William the Silent

**William I of Orange-Nassau** (24 April 1533 – 10 July 1584) was an important leader of the Dutch rebellion against the Spanish in the Eighty Years' War. He was the first leader of the Netherlands. He held the title of Prince of Orange.

William of Orange is better known as **William the Silent** (in Dutch: _Willem de Zwijger_). It is not known how he got this name. One story says that when the kings of France and Spain proposed to William to kill all Protestants in his area, William did not reply.

William was born in Nassau in Germany. The king of Spain made him stadtholder (a sort of leader) of several Dutch provinces. But William converted to Protestantism, the religion of the Dutch people, and joined their struggle for independence. The king of Spain offered a reward for the person who would kill William. In 1584 William was shot by Balthasar Gerards in his house in Delft. William's  last words were in French: "Mon Dieu, mon Dieu, ayez pitié de moi et de ton pauvre peuple" (My Lord, My Lord, have pity on me and your poor people). Balthasar Gerards never received his reward, because he was killed by the angry Dutch.

In the Netherlands, people often call him "Father of the fatherland". The Dutch national anthem, the Wilhelmus, is about William.

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **embed**: yes
- **office**: Stadtholder of Lordship of Frisia, Friesland
- **term start**: 1580
- **term end**: 1584
- **predecessor**: George de Lalaing, Count of Rennenberg, George de Lalaing
- **successor**: William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, William Louis of Nassau-Dillenburg
- **office1**: Stadtholder of County of Holland, Holland and County of Zeeland, Zeeland
- **term start1**: 1572
- **term end1**: 1584
- **predecessor1**: Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard
- **successor1**: Maurice, Prince of Orange, Maurice of Nassau
- **term start2**: 1559
- **term end2**: 1567
- **monarch2**: Philip II of Spain
- **predecessor2**: Maximilian of Burgundy
- **successor2**: Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard
- **office3**: Stadtholder of Lordship of Utrecht, Utrecht
- **term start3**: 1572
- **term end3**: 1584
- **predecessor3**: Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard
- **successor3**: Adolf van Nieuwenaar
- **term start4**: 1559
- **term end4**: 1567
- **monarch4**: Philip II of Spain
- **predecessor4**: Maximilian of Burgundy
- **successor4**: Maximilien de Hénin-Liétard


## Infobox (officeholder)

- **embed**: yes
- **battles**: * Italian War of 1551–1559
** Siege of Metz (1552), Siege of Metz
** Battle of St. Quentin (1557), Battle of St. Quentin
* Eighty Years' War
** Battle of Jodoigne
** Battle of Le Quesnoy (1568), Battle of Le Quesnoy
** Siege of Middelburg (1572–1574), Siege of Middelburg
** Siege of Leiden
** Battle of Delft (1573), Battle of Delft


## Infobox (royalty)

- **image**: William I, Prince of Orange by Adriaen Thomasz. Key Rijksmuseum Amsterdam SK-A-3148.jpg
- **caption**: Portrait of William the Silent, Portrait by Adriaen Thomasz. Key, c. 1570–1584
- **succession**: Prince of Orange
- **reign**: 15 July 1544 – 10 July 1584
- **predecessor**: René of Chalon, René
- **successor**: Philip William, Prince of Orange, Philip William
- **birth date**: 24 April 1533
- **birth place**: Dillenburg, County of Nassau, Holy Roman Empire
- **death place**: Delft, County of Holland, Dutch Republic
- **house**: Born into the House of Nassau; founder of the Orange-Nassau branch; ancestor of the monarchy of the Netherlands
- **father**: William I, Count of Nassau-Siegen
- **mother**: Juliana of Stolberg, Juliana of Stolberg-Werningerode
- **issue**: #Issue, 16
- **signature**: Signatur Wilhelm I. (Oranien).PNG