William I, Prince of Orange

(1533-1584)

copy 1873 of Anthony Mor by Lede Garschagen

William of Orange was born in 1533 as a son of William I, count of the German county Nassau. In 1544 he inherited the French princedom of Orange from his cousin, and was allowed to bear the title ‘Prince of Orange’. In 1545, Charles V asked him to live at the Bruxelles court, to prevent William from growing up in a Lutheran environment, as he was one of the most important nobleman of the country. In 1555, William became captain-general of the army, in 1559 stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht and in 1559 member of the highest advisory council “Raad van State” and knight of the Golden Fleece.

Philip II wanted to govern the Netherlands in a modern and centralised fashion, from Madrid.