Abstract
William I of Nassau, Prince of Orange, and his sons Maurice and Frederick Henry were seen in their own time as the protectors of the new Dutch nation. As such, they play a significant role in the formation of a Dutch national identity. This essay addresses the question in what measure this sentiment was returned: did the Nassaus feel Dutch? An analysis of dynastic arguments used in the Apology (1581) will be compared with two genealogies dated 1541 and 1616 respectively, to show that a Dutch framing of the Nassau dynasty occurred only in the Apology, while the other texts present the dynasty mainly as a German family, owing its good fortune to the German emperors.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 4-19 |
| Journal | Dutch Crossing |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2011 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- History