WILLIAM I. (the SILENT ) . Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau (1533-84). Leader of the revolt of the Netherlands against Spain. He was the eldest son of William, Count of Nassau Dillenburg, and was born at Dilienburg, April 16, 1533. In 15.4.4 he inherited from his cousin, Rene of Nassau, the Principality of Orange. On his succession to the family estates in the Low Countries, he was sent to the Queen Regent's court at Brussels and brought up in the Catholic faith. At the age of fifteen he became page to the Emperor Charles V., who in 1555 promoted him to the command of the Imperial army on the French frontier. Charles V. on his abdication recommended William to his son, Philip li., who employed him in t he negotiation of the Treaty of Cateau-Cambr6sis with France (1559). On returning to the Low Countries, he became the leader of the party which de voted itself to the assertion of the liberties of the country, agitated for the recall of the Spanish troops, and finally entered into open op position to Cardinal Granvelia (q.v.), the presi dent of the council, and the willing agent of Philip's tyranny. The King, nevertheless, pro ceedo(d to more extreme measures, the edicts against, heretics bidng still more stringent. William steadily refused to allow these enact ments to take effect in his provinces of Holland, Zealand, and Utrecht, of which he had been made Stadthohler. Up to .1Iva's arrival as Gov ernor (1507) William had labored conjointly with lloorn and Egmont, hut, failing to convince his two associates of the duplicity of the King, of which he himself was assured by means of the spies in his pay at. the Spanish Court, he was compelled to leave them to their fate, and retired to his German estates. Cited as a rebel, he re fused to appear, on the ground of being a Knight of the Golden Fleece and a sovereign prince, and was outlawed.
William now became convinced that the only means of resisting the Spanish tyranny was by force. An army under his brother Louis of Nas sau gained some success, but was finally driven from the country. William in person invaded Brabant, but failed to effect anything of impor tance, for lack of means. In 1569 he went to France to aid the Huguenots. and later (1572) made an unsuccessful attempt to relieve his brother Louis, who was besieged by Alva in Mons. In the same year the provinces of Holland, Zea land, Gelderland, Overyssel. and Utrecht pro claimed him as their Stadtholder for the King. whose authority he and they still ac knowledged. The fortune of the Spaniards on land, however. was in. the ascendant. fortress after fortress fell into their hands despite William's utmost efforts to relieve them. and though Hol land and Zealand still remained faithful he found it impossible to raise an army which could fairly cope with the enemy. In April, 1574, Louis and
Henry of Nassau were defeated and slain in the battle of Alooker-Ileide. succeeded, ever, in resoling Leyden from the terrible fate which had befallen Haarlem. It was at this period that William openly professed himself a Cal vinist, though he disclaimed the fanaticism which characterized his co-religionists and con tinually urged Calvinists and Lutherans to har monize their differences. In October, 1575, the provinces of Holland and Zealand pronounced Philip's deposition. and gave power to William to choose the country under whose protectorate they were to be placed. tleantime• the rapacity of the Spanish soldiery had roused the fifteen prov inces which still remained loyal to Philip, and the league known as the Pacification of Ghent (October, 1576), the object of which was to drive out the Spanish troops. and establish, at least for a toleration in religion, was the con sequence. This was a brilliant success for Wil liam. and Don John of Austria, the new Gov ernor, was compelled to ratify the Pacification by the Perpetual Edict (February 12, 1577 (.
Owing, however, to the Spanish monarch's lack of faith, war was resumed, and the patriots suf fered a great defeat. At Gembloux (January 31. 1578) John of Austria's successor, Alex ander Farnese, succeeded in detaching the Wal loon provinces from the league. On the other hand, William brought about the formation of the Union of Utrecht (1579), which com prised the provinces of Holland, Zealand, Utrecht, Gelderland, Groningen, Friesland, and Overyssel, and marked the birth of the Dutch Republie. In 1581 the United Provinces declared Philip de posed and, in accordance with William's desire, chose as their ruler the Duke of Anjou. brother of Henry III. of France. The Duke, however, abandoned the country in 1582. In 1580 Philip had, by (iranvella's advice, put a price of 25.000 gold crowns on William's head, and on July 10, 1584. he was assassinated at Delft by Balthasar Gerard. In personal relations William was frank and generous. His piety and integrity were unquestioned, and his sagacity, courage, and determined will made him a leader of men.
Consult: Harrison, William the silent (Lon don, 1897) ; Putnam, William the Silent, Prince of Grange (New York, 1895) ; Motley. Rise of thr Dutch Republic (1856) ; Gaehard fed.). Cor rr.VpOnda net' de be Tariturne, Prince d'Grange (Brussels, 1147-66); Klose, Wilhelm I. von ()milieu (Leipzig, 1864) ; Juste, Gm/Mot/me Ic Tacit urne d'affes so cormspondance et lcs pupiers d'etat (Brussels, 1875).