Willem in Breda

In the summer of 1544, there was a remarkable silence around Breda Castle. René van Chalon, Lord of Breda, had died. His heir, the eleven-year-old William of Orange, arrived in Breda for the first time. Here, he was introduced to the world that had fallen on his shoulders as a result of René van Chalon's will. Emperor Charles V agreed to the inheritance, but not without conditions. William had to be raised at the court in Brussels and prepared for his new role as a Roman Catholic. In Brussels, he learned etiquette, diplomacy, and the art of negotiation. These were all lessons that would serve him well later in life.

The Castle of Breda

When William turned eighteen, he married Anna van Egmond. They then moved into Breda Castle, a comfortable Renaissance residence with spacious rooms overlooking the canals and the courtyard, and a large court. The direct involvement William experienced in his castle confronted him for the first time with the political relations in the Netherlands.

Inauguration as Lord of Breda

The city of Breda celebrated the arrival of the Prince of Orange in grand style. On March 29, 1552, William was officially inaugurated as Lord of Breda. In the town hall, administrators and residents stood side by side to welcome their new lord. Outside, music, buzz, and conviviality filled the streets.

The following years brought sadness. Anna van Egmond died young and was buried in Breda. In 1561, he remarried Anna of Saxony, with whom he went to live in Breda. As tensions in the Netherlands rose and the Iconoclastic Fury approached, the turmoil also affected their lives. The clash between faith and authority caused uncertainty in the country and in his marriage.

The Eighty Years' War

After the Iconoclastic Fury in 1566, the atmosphere changed. In the spring of 1567, the Duke of Alva marched to the Netherlands to restore order, and the threat was felt as far away as Breda. Willem understood that he was in danger. Before Alva's troops could reach Breda, he left the city and traveled with his family and belongings to Dillenburg in Germany.

His connection with the city and his predecessors remained. In his will, he stipulated that he wanted to be buried in Breda, a last wish that could never be fulfilled due to the war. The Nieuwe Kerk in Delft eventually became his final resting place, but his connection with Breda lived on in stone, street names, and stories. His sons would recapture and retain Breda.