Willem van Oranje (1984)

As the Dutch title indicates, this series chronicles magnificently the life of William I "the Silent" of Orange, who grew up with his Lutheran family in the princely castle of a minor German countship of Nassau at Dillingen, till at eleven he inherited the vast riches of the prince of Orange (in southern France, with major possessions in the Low Countries), and was sent to the Holy Roman emperor Charles V's sister Margareth's gubernatorial court in Brussels to receive a Catholic education. He soon became a Habsburg confident and high councilor, a gifted diplomat and military officer. However when the persecution of the Protestants -and some other measures- arouses great resistance with the people and many nobles, it gets ever harder to remain loyal to the crown for the Lutheran at heart, who ends up leading the opposition once Charles' heir, king Philip II of Spain, ceases all negotiations and tries to impose his absolute rule by military force, which however only succeeds in splitting the Low Countries in a southern Catholic half under Habsburg control and a northern one, dominated by Calvinists, which ultimately becomes the 'crowned republic' of the Seventeen United Provices under William (and later his heirs, for centuries maintaining his title of Stadholder, theoretically Habsburg governor), painstakingly seeking a diplomatic course amidst the wars and religious civil wars throughout Europe. His personal life is also sketched, including several marriage alliances and a recognized son out of wedlock.