Four wives

The exhibition William – The Price of Freedom focuses on the life of William of Orange. It was a turbulent life, both politically and privately. He married four times and had no fewer than sixteen recognized children who reached adulthood. Portraits of three of his four wives are featured in the exhibition, each with their own story.

Anna van Egmond

When William was 18, he married Anna, who was the same age. After the wedding, the couple moved to Breda Castle. Seven years and three children later, Anna fell ill and died at the age of 25. Letters reveal that it was a happy marriage. Anna is buried in De Grote Kerk in Breda, as is their daughter Maria.

Anna of Saxony

Did William have a soft spot for Annas? This marriage was primarily strategic. Anna brought noble status and important ties to German monarchs, or at least that was William's hope. They married in 1561, and during their ten years together, Anna liked to push boundaries. Her choices were daring and dangerous. While the nobility mainly immersed themselves in religious literature, Anna chose books that broke taboos, including erotic stories. Eventually, Anna was accused of adultery with Jan Rubens (the father of Paul Rubens) and forced to divorce. She was then declared insane and her children were taken away from her. Their son Maurits later took over from his father in his fight for freedom. 

Charlotte de Bourbon

William's marriage to Charlotte was a match made in heaven: it offered strategic advantages and was based on love. In a short period of time, they had six daughters. In 1582, an attempt was made on William's life in Antwerp. The bullet hit its target and went through his mouth. William survived, but Charlotte did not. He had to be nursed, and Charlotte took on this task, but the stress and total exhaustion became too much for her.

Louise de Coligny

In 1583, the 50-year-old widower William married the 27-year-old widow Louise. Together, they had experienced loss and paid the price of freedom during the Revolt. Her father and first husband were murdered by Catholics. The marriage to Willem was short-lived, because on July 10, 1584, her second husband was shot dead in the Prinsenhof where they lived together. They had just one child together: Frederik Hendrik. Louise ensured that a prominent mausoleum was built for Willem in Delft when it became apparent that he could not be buried in Breda.