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William I, Prince of Orange, Count of Nassau (1533-1584) was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648.
A wealthy nobleman, William originally served at the court of the Spanish regent. Unhappy with the lack of political power for the local nobility and the Spanish persecution of Dutch Protestants, William joined the Dutch uprising and turned against his former masters. The most influential and politically capable of the rebels, he led the Dutch to several military successes in the fight against the Spanish. Declared an outlaw by the Spanish king in 1580, he was assassinated by Balthasar Gérard in Delft at a time when William's popularity was waning.
William of Orange is also widely known as William the Silent. There are several explanations for the origin of this nickname. The most common one is that he rarely spoke out clearly on controversial matters at the court or in public, or (by some accounts) even completely avoided speaking about such topics.
In the Netherlands, he is also known as the Vader des vaderlands, "Father of the fatherland", and the Dutch national anthem, the Wilhelmus, was written in his honour.
On Mor's portrait William of Orang-Nassau appears in the armour of a commander in the imperial army of Charles V. His appointment to this post in 1555 was probably the occasion for the painting of the portrait, as that date is shown in a small cartouche in the middle of the richly-worked breastplate. His military appearance is completed by a ceremonial helmet and the commander's baton he carries in his right hand.
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