At the same time Louise de Coligny was invited to take up her residence in Holland and suitable provision was made for her.

William Lewis, son of Count John of Nassau, was elected Stadholder of Friesland.

Count Nieuwenaar was Stadholder of Gelderland and shortly afterwards also of Utrecht and Overyssel.

Owing to the youth of Maurice the question as to whether he should become Count of Holland and Zeeland or be elected Stadholder was left in abeyance until it should be settled to which of two foreign rulers the sovereignty of the provinces, now that Anjou was dead, should be offered.
In the revolted provinces the responsible leaders were at this time practically unanimous in their opinion that any attempt on their part to carry on the struggle against the power of Spain without foreign assistance was hopeless; and it was held that such assistance could only be obtained by following in the footsteps of William and offering to confer the overlordship of the provinces on another sovereign in the place of Philip II.

There were but two possible candidates, Henry III of France and Elizabeth of England.
There were objections to both, but the rapid successes of Parma made it necessary to take action.