William I, Prince of Orange (1533 - 1584) by Macalino Minjoot
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Personality Profile 65 William I, Prince of Orange (1533 - 1584) by Macalino Minjoot INTRODUCTION In 1544, his life changed William I, Prince of Orange, completely when his childless also known as William the Silent or uncle, René of Chalons, was killed more commonly known as William during the Habsburg siege of the of Orange, led the Dutch Revolt French town of Saint-Didier. As against the Spanish Habsburgs the last representative of the which sparked the Eighty Years house of Nassau-Breda, Chalons War and eventually gained formal had appointed his young nephew independence of the United as his heir. The heritage included Provinces in 1581.2 not only large possessions in the Netherlands, but also the EARLY LIFE Principality of Orange in southern France. From now on, William was William I was born on 24th "Je Maintiendrai," no longer the son of an insignificant April, 1533 in the castle of town (I will maintain) German Count, but a Prince. Dillenburg in the duchy of Nassau -William the Silent1 in the Holy Roman Empire, now in Hesse, Germany. He was the eldest Emperor Charles V (ruled son, among his four other brothers 1519–1556) summoned the young and seven younger sisters, of boy from his family’s castle at William, Count of Nassau, and Dillenburg to the Netherlands, Juliana of Stolberg-Werningerode. where he became a page at the Though his mother was raised a Imperial court and was raised as Roman Catholic, she eventually a loyal and Catholic nobleman. changed her religion twice, The years that followed saw the first to Lutheranism and then to remarkable transformation of the Calvinism. Juliana was particularly son of a Lutheran German count close to William I. When he began into a French-speaking Burgundian his rebellion against Philip II noble. Under the guidance of the of Spain, she supported her son regent, Mary of Hungary, William morally and financially. Because grew into a handsome young of his mother’s financial support, nobleman, elegant and well- William was able to campaign spoken in French and Dutch as well against Spain in the Netherlands. as in his native German, intelligent POINTER, JOUrnAL OF THE SinGApore ARMED ForCES VOL.43 NO.1 Personality Profile 66 and at ease with people.3 William I discontented with the increasing younger brother, Louis, formed the was ready to serve the Habsburgs. persecution of Protestants in the Confederacy of Noblemen. On 5th Netherlands. As mentioned, he was April, they petitioned to end the Prosecution of Protestants. From STRUGGLES WITH THE brought up a Lutheran and later August to October 1566, a wave SPANISH EMPIRE a Catholic; William was religious but he supported the freedom of iconoclasm, the destruction of William came under the of religion for all people. The religious icons and other images particular attention of the imperial Inquisition of the Netherlands, or monuments for religious or family, and was very well-liked. He directed by the Cardinal Antoine political motives also known as was then appointed a captain in Perrenot de Granvelle, increased Beeldenstorm, spread through the cavalry in 1551 and quickly opposition to Spanish rule the Low Countries. The Calvinists, rose up the ranks to command which were mainly Protestant, and among the then mostly Catholic one of the Emperor’s armies at other forms of Christianity, such population of the Netherlands.6 an early age of 22. During the as Anabaptists, and Mennonites, Lastly, the opposition did not same year, the abdication of were angered by the Catholic want the presence of the Spanish Emperor Charles V in favour of use of images of saints. In their troops in the Netherlands. his son, Philip II of Spain, due to eyes, it conflicted with the illness, would assure that William Second Commandment. Therefore, After marrying a second time, it I would continue to assist them.4 hundreds of statues in churches was assumed that William married and monasteries were destroyed In 1559, William’s political power Anne of Saxony to gain influence in throughout the Netherlands. greatly increased when Philip Saxony. William found increasing II appointed William stadholder confidence in his alliance with Following Beeldenstorm, tensions (governor) of three provinces the Protestant princes of Germany in Netherlands grew and Margaret namely; Holland, Zeeland and following his second marriage. of Parma, governor of Netherlands, Utrecht. A stadtholdership over He began to openly criticise the 5 had to agree to the petition if the Franche-Comté followed in 1561. King’s anti-Protestant politics. In noblemen were to restore order to an iconic speech to the Council the Netherlands. However, Margaret Although William never directly of State, William, to the shock of did not fulfill her promise and soon opposed the Spanish King, he his audience, justified his conflict several minor rebellions occurred soon became the most prominent with Philip by saying that, even which William was financially a part member amongst the opposition though he had decided to keep to of. Following the announcement in the Council of State, together the Catholic faith, he could not that Philip II, unhappy with the with Philip de Montmorency, agree that monarchs should rule situation in the Netherlands, would Count of Hoorn, and Lamoral, over the souls of their subjects dispatch his loyal general Fernando Count of Egmont. They were mainly and take from them their freedom Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba, seeking more political power for of belief and religion.7 to restore order, many Calvinists themselves against the current and Lutherans fled the country. government that was mainly ruled In the early 1565, a large group William I also retreated to his by Spaniards. William was also of noblemen, including William’s native Nassau in April, 1567. POINTER, JOUrnAL OF THE SinGApore ARMED ForCES VOL.43 NO.1 Personality Profile 67 In August 1567, the Duke of During 1571 to 1576, William (who had succeeded Don Juan) to Alba established the Council of and his army were slowly occupying rule the Netherlands. Troubles, to judge those involved in towns in Holland and Zeeland where the rebellion and the iconoclasm. they were mostly in the hands The Duke of Parma was William was declared an outlaw, of the rebels. Most notable was successful in reconquering most the capture of the city of Brielle and his properties were confiscated of the southern parts of the when he failed to appear for a by privateers, who had raised Netherlands because he agreed to summons before the Council. As the Prince of Orange’s Flag above remove all Spanish troops. Hence, one of the prominent figures in the city, after the local Spanish the Netherlands finally had their Netherlands, William I emerge as garrison had left it unattended.8 the leader of armed resistance. Together with the rebels, they own king. This armed resistance would raid almost captured the entire country. coastal cities of the Netherlands, William then marched his army In March 1580, Philip II issued where they often killed Spanish and south where he won several more a royal ban of outlawry against Dutch. William would also raise an small battles. Eventually, Holland the Prince of Orange, promising army, consisting mostly of German and Zeeland had to sign a treaty a reward of 25,000 crowns to any 9 mercenaries, to fight the Duke. in 1576, the Pacification of Ghent. man who would succeed in killing him. William responded with his WAR NETHERLANDS’ Apology, a document in which his INDEPENDENCE In October 1568, William led his course of action was defended. army into the Duchy of Brabant, a When Don Juan signed the However, Philip tortured the state in the Holy Roman Empire. Perpetual Edict in February 1577, messenger so viciously that he However, the Duke of Alba carefully promising to comply with its restated his allegiance for the avoided a decisive confrontation. conditions, the rebels felt that Protestant faith. The Duke expected William’s army the war had been decided in their to fall apart quickly. As expected, favour. The Calvinist rebels grew disorder broke out in William’s army DEATH more radical, and attempted to as winter was approaching and they Balthasar Gérard, a subject and forbid Catholicism in areas under lacked resources. So, William was supporter of Phillip II, regarded their control. William was opposed forced to turn back. He had several William of Orange a traitor to more plans to invade in the next to this both for personal and the king and to the catholic few years, but the plans were not political reasons as he desired faith. When Gerard heard of the executed as he lacked the support freedom of religion, and he also bounty of 25,000 crowns for the and money. needed the support of the less assassination of William, Gerard radical Protestants and Catholics decided to travel to Netherlands to However, it was largely as to reach his political goals. On 6th kill William.10 Gérard went to the a result of William’s leadership January 1579, several southern Duke to present his plans on killing that the rebels overcame their provinces, unhappy with William’s William. The Duke was unimpressed differences and continued their radical following, signed the Treaty military struggle, seizing the but Gérard went ahead anyway. opportunities caused by the large- of Arras, in which they agreed to scale mutinies of the unpaid and accept their Catholic governor, Gérard presented himself to unsupplied Spanish troops. Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma William as a French nobleman POINTER, JOUrnAL OF THE SinGApore ARMED ForCES VOL.43 NO.1 Personality Profile 68 and gave him a precious seal of CONCLUSION 6.