How ‘Sovereign’ were the Southern Netherlands under the Archdukes?

The ‘autonomy’, ‘sovereignty’, ‘independence’, etc. of the (Southern) Netherlands under the rule of Albert and Isabella has been debated by many scholars. It pretty much depends on the perspective one takes to decide whether the glass is ‘half empty’ or ‘half full’. It also pretty much depends on the sense one attributes to words such as ‘sovereignty’, ‘autonomy’, ‘independence’ and similar ones. In this Chapter, the thesis is defended that the Archdukes, in fact and legally, really can be considered sovereign rulers of the (Southern) Netherlands.