William I of Orange, the Silent

The portrait in a black-golden frame shows William in half profile before a dark background. He wears a black cap and a black top, with a high white collar completely covering his neck. The uneven beard growth stands out on his face. William I of Orange inherited the Principality of Orange from his cousin at the age of eleven. He became Governor of several Netherlandish counties. From 1566 the conflict between the Spanish King Philip II, a staunch Catholic, and the Protestant Dutch escalated in 1566, leading William and his family to flee to Dillenburg. The Duke of Alba accused him of high treason and confiscated his lands, which brought the family financial woes. William then began to plan, together with his brothers, war against the Duke. This conflict lasted decades and was passed on the House of Nassau as a family matter. Following William’s murder in 1584, the myth arose of his ‘heroic death’. This was utilised by his family to continue the fight. To this day, William I of Orange is renowned as the liberator of the Netherlands.