In the early 17th century, a power struggle developed between Maurits of Orange and Amsterdam’s wealthy merchants. These scarce materials were so rare and expensive that red became a good alternative. To make the color orange, you need rare raw materials. The color red was easier and cheaper to produce. Orange Was Too Difficult To MakeĪ second explanation for the Dutch flag’s change from orange to red is that orange was too difficult to make. This may have been a convincing argument in those days. At that time, the Netherlands depended hugely on business overseas for economic survival. The first explanation for the Dutch flag’s change from orange to red is that the orange is less visible at sea. There are three explanations for why orange was replaced by red in the Dutch national flag between 16. Why Did The Dutch Flag Change From Orange To Red? The original Dutch Flag (left) and the Dutch flag in 2022 (right) However, orange did not remain part of the Dutch flag for long and was changed to red between 1630-1660. The inspiration for these colors came from the uniforms of William’s of Orange army wearing uniforms with these colors. The first use of orange as a symbol of The Netherlands dates back to 1572 when the Dutch troops conquered the city of Den Briel in the war against Spain. Red replacing orange in The Dutch flag was a sign of the political dissociation between the House of Orange and the new Dutch Republic. Orange used to be part of the Dutch flag in the early years of the Netherlands when the Dutch flag was orange, white, and blue. Given the importance of William of Orange to The Netherlands, you may wonder why the Dutch flag is not orange or at least partly orange. As an aside, William III of Orange is the reason there is orange in the Irish flag to symbolize the protestants supporting him. You can read more about that remarkable story in another article on this website. Only after his death did his son Maurice of Orange and Johan van Oldenbarneveld receive sufficient executive power to make the ideals of William of Orange a reality.Ī descendant of William of Orange, William III of Orange, was the first and only Dutchman who became King of England in 1689. He was thus far ahead of his time and an essential unifying factor in the early years of The Republic of the Seven Provinces. William of Orange was one of the few who embraced the idea of a common nation and greatly advocated religious tolerance. Why Is The Netherlands Also Called Holland? In those first 16 years of the war, William of Orange secured important victories in the early battles against Spain, laying a solid foundation for The Republic of the Seven Provinces, The Netherlands’ name in those days. The war of independence against Spain lasted for 80 years (1568-1648), and William of Orange was the commander of the Dutch army until he was murdered in Delft in 1584. William’s full name became William of Orange-Nassau, often abbreviated to William of Orange. Ironically, William never visited the Principality of Orange during his life, even though it was his most important possession and Prince of Orange his most important title. The title Prince of Orange made William a sovereign and, at least in his own eyes, equal to the King of Spain, who then ruled over the Netherlands. In those days, the Principality of Orange was still an independent county state in the Provence in the south of France. William inherited the Principality of Orange in southern France and became the Prince of Orange in 1544. William of Orange was born William of Nassau-Dillenburg in 1533 in Germany. William of Orange led the rebellion against Spain and is considered the Founding Father of The Netherlands. The reason that the national color of The Netherlands is orange goes back to William of Orange, the founding father of The Netherlands in the 16th century. Orange refers to the family name of the Dutch Royal Family, the House of Orange-Nassau, whose ancestor, William of Orange, founded the Netherlands. The Dutch wear orange because orange symbolizes national unity, and the Dutch signify national pride by wearing orange. You may wonder why the national teams of The Netherlands and their fans, like me, wear orange instead of a somewhat more common color….? When national teams of The Netherlands participate in championships, they wear orange shirts, a peculiar color.
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