The Mentor: Holland, v. 2, Num. 6, Serial No. 58

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Elmendorf Dwight Lathrop. The Mentor: Holland, v. 2, Num. 6, Serial No. 58

The History of Holland

William the Silent

Amsterdam

Rotterdam

Tulips and Windmills

Art in Holland

HOLLAND By DWIGHT L. ELMENDORF

DIKES AND WINDMILLS

AMSTERDAM

A CITY BUILT ON PILES

RYKS MUSEUM

HAARLEM

ROTTERDAM

THE HAGUE

THE HOUSE IN THE WOOD

ATTRACTIONS OF THE HAGUE

SCHEVENINGEN

DUTCH COUNTRY LIFE AND PEOPLE

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

THE OPEN LETTER

Отрывок из книги

William the Silent is to Holland what George Washington is to the United States. As the principal opponent of Philip II of Spain he was the very incarnation of the national spirit in the greatest period of Dutch history. He dared to stand forth as the fearless leader of a persecuted people in opposition to the mightiest monarch then on earth. William, Prince of Orange and Count of Nassau, was surnamed “The Silent” not because he was gloomy, but because he was able to hide his plans with wonderful discretion. He was born on April 16, 1533. He was a great favorite of Charles V of Spain, who appointed him, when he was only twenty-two years old, governor of the provinces of Holland, Zealand, and Utrecht. When the Low Countries came into possession of the Duke of Alva, the Spanish governor, William set out on a short but useless campaign to liberate the southern provinces. Four years later he was invited by Holland and Zealand to command their troops against the Spaniards. Shortly afterward he captured Middelburg and succeeded in raising the siege of Leyden. The Union of Utrecht, the famous defensive league of the North Netherlands, was formed in 1579. Soon afterward William was exiled by Philip II; but the States General defied his authority, and in 1581 formally threw off their allegiance to the Spanish crown.

However, so anxious was Philip to have William out of the way that he offered a reward of 25,000 crowns and a title of nobility to anyone who would assassinate him. Many were the cowardly attacks made against the brave Dutchman, eight attempts being made before the one that finally succeeded.

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William the Silent was the foremost statesman of his time. He gave up great position, vast wealth, and at last his life, to rescue the Netherlands from the tyrannical power of Spain; and he had the satisfaction of knowing before he died that the cause for which he had suffered so much would succeed.

His murderer, Balthazar Gerard, was executed by having the flesh torn from his body with redhot pincers.

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