calvinists and religious moderates; lesser nobles and guildsmen, among others, and their interests did not always coincide. …