"William the Silent (24 April 1533 – 10 July 1584), also known as William the Taciturn (translated from Dutch: Willem de Zwijger), or William of Orange (Dutch: Willem van Oranje), was the main leader of the Dutch Revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that set off the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1581. Born into the House of Nassau, he became Prince of Orange in 1544 and is thereby the founder of the Orange-Nassau branch and the ancestor of the monarchy of the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, he is also known as Father of the Fatherland (Dutch: Vader des Vaderlands)." - (en.wikipedia.org 28.12.2020)
