 Philippe III de Croÿ, Duke of Aarschot and other representatives of a rather moderate party agreed with Matthias to make him the governor of the Netherlands against the will of his uncle, Philip II of Spain, the hereditary ruler of the provinces and without the knowledge of Emperor Rudolf II.Matthias accepted the appointment, although the position was not recognized by Philip II.He set down the rules for religious peace within most of the United Provinces.