He was too young to be traumatized, but that did not make the event any less drastic: six months after his birth in 1584, Frederik Hendrik’s father was murdered. The victim was not alone are father, but also that of the country. William of Orange left behind an orphaned nation and a dozen (legitimate) children. The youngest of this couple was born to the Zwijger’s fourth wife, Louise de Coligny.
After an uprising, the Netherlands was involved in a war with Spain that would last eighty years, so it was nice when it turned out that Frederick William’s older half-brother Maurits was a talented army commander. The youngest Orange was allowed to go on campaign as a teenager.
Prince Maurits became seriously ill in 1625. Frederik Hendrik – 41 years old – was still single at this time. His brother forced him to marry, otherwise he would appoint someone else as heir. Frederik Hendrik quickly married Amalia van Solms and shortly afterwards succeeded Maurits as stadtholder. In the decades that followed, the couple built beautiful palaces and amassed an art collection.
Amalia was in charge of this, because her husband was busy waging permanent war against Spain. That was desperately needed: less than two months after his appointment, Breda was lost to the Republic. Frederik Hendrik would conquer city after city, which earned him the nickname ‘the City Force’.
His most famous siege was that of ‘s Hertogenbosch in 1629. The prince’s headquarters were so close to the front that during meals he „saluted across the table with heavy artillery” became, “so that the spices were spoiled”. Frederik Hendrik was not deterred by this. He visited the men who were building positions around the city and spoke such kind words there:so that the Pioneers went to work with a spade on their necks as cheerfully as if they were about to get married”.
When the States General asked whether the prince could leave those dangerous visits to the front to others, Frederik Hendrik replied that this was really not possible and that he “So much so that oneself would not be in jeopardy if one were to say so”. The prince therefore simply remained at the front until ‘s Hertogenbosch fell after a siege of more than four months.
PC Hooft ordained a famous poem at the capture of the city. In it he let Amalia – on behalf of the entire Dutch people – lament with concern about all the dangers her husband faced: “I hear all the days of the fresh dead/ Facade in the cave, or the gallery/ Each dies of his own death;/ But all the hells kill me./ Because I feel hurt every time,/ As if from a point,/ That thinks; on the head with white feathers/ Was that coined.”
Despite his striking plumage, Frederik Hendrik’s head remained free of flying lead in the years after Den Bosch. He led the Republic to victory, but did not live to see the end of the war in 1648 because he became ill and died a year earlier.
A version of this article also appeared in the September 13, 2023 newspaper.