A number of conflicts have erupted between…

A number of conflicts have erupted between the stadtholder and especially the States of Holland about policy in the years directly following the peace.

Prince William II (though a lax Calvinist himself, like his father) keenly supports the Calvinist radicals in their attempts to force the Protestant religion on the Catholic inhabitants of the recently acquired Generality Lands (though his father had been far more tolerant of Catholic freedom of conscience).

William has managed to gain much popularity by this hard-line policy among the more orthodox lower classes in the Republic-proper, but the Holland regents, aware of the needless resentment it causes, have thwarted the policy.

This is, however, mere political posturing on the part of William, who is cynically exploiting certain prejudices in an attempt to gain ascendancy over the regents.

More important as a matter of principle is the conflict over the reduction of the standing army that arose during 1649 and 1650.

After the Peace of Münster was signed, Bicker had been of the opinion that it was no longer necessary to maintain an expensive standing army, bringing him into vehement conflict with William who has opened his own secret negotiations with France with the goal of extending his own territory under a centralized government.

In addition, he works for the restoration of his brother-in-law, Charles II, to the throne of England.