The Massacre of the Innocents
The duke and his allies
A polemic of the Dutch revolt from 1572 denounces the duke saying, “He robs the wealth of the country with violence and has hanged or burned much innocent blood”. Alba enjoys a reign of terror and allows over 18000 people to be executed at massacres like that of Mechelen and Antwerp.
He is portrayed in the polemic next to a many-head hydra, wearing the faces of his allies. These include the Duke of Guise, the Spanish Cardinal-Minister Granvelle and the Duke of Lorraine.
