Summary of “Egmont”
Somewhere in the years 1567-1568. The events in the Netherlands lasted several weeks in Brussels. A soldier from the army of Egmont takes part in archery among the townspeople and, celebrating the victory, decided to treat everyone with wine. A conversation ensued that Margarita Parma rules in the Netherlands, coming to important decisions not without the help of brother Philip, the King of Spain. Count Egmont, governor of Flanders, on the contrary, is highly respected by his people, tolerant of the new religion that penetrates to them from Germany. The people, tired of the pressure and shedding of the Catholic Church and from frequent wars, find solace in the new faith, despite the protest of Margarita Parma.
Margarita Parmskaya in the report informs Philip of religious unrest in Flanders and a council of vicegerents of the Netherlands provinces was convened to make a decision.
In Brussels, in a small burgher house, Clara’s girlfriend lived with her mother. Count
Egmont, along with the secretary, studies his correspondence. No letter remains without an answer and a fair solution: complaints of the widows of the soldiers for famine in the family, requests to increase their salaries, complaints against the soldiers-rapists. In one of the letters from Count Oliva from Spain comes a warning that Egmont behave more circumspectly that his simplicity will not lead to good. He receives a warning from the Prince of Orange, who said that the “bloodthirsty” Duke of Alba from Spain is going to Flanders. Egmont gets advice to return to Flanders, since in Brussels he is in danger. The lover Egmont neglects all warnings and visits Clarenc in the attire of the Golden Fleece knight,
Frightened of the Duke of Alba, Margaret of Parma throws the throne and leaves the country. The Duke of Alba, the viceroy of the Spanish king, arriving in the Netherlands, issues a decree that residents can not gather in the streets, otherwise they will be put in jail as conspirators. Prince of Orange and Count Egmont, he considers the main enemies and prepared for them a trap in the Kulenburg Palace, where he invites them to the talks. But Prince Orange at the last moment refuses to meet, Count Egmont comes to the meeting. He calmly and reasonably answers the questions of Alba, referring to the fact that he always cares about his people and, pointing Alba to the fact that the King of Spain should not “trample down into the ground,” loyal to him people. Count Egmont is thrown into prison.
Hearing about what happened to her lover, Claire tried to call on the townspeople to help her to release Egmont, but people fled in horror, and Bracenburg starts her home. Count Egmont vainly hopes that someone will come to the rescue. Even the illegitimate son Alba Ferdinand, who considered Egmont his idol, can not help the Count, his father has foreseen everything.
The count is sentenced to death, and Clairechen, having lost all hope, commits suicide by drinking poison and at the last moment, asking Brackenburg to take care of his mother.
Before the execution, the Count had a dream of his beloved Claire, who wore the winner’s wreath. Alba announced the decision of the royal court. Count Egmont before his death asks Ferdinand to take care of Claire and at dawn he will be beheaded.
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