William the Silent

William the Silent or William the Taciturn, more commonly known in the Netherlands as William of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that set off the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. Born into the House of Nassau, he became Prince of Orange in 1544 and is thereby the founder of the Orange-Nassau branch and the ancestor of the monarchy of the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, he is also known as Father of the Fatherland.

24 April 1533

Born on the same birth day (24 April): Al Bates • Caspar Lee • Christian Bobin • Denise Kingsmill, Baroness Kingsmill • Dino Rađa • Elizabeth Goudge • Guglielmo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua • Hashim Thaçi • Jan Veselý • Jill Ireland • Josy Barthel • João Braz de Aviz • Kris Letang • Luisa Cappiani • Manuel Ávila Camacho • Margaret Moran • Marte Mjøs Persen • Mike Rodgers • Nigel Harrison • Richard Sterban • Roxanna Panufnik • Stafford Cripps • Tony Visconti • Vincent de Paul

Born in the same month (April 1533): Claudio Merulo • Giulio della Rovere