Willem – The Price of Freedom at the Stedelijk Museum Breda

From Breda to Delft and back again

For the first time, the stories of William of Orange are presented in connection in both Delft and Breda. While the Museum Prinsenhof Delft is temporarily closed for renovations, a large part of the Delft collection is temporarily on display in Breda.  

One of the highlights is a cast of his tomb monument. According to his will, William wanted to be buried in Breda, but due to the Spanish occupation, his body remained in Delft. For the exhibition, he is finally given a symbolic grave in Breda.

The full story: murder, resistance, and conflict

It is Tuesday, 10 July 1584: the sound of three gunshots fills the Prinsenhof in Delft. Balthasar Gerards fires three bullets at William of Orange. The prince is killed instantly. It is a shocking moment in Dutch history; a well-known story that began in Breda.

It is 1572: the uprising against the Spanish king Philip II is in full swing when William takes refuge in the Sint Agatha cloister in Delft. The building is renamed: the Prinsenhof. From his new headquarters, he continues his fight with unwavering ambition.

It is 1544: when his cousin René of Chalon dies, eleven-year-old William inherits his princely title and possessions. Suddenly, he is at the head of the Breda House of Nassau. He settles in his magnificent palace in Breda and seems headed for a prosperous future. But nothing could be further from the truth... Over time, a conflict grows between William and Philip II, between Spain and the Netherlands. William becomes the face of the uprising and risks everything: possessions, wealth, and family. In the end, he pays with his life.