Prince Maurits, 1567-1625

Third son of William of Orange.

What to do on a rainy day when you have to work but your students are having their exams?
1) Go to a museum ... check
2) Find a good blip ... check
3) Plan the next summer holiday ... check
4) Go to work after doing all of the above ... check!

Quite a handsome dude, no? They say he is the second son, but that's not entirely correct. The oldest was Philip Willem, the second was a Maurits as well but died young. So this Maurits is son # 3 (and the 6th of 14 kids!). He never married but had numerous relationships, many of them fruitful, none of them legitimate or legitimized. He did provide for them all, though, and those who survived childhood eventually married in aristocratic circles. Inherited the title Prince of Orange after Philip Willem's death in Spain (where he had been held hostage by Philip II) but was also Baron of Breda and many other towns, Marquis of Bergen op Zoom and count of Nassau, Dietz, Buren and again many other towns. Our present king has inherited all these titles, which will be passed on to his daughter when she comes of age.

This shot was taken in Delft, in the very same cloister where William of Orange had his lodgings every time he was in Delft and where he was assassinated on 10 July 1584. Picture-taking is allowed as long as no flash is used.