Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange: hero or villain?

Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange: one of the most famous historical figures from the Eighty Years' War. The stadtholder and his biggest victory over 's-Hertogenbosch have been an inexhaustible source of inspiration for painters and artists. We shed light on five pieces from our collection.

A quick history lesson

Let's start with a quick history lesson: Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange was the youngest son of William of Orange. The little boy was not yet six months old when his father was murdered in the Prinsenhof in Delft. After that, his career path was mapped out for him: from early childhood, Frederick Henry was primed to become a military commander and statesman. As a teenager, he was already handling state affairs and was constantly on some military campaign or another.

In 1625, when Frederick Henry was 41 years old, he succeeded his late half-brother Maurits of Orange as stadtholder of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, commander-in-chief of the Dutch States Army, and General Admiral of the fleet. Like his brother Maurits, Frederick Henry preferred sieges to battles. This was how he conquered places like Groenlo, Maastricht, Schenkenschans, Breda, and Hulst.

The commander-in-chief's biggest military success was his siege of 's-Hertogenbosch. 's-Hertogenbosch had extensive defences, and the environment was marshy, making it almost impossible to take the Brabant city by conquest. Frederick Henry had defences erected and two rivers dammed and diverted, to cut the city off from the outside world. He then flooded the area outside the line, to protect his own troops against attacks from outside. Lastly, he had trenches dug, to access then blow up the city walls.

On the map

The map below shows the siege of 's-Hertogenbosch on 1 May 1629. Here, the city is completely encircled by Frederick Henry's troops and his allies. On 14 September 1629, after a siege that dragged on for nearly five months, the governor of 's-Hertogenbosch had no choice but to surrender.

In the art

The Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch was one of the key strategic victories for the Republic during the Eighty Years' War. This is reflected in the many artworks recalling this event. This painting, for instance, depicts the situation on 11 September 1629: the troops of the Dutch States are breaching one of the stronghold's bastions by detonating a mine. In the foreground are Frederick Henry's troops. In the distance can be seen 's-Hertogenbosch with the Sint-Janskathedraal (Cathedral Church of St. John).

's-Hertogenbosch as a virgin

Artists also used allegories to portray Frederick Henry's conquest. On the above print, which dates from 1633, the fall of the city is depicted as a marriage, with 's-Hertogenbosch as the bride and Frederick Henry as the bridegroom. 's-Hertogenbosch is compared with a coveted virgin – only Frederick Henry succeeds in conquering her. The governor of 's-Hertogenbosch, Anthonie Schetz, who led the defence during the siege, is presented here as the father of the bride: he had to relinquish the city in the same way that fathers give away their daughters.

Seven women

One of the most colourful allegories is this painting by Jacob Gerritsz. Cuyp, from 1630. Cuyp likens Frederick Henry's capture of 's-Hertogenbosch to Biblical shepherd David's victory over the giant Goliath. The painter replaced the women who paid homage to David after his triumph with seven women, representing the seven provinces that make up the Union of Utrecht. They are identified by the provincial coats of arms that they are wearing in the form of a ring or a hairpin.

Warrior on horseback

Frederick Henry was a proud man. He liked to be portrayed in front of a cityscape of 's-Hertogenbosch, as a reminder of his biggest achievement. The painting below, which is by Pauwels van Hillegaert and dates from around 1632-1635, is a great example. The elegantly attired Frederick Henry is seated on horseback; behind him are the palisades of the besiegers, and the outline of the city.

Going up in smoke

Not all portraits are peaceful. On the above work, by Jacobus de Langhe, we see Frederick Henry in full armour. In the background is an enormous plume of smoke, curling up from 's-Hertogenbosch. This is a reminder of the great devastation caused.

Hero or villain?

Frederick Henry is often portrayed as a hero, but many people local to 's-Hertogenbosch and Brabant will have been more inclined to see him as a villain. The Eighty Years' War was a dark period for Brabant; the region formed the frontline in many battles. Many Brabant cities, including 's-Hertogenbosch and Breda, suffered lengthy sieges, and the countryside was plundered and laid to waste.

Alle artikelen

Marlisa den Hartog (1992) is a junior curator of history at Het Noordbrabants Museum. She studied medieval and early modern history at the University of Leiden, where she subsequently remained as a PhD student and lecturer. Den Hartog has a wide interest in the cultural history and history of attitudes of Western Europe. She wrote her thesis on sexual norms in the Renaissance.