Dutchmen!

[Nubclear]

UGH GO AWAY

[LordShiva]

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
Because they were conquered by the Spanish and eventually drove them out?

Remember, it was Queen Elizabeth's aid to the protestant Dutch who rebelling from their catholic Spanish overlords that so pissed off King Philip that he sent the Armada against England.

[germanos]

Originally posted by Tacc
I know what it says. I'm curious as to why the Dutch would have it in their anthem.

The anthem is basically a song to honour the Prince of Orange, William the Silent. It was written in the early stages of the Dutch war of independance.

William the Silent was raised at the Spanish court in Brussels, where he spend considerable time with (the later Spanish King) Philip II and was strongly influenced by King Charles V, a man who he admired.

In the early stages of the 80-year (independence) war the whole thing was more a political conflict rather then a full militairy rebellion. Many negotiations took place to settle the Dutch greiviences with the Spanish.
William took great effort to arrange a settlement where the 'low countries' would remein part of the Spanish empire.

Thus: "I have always honoured the Spanish King"

The song did not become the official anthem untill the early 20th century. There's 15 'coupletten', but usually only the first and 6th are sung.

6
"Mijn schild ende betrouwen
zijt Gij, o God mijn Heer,
op U zo wil ik bouwen,
Verlaat mij nimmermeer.
Dat ik doch vroom mag blijven,
uw dienaar t'aller stond,
de tirannie verdrijven
die mij mijn hart doorwondt."


IMO, we should adopt another anthem, the whole "I'm from German blood" is rather silly as well.

I propose Jacques Brel's "Mijn vlakke land/ mon plat pays" but I'm afraid it will trigger a fight with our Belgian friends

Long live the Dutch Republic of the United Provinces!
(damned Napoleon )

[joncha]

I like LordSiva's version better.

[Adalbertus]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker


Because they were conquered by the Spanish and eventually drove them out?

The Dutch were never conquered by the Spanish.

They came (mostly) by marriage to Burgundy, and after Charles the Bold died in battle against Switzerland, his daughter married Emperor Maximilian, thus they became Habsburgian. When the Habsburgian Dynasty was split in a Spanish and an Austrian line, the Netherlands were inherited by the Spanish line.

Btw. Wilhelmus is from Nassau dynasty, which originated from the banks of the Lahn river, and thus he was really "German".

[Robert]

"Ben ik van duitse bloed" is not 'german' blood but 'dietch' = 'dutch' blood.
The meaning of 'duits' has changed over the years. In english you can see where it comes form (dietch/dutch)

Willem van Orange was not a German, he was dutch.

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by germanos
IMO, we should adopt another anthem, the whole "I'm from German blood" is rather silly as well.

I agree. What about something by Bob Marley?

[Nubclear]

Thus: "I have always honoured the Spanish King"

So why not change that part? It sounds a bit odd today

[alva]

Originally posted by CyberShy
"Ben ik van duitse bloed" is not 'german' blood but 'dietch' = 'dutch' blood.
The meaning of 'duits' has changed over the years. In english you can see where it comes form (dietch/dutch)

Willem van Orange was not a German, he was dutch.

Yeah yeah, keep making excuses...if it says German, it is German.

btw: 'twas written by a Belgian.
So basically you dudes have a 'national' anthem proclaiming you're German and that was written by a furiner.
Way to go Holland!!!

[Locutus]

Originally posted by CyberShy
"Ben ik van duitse bloed" is not 'german' blood but 'dietch' = 'dutch' blood.
The meaning of 'duits' has changed over the years. In english you can see where it comes form (dietch/dutch)

That's anti-German propaganda which has little basis in reality.

Willem van Orange was not a German, he was dutch.

No, he wasn't. He was German: born in Dillenburg (Nassau), Germany to a German father and a German mother. He inherited his possessions in the Netherlands (and his title Prince of Orange) from his cousin, who in turn had inherited them through a line of Burgundian relatives.

[Robert]

There was no Belgia in those days. Belgia was dutch.
And it doesn't say 'german', it says 'duitsche' which means dutch. period. :P

And yes, we're pretty international indeed!

[Locutus]

Originally posted by Tacc

Thus: "I have always honoured the Spanish King"

So why not change that part? It sounds a bit odd today

Change the oldest national anthem in the world? Have you no respect for tradition

Plus, we're on very good terms with Spain today, that's a complete non-issue to Dutch people. If anything many would like to see the 'German blood' line changed, as is evidenced by germanos's and Cybershy's comments. Personally I think that's silly as well. It's blatantly obvious Willem was born a German, that doesn't take anything away from what he did for the Dutch rebellion.

Originally posted by alva
btw: 'twas written by a Belgian.

Not necessarily, the origins are unknown. There are numerous theories about it, only one of which suggests a Belgian author (not that there was any real difference between Dutch and Belgian in those days).

[germanos]

Originally posted by Tacc

Thus: "I have always honoured the Spanish King"

So why not change that part? It sounds a bit odd today

To me, the whole honouring of any king seems a bit odd.
Not to the majority of the Dutch though

[germanos]

Originally posted by Locutus


Change the oldest national anthem in the world?

Bollocks. It wasn't a national anthem untill the 20th century.

And I don't think the Dutch honoured the Spanish king practicly ever since the song was written

Which begs the question: why on earth did they find it necessary to make this the national anthem anyway? Was our own monarchy in dire straits and they needed to prop up their ancestry? (which is not a direct linage anyway)