William the Silent, Prince of Orange

Born in 1533 in the Holy Roman Empire; modern-day Germany, to the house of Nassau. He had four younger brothers and seven younger sisters, making him the oldest of twelve. His siblings' names were John, Hermanna, Louis, Mary, Anna, Elisabeth, Katharine, Juliane, Magdalene, Adolf, and Henry. He was raised Lutheran and when his cousin died in 1544, William inherited …