Only - 3 days - 52 hours - 3.120 minutes - 187.200 seconds - to go before we show all of us and the entire universe our most favourite and nations colour ORANGE.
You should know that our country flag is far from Orange. It has Red, White, Blue in it and looks like this...
Why do we Dutchies than wear Orange clothing and /or accessories, at Kinsday, but also when eg World Cup Football (the European Football also know as soccer) is visited by a whole lot of Dutchies, or at any other major (mostly sport) events were gazillion Dutchies attend?
Well, because Orange is the name of the guy who made The Netherlands happen. This guy was super important to us: Willem I, Prince of Orange, also know as Willem the Silent.
This guy was anti-Spain, the ruling country of what is now called The Netherlands, back in the 1500s. Willem the Silent was the leader in the revolt against these southern Europeans. Under his leadership, the "Country of the Low Lands" as the Netherlands was called back then, became a republic. In 1586 he was assassinated and we lost a great leader fighting for our independence.
Willem the Silent had many children and brothers and sisters and some of them took over the tasks of Willem, leading us to victory. A couple of years after the death of Willem the Silent, the war with the Spanish started officially. It took about 80 years to defeat the Spanish. Supposedly we nocked the Spanish armada to the ground (well sunk all their ships) with only 5 Dutch navy ships. I suppose, cleverness over fighting power helped us to our independence.
In the mean time, offsprings wanted to expand their influence in Europe, and Willem II, Prince of Orange (son of Willem the Silent) took over the ruling of large part of the Netherlands fro his father, and married the daughter of King Charles I of England. His son Willem III, Prince of Orange became the King of England, Scotland and Ireland while also ruling The Netherlands still.
This guys never had children, hence the thrown of what is known now as Great Britain fell away from the Dutch...
Otherwise BREXIT may have meant totally something else!
Until 1795, The Netherlands stayed a republic with the Princes of Orange ruling.
Napoleon, wanting to rule the world, decided to support the opposition to the family Orange. The Netherlands become French and Napoleon caused the Prince of Orange (number 5 already) to take a one way trip off shore. At that time The Netherlands was called the Batavian Republic.
When we kicked Napoleon out in 1813, the Prince of Orange could return from his vacation in England, together with his son Willem. Within two years Willem became the first King of The Netherlands, King Willem I of Orange. Since then we had the Oranges back on our own soil and they decided to never leave anymore. We as a nation also decided to not want them to leave, hence they are still in the position of Head of State, although left with cerimonial power and tasks only.
That is why Orange is important for us!
Although the Oranges were the establishment and rulers and probably took a good chunk of money from the general public, they meant a WHOLE lot for our little country. They made sure we exist as we are now. And that is why we LOVE the colour ORANGE so much!
On important holidays and events, we show the Orange colour in a separate little flag, like this...
Now you know why Orange is so important to us. With that you may appreciate our Kingsdag even more.
Join the Challenge on 27 April. Read about it here.
If you have time to come to The Netherlands? Jump in your car or into a plane and join in!
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Previous Kingsday Posts
- 4 Days To Go... What You Can Expect from Kingsday in The Netherlands?
- 5 Days To Go... CHALLENGE !!!
- 6 Days To Go...
- Kingsday Countdown: 7 days to go
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