Death of an Orange

In the Prinsenhof (Princes Court) in Delft there are 400-year-old bullet holes in the wall. In 1584, William of Orange was assassinated here, shot by an assassin following the orders of Phillip II, King of Spain. 

Image via Wikipedia

William of Orange, considered a hero of the Dutch and the “Father of the Fatherland,” had his digs in the Prinsenhof, formally the convent of Saint Agatha. He had taken up residence here while leading the Dutch revolt against the Spanish rule of the provinces that are now known as The Netherlands. Under Spanish rule, Dutch protestants were persecuted and subjected to outrageously high taxes. But Williem stood up to the Spanish and led the revolt that became the Dutch War of Independence, also known as the Eighty Years War. In the initial stages of the war Phillip II retained control over most of the dissenting provinces but in 1581, the Dutch were able to declare independence from the Spanish King. (The long war continued with the Spanish until 1648, however the heart of the new Dutch republic was no longer under threat).

Bullet Holes in Prinsenhof

However Phillip II certainly considered William of Orange a threat and declared him an outlaw offering 25,000 crowns reward for his assassination. On 10 July 1584 William of Orange left his dining room in the Prinsenhof, and hesitated on the stairs when three shots were fired by Balthasar Gérard, a Frenchman and supporter of the Spanish king. William collapsed: “My God, have mercy on me and on my poor people” were his last words. Gérard was captured and tortured in 16th century style (whipped, broiled, branded etc) and eventually executed.

Regarded as founder and father of The Netherlands, William of Orange has his statue in The Hague  (solo and equestrian versions), the colour Orange of course is the Dutch national colour (Orange is in fact a French principality that William inherited from his cousin and hence his name William of Orange) and Het Wilhelmus, the world’s oldest national anthem tells William’s life story and his fight against the King of Spain. 

This same story is also retold in the Museum Het Prinsenhof with portrait and history paintings and original historical documents displayed in William's former residence. There are also two lovely exhibitions on Golden Age painters of Delft and on the painters of the Westland including Van Gogh. The very museum is an historical building where the nuns of Saint Agatha's convent resided from the start of the 15th century until taken over by William of Orange. Beautiful altarpieces still remain in the building. 


Despite it's history and the chaos has occurred here, the building still appears in excellent condition and is a fitting museum for the story of William of Orange, his life and his death. We find he is still relevant and important to the Dutch. In fact the bullet holes in the wall have been undergoing new forensic investigation by a Delft forensic outfit to add more detail to the story of William of Orange.

Portrait of William of Orange