Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange

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Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange (1567-1625), succeeded his assassinated father William ‘the Silent’ in the midst of the protracted and deadly Netherlands revolt against the Habsburg empire. A military thinker and innovator of the first order, it was his fate to be matched against first Parma and later Spinola, the two most talented generals of the period, a misfortune somewhat balanced by the fact that the Spanish court emasculated both by denying them the funds to finish him off. Even amid the hammer blows of defeat, he found time to ‘professionalize’ his forces. He created a system of proper military training for officers, particularly in the technical branches of engineering and gunnery, and began to move away from the dense column of the omnipotent Spanish tercio towards a more extended and manoeuvrable formation. He equipped his cavalry with pistols, abandoning the obsolete lance, and began to concentrate standardized artillery pieces in batteries. Perhaps most significantly, he put supply, training, and pay on a regular footing.

The doom of the tercio, finally confirmed at Rocroi, was presaged at Nieuport in 1600 where in an even contest Maurice's all-arms formation prevailed. The advent of Spinola reversed the trend for a while, but the Twelve Years Truce of 1609-21 was in part a tacit admission of greatly improved Dutch performance on the battlefield. It did not save Maurice when war resumed in 1621 and he died trapped in Breda. Maurice's legacy was a Dutch army he had transformed into the modern fighting force that enabled his brother Frederick Henry to secure eventual independence from Spain. So important were these reforms that they were adopted by most European armies, most notably that of Gustavus Adolphus, who further refined and improved Maurice's tactical system.

— Richard Holmes

The Dutch general and statesman Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange (1567-1625), was the founder with Oldenbarnevelt of the Dutch Republic, or United Provinces of the Netherlands.

Maurice of Nassau was the second son of William I, "the Silent," and the only child of his second marriage, to Anna of Saxony. Born at the Nassaus' ancestral castle of Dillenburg, Germany, on Nov. 14, 1567, he spent the first decade of his life in Germany and then went to the Netherlands, where his father was leading the revolt against Spain. Only 16 years of age when his father was murdered, he was called at once to preside over the Council of State, then the principal organ of central government in the north, the United Provinces. His career was aided by the sponsorship of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, the advocate of the States of Holland and the political leader of the province.

As soon as he reached the age of 18, in 1585, Maurice was named stadholder (governor) of Holland and Zeeland at Oldenbarnevelt's initiative, as well as provincial captain and admiral general, in order to provide a Dutch political and military authority to set against the Earl of Leicester, who was coming to the United Provinces as governor general on behalf of Elizabeth I of England. Maurice was later elected stadholder of Utrecht and Overijssel (1590), Gelderland (1591), and Groningen and Drenthe (1620).

After Leicester's recall in 1587, Maurice became in effect the commander in chief of the army of the United Provinces, although legally he was in command only in the provinces where he was stadholder and in the lands under the direct authority of the States General. Maurice undertook reorganization of the Dutch military forces on the basis of the principles and methods which he drew from study of the warfare and the military writings of the Romans of antiquity. He paid special attention to siegecraft, employing the great mathematician Simon Stevin as a military engineer and introducing the use of regular soldiers in trench digging and similar operations. His success in creating the most modern army of his time was demonstrated in a series of victories beginning with the capture of Breda in 1590, followed the next year by the conquest of Zutphen and Deventer in Overijssel and Delfzijl in the north, the defense of Arnhem against Allessandro Farnese, and then the capture of Hulst in Zeeland and Nijmegen far to the east. The successful siege of Geertruidenberg in 1593 was the supreme achievement of his military science.

A period of reversals followed until 1597, when Maurice defeated the Spaniards at Turnhout and then captured a chain of towns in the eastern Netherlands which deprived the Spaniards of their last foothold north of the Rhine River: the Dutch proclaimed that he had completed fencing-in their "garden," and the United Provinces became in reality the independent republic they already claimed to be in law. Although Maurice was able to win a brilliant victory over the Spaniards at Nieuwpoort in 1600, the southern Netherlands remained under Spanish control, especially after Ambrogio de Spinola took over command of the Spanish armies in 1603.

The close political collaboration between Oldenbarnevelt and Maurice broke up, especially after peace negotiations began with the Spaniards in 1607 over the prince's objections. Maurice, himself indifferent to theological questions, aligned himself with the Contraremonstrants against Oldenbarnevelt, because, as strict Calvinists, they were adamant against peace with the papist foe. However, the Twelve Years Truce was concluded in 1609. It was not until expiration of the truce began to approach that the question of its extension or renewal of the war brought Maurice and Oldenbarnevelt into mortal enmity. When the States of Holland, led by Oldenbarnevelt, began to raise its own troops in an effort to enforce its authority upon the Contraremonstrants, Maurice saw his own powers put in jeopardy, and he arranged the arrest and trial of Oldenbarnevelt and three collaborators (among them Hugo Grotius) and the former's execution as a traitor in 1619. Meanwhile, in 1618, he had inherited the title of Prince of Orange when his elder brother, Philip William, who had remained a Catholic and loyal to Spain, died.

The war was resumed in 1621, but Maurice was now a worn old man and unable to recapture his battlefield gifts. He was the victim of an unsuccessful assassination attempt in 1623 in which two sons of Oldenbarnevelt were implicated, but he lived until 1625, dying at The Hague on April 23, only 2 months before Spinola recaptured Breda. However, he had trained his younger brother, Frederick Henry, to be a military leader after his own best principles, and the United Provinces remained intact and free.

Further Reading

Although there is no adequate biographical study of Maurice in English, he is discussed in several useful background works: Pieter Geyl, Netherlands in the Seventeenth Century (2 vols., 1936; rev. ed. 1961-1964); Charles Wilson, Dutch Republic and the Civilization of the Seventeenth Century (1968); and Edward Grierson, The Fatal Inheritance (1969).

Maurits of Nassau Prince of Orange
Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland
In office 1585 – 1625
Preceded by	William the Silent
Succeeded by	Frederick Henry
Stadtholder of Utrecht, Guelders and Overijssel
In office 1590 – 1625
Preceded by	Adolf van Nieuwenaar
Succeeded by	Frederick Henry
Stadtholder of Groningen
In office 1620 – 1625
Preceded by	William Louis
Succeeded by	Ernst Casimir
Born	14 November 1567 Dillenburg, Nassau
Died	23 April 1625 (aged 57) The Hague, Dutch Republic
Resting place	Nieuwe Kerk, Delft, Netherlands

Maurice of Nassau (Dutch: Maurits van Nassau) (14 November 1567 – 23 April 1625), Prince of Orange (1618–1625), son of William the Silent and Princess Anna of Saxony, was born at the castle of Dillenburg. He was named after his maternal grandfather, the Elector Maurice of Saxony, who was also a noted general.

Contents 1 Life 2 Military career 3 Maurice and Oldenbarnevelt 4 Ancestors 5 Cultural References 6 References 7 See also

Life

Maurice never married but was the father of illegitimate children by Margaretha van Mechelen (including Willem of Nassau, lord of the Lek and Louis of Nassau, lord of den Lek and Beverweerd) and Anna van de Kelder. He was raised in Dillenburg by his uncle Johan of Nassau (Jan the Old). Together with his cousin Willem Lodewijk he studied in Heidelberg and later with his brother Philip in Leiden where he met Simon Stevin. The States of Holland and Zeeland paid for his studies, as their father had run into financial problems after spending his entire fortune in the early stages of the Dutch revolt.

Only 16 when his father was murdered in Delft in 1584, he soon took over as stadtholder (Stadhouder), though this title was not inheritable (The monarchs of England and France had refused, and there simply was no one else to take the job). He became stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland in 1585, of Guelders, Overijssel and Utrecht in 1590 and of Groningen and Drenthe in 1620 (following the death of Willem Lodewijk, who had been Stadtholder there and in Friesland).

Maurice was preceded as Prince of Orange (not a Dutch title) by his elder half-brother Philip William. However, Philip William was in the custody of Spain, remaining so until 1596, and was thus unable to lead the Dutch cause.

He was appointed captain-general of the army in 1587, bypassing the Earl of Leicester, who returned to England on hearing this news.

Military career

Maurice organized the rebellion against Spain into a coherent, successful revolt. He reorganised the army together with Willem Lodewijk, studied military history, strategy and tactics, mathematics and astronomy, and proved himself to be among the best strategists of his age. Paying special attention to the siege theories of Simon Stevin, he took valuable key fortresses and towns: Breda in 1590, Steenwijk in 1592, and Geertruidenberg in 1593. These victories rounded out the borders to the Dutch Republic, solidifying the revolt and allowing a national state to develop behind secure borders. They also established Maurice as the foremost general of his time. Many of the great generals of the succeeding generation, including his brother Fredick Henry and many of the commanders of the English Civil War learned their trade under his command.

His victories in the cavalry battles at Turnhout (1597) and at Nieuwpoort (1600) earned him military fame and acknowledgment throughout Europe. Despite these successes, the House of Orange did not attain great respect among European Royalty, as the Stadtholdership was not inheritable.

The training of his army is especially important to early modern warfare. Previous generals had made use of drill and exercise in order to instill discipline or to keep the men physically fit, but for Maurice, they "were the fundamental postulates of tactics."^[1] This change affected the entire conduct of warfare, since it required the officers to train men in addition to leading them, decreased the size of the basic infantry unit for functional purposes since more specific orders had to be given in battle, and the decrease in herd behavior required more initiative and intelligence from the average soldier.^[2]

Maurice and Oldenbarnevelt

Medal in silver, cast and with original gilt, 1615, by A. Rottermont of Prince Maurice

Maurice started out as the protégé of Landsadvocaat (Land's Advocate, a kind of secretary) Johan van Oldenbarnevelt. But gradually tensions rose between these two men. Against Maurice's advice, and despite his protests, Van Oldenbarnevelt decided to sign the Twelve Years' Truce with Spain, which lasted from 1609 - 1621. The required funds to maintain the army and navy, and the general course of the war were other topics of constant struggle.

With the religious troubles between Gomarists (Calvinist) and Arminians, the struggle between Van Oldenbarnevelt and Maurice reached a climax. Van Oldenbarnevelt was arrested, tried and decapitated despite numerous requests for mercy. From 1618 till his death Maurice now enjoyed uncontested power over the Republic.

Maurice urged his brother Frederick Henry to marry in order to preserve the dynasty.

In 1621 the war resumed, and the Spanish, led by Ambrogio Spinola, had notable successes, including the recapture of Breda, the Nassau's old family residence, in 1625. Maurice died with the siege still underway.

Ancestors

Maurice's ancestors in three generations

Maurice of Nassau	Father: William the Silent	Paternal Grandfather: William I, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg	Paternal Great-grandfather: John V of Nassau-Dillenburg
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Elisabeth of Hesse
		Paternal Grandmother: Juliana of Stolberg	Paternal Great-grandfather: Botho VIII of Stolberg-Wernigerode
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Anna of Eppstein-Königstein
	Mother: Anna of Saxony	Maternal Grandfather: Maurice, Elector of Saxony	Maternal Great-grandfather: Henry IV, Duke of Saxony
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Katharina of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
		Maternal Grandmother: Agnes of Hesse	Maternal Great-grandfather: Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Christine of Saxony

Cultural References

• The island nation of Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean, was named after him. The island was named in the prince's honor by Dutch explorers in 1598 and was first settled by Dutch settlers in 1638.
• In 1624, English explorer Henry Hudson named what is now known as the Hudson River the Mauritius River in honor of the prince.
• In Age of Empires 3, by Ensemble Studios, Maurice of Nassau is the leader of the Dutch civilization.

References

1. ^ Roberts, Michael. The Military Revolution 1560-1660 in Rogers, Clifford. The Military Revolution Debate, p. 14. ISBN 9780813320540
2. ^ Roberts, op. cit. p. 15

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Maurice of Nassau

• Dutch Revolt

Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange House of Orange-Nassau Cadet branch of the House of Nassau Born: November 14 1567 Died: 23 April 1625
Regnal titles
Preceded by Philip William	Prince of Orange 1618–1625	Succeeded by Frederick Henry
	Baron of Breda 1618–1625
Political offices
Preceded by William of Orange	Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland 1585–1625	Succeeded by Frederick Henry
Preceded by Adolf van Nieuwenaar	Stadtholder of Utrecht, Guelders and Overijssel 1590–1625
Preceded by Willem Lodewijk	Stadtholder of Groningen 1620–1625	Succeeded by Ernst Casimir

v • d • e Stadtholders of Guelders Willem van Egmond · Willem van Egmond jr. · Filips van Croy · Willem van Egmond jr. · Adolf III of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein  · Jan V of Nassau-Vianden-Diez · Philip of Burgundy · Floris van Egmond · René of Châlon · Filips van Lalaing · Philip de Montmorency, Count of Hoorn · Karel van Brimeu · Gillis van Berlaymont · John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg · Willem IV van den Bergh · Adolf van Nieuwenaar · Maurice of Nassau · Frederick Henry of Orange · William II of Orange · interregnum · William III of Orange · interregnum · William IV of Orange · William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Holland, Zeeland and (from 1528) Utrecht Hugo van Lannoy · Willem van Lalaing · Gozewijn de Wilde · Jan van Lannoy · Lewis de Bruges · Wolfert VI van Borselen · Joost van Lalaing · Jan III van Egmond · Henry III of Nassau-Breda · Antoon van Lalaing · René of Châlon · Louis of Flanders · Maximilian II of Burgundy · William of Orange · Maximilian of Hennin · Philip of Noircarmes · William of Orange · Adolf van Nieuwenaar (Utrecht only) · Maurice of Nassau · Frederick Henry of Orange · William II of Orange · interregnum · William III of Orange · interregnum · William IV of Orange · William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Groningen Cristoffel van Meurs • Jasper van Marwijck • Karel van Gelre • Ludolf Coenders • Georg Schenck van Toutenburg • Maximiliaan van Egmond • Jan van Ligne • Karel van Brimeu • Gillis van Berlaymont • Caspar van Robles • Georges van Lalaing • Francisco Verdugo • Willem Lodewijk • Maurice of Nassau • Ernst Casimir • Hendrik Casimir I • Frederick Henry of Orange • William II of Orange • Willem Frederik • Hendrik Casimir II • Johan Willem Friso of Orange • William IV of Orange • William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Overijssel Georg Schenck van Toutenburg · Maximiliaan van Egmond · Jan van Ligne · Karel van Brimeu · Gillis van Berlaymont · Caspar van Robles · Georges van Lalaing · Francisco Verdugo · Adolf van Nieuwenaar · Maurice of Nassau · Frederick Henry of Orange · William II of Orange · William III of Orange · William IV of Orange · William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Drenthe Christoph van Moers • Jasper van Marwijck • Charles, Duke of Guelders • Ludolf Coenders • Georg Schenck van Toutenburg • Maximiliaan van Egmond • Jan van Ligne • Karel van Brimeu • Gillis van Berlaymont • Caspar van Robles • Georges van Lalaing • Francisco Verdugo • Willem Lodewijk of Nassau-Dietz • Maurice of Nassau • Ernst Casimir • Hendrik Casimir I • Willem Frederik • Hendrik Casimir II • William II of Orange • William III of Orange • William IV of Orange • William V of Orange

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