William I, Prince of Orange (1533-1584), founder of the House of Orange. William was born in Nassau as son of the Count of Nassau. At a young age he inherited titles and land from his childless cousin, Rene of Chalon. After military and diplomatic education in Brussles he joined the army of Emperor Charles V. When Charles was succeeded by Philip II of Spain, there was a growth of religious persecution of the Protestants in the Spanish Netherlands. William rebelled against Philip, joining the Dutch uprising and leading them to several victories against the Spanish. He was declared an outlaw in 1580 and assassinated in Delft four years later. The revolt continued as the Eighty Years' War and resulted in independence and the establishment of the House of Orange-Nassau. This engraving comes from van Meurs' Illustris Academia Lugd-Batava printed at leiden in 1613.