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Original fileThis engraving features five full-length portraits of Dutch rulers standing in a row, each dressed in elaborate medieval armor or noble robes and holding a sword or a shield with the heraldic lion. Below each figure is a meticulously engraved block of Dutch text providing biographical details, regnal dates, and a poetic summary of their achievements or fate. The work demonstrates the technical precision and stylized forms characteristic of the late 16th-century Dutch printmaking tradition.
Floris xvij. t'Iaer 1265. Grave. reg. 30. iaer. Dit is Floris die vierde vvelck creech tot een VVijf, Een dochter des Hartochs van Brabant en Lottringh: VVelck hem baerde tvvee Soons en drie Dochters fris van lijf. Hy vvas ter vvapenen ras, oock van leden sterck en stijf. In een steecspel te Corvy daer hy den prijs ontfingh, VVert verslaghen door ioloursie dat hatich dingh Vanden Graef van Cleermont verradelijck dees nijt verdocht: VVelc verrader vveder doot-stac en deed vwraeck gheringh Den Graef van Cleef, oock nam tlichaem van dees Prins versocht, En in Holland tot Rijnf burch om te begraven brocht. Willem xviij. t'Iaer 1235. Grave. reg. 20. iaren. Graef Willem Floris Soon, noch jong van iaren VVas onder Bisschop Otto sijns Ooms bevvaren, En vvies op in deucht datter niemandt vvas fijns ghelijck: Rooms Coningh men hem koos jongh, maer vvel ervaren. Aken vvan hy door een dam ghemaeckt met groot pracktijck: En fondeerde inden Haech als een Prince rijck, Om s'lants saken te berechten een coenlijck hof. Maer een Soon had hy by s'Hertochs Dochter van Bruynsvvijck. Tvvintich iaer gheregeert hebbende met prijs en lof VVert verslaghen t'Hoochvvoud, daer t'landt groot leet quam of. Floris xix. t'Iaer 1271. Grave. reg. 26. iaer. NA Coningh VVillems doot soo fijn Soon noch vvas een kint Sijn Broeder Floris als voocht t'Landt te regeeren began: Maer dees seventien iaer out zijnde dit vvel versint, Met heyrcracht den Vriesen verstroyde als stof vanden vvint, En groef op sijn Vaders ghebeent, tvvelck hy daer van, En tot Middelborch in die Abdie te begraven fan. By s'Graef van Vlaenderen Dochter fijn ghetroude, Seven Soonen hy creech, Gerrit van Velsen een stout man Niet fonder saeck hem doodt slooch, dat menich roude: En vvert tot Rinfburch begraven somen men aenschoude. Iohan xx. t'Iaer 1296. Grave. reg. 4. iaer. Dit is Iohan d'eerste Graef alsoo gheheeten, VVelck troude eens Coninghs Dochter soo vvy vveten Elisabeth ghenaemt, een seer schoone Maecht. Dicmael heeft hy de Vriesen uyt het Velt ghesmeten: En VVtrecht bedvvonghen, als een Prins onversaecht Hy vvas tot Delft alsmen Heer VVolfert vverp op der straten, Aldaer uyt t'hoochste van fijn Logijs seer had gheplaecht. Dees Graef sterf fonder kinderen achter te laten, VVert tot Rijnfburch geaert met rouvv' fijns ondersaten. Iohan xxj. t'Iaer 1300. Grave. reg. 5. iaer. Coning VVillems Susters Soon Graef Ian van Henegou, Had tot een VVijf van Lutzenburch een Dochter fier, VVelck hem voort bracht drie Soonen ghetrou. Dees Zirczee ontsetten van belegh: en fo ick hou Brachten de Vlamingen aldaer int groot dangier, Gevanghen nemende haren Graef Guye mijn, Als dit gheschiedt vvas, verstaet vvel hier, Vertrock nae Henegou dees Grave van fijn, En sterf aldaer in vreden dees Prince fijn, En vvert met grooten rou begraven tot Valencijn. 5
Translation
Floris XVII. The year 1265. Count. Regned 30 years. This is Floris the Fourth, who took for a wife, A daughter of the Duke of Brabant and Lotharingia: Who bore him two sons and three daughters, fresh of body. He was quick at arms, and also strong and stiff of limb. In a jousting match at Corbie, where he received the prize, He was struck down through jealousy, that hateful thing, By the Count of Clermont, treacherously contrived this envy: Which traitor was killed in return and suffered quick revenge By the Count of Cleves, who also took the body of this lamented Prince, And brought it to Rijnsburg in Holland to be buried. William XVIII. The year 1235. Count. Regned 20 years. Count William, Floris' son, still young of years, Was under the guardianship of Bishop Otto, his uncle, And grew up in virtue so that no one was his equal: He was chosen King of the Romans, young but well experienced. He won Aachen through a dam made with great artifice: And founded in The Hague, as a rich Prince, To settle the country's affairs, a bold court. But he had one son by the Duke of Brunswick's daughter. Having reigned twenty years with prize and praise, He was struck down at Hoogwoud, whereby the land suffered great grief. Floris XIX. The year 1271. Count. Regned 26 years. AFTER King William's death, since his son was still a child, His brother Floris began to govern the land as guardian: But he, being seventeen years old and well-considered, With military force scattered the Frisians like dust from the wind, And dug up his father's bones, which he took from there, And caused them to be buried in the Abbey at Middelburg. By the Count of Flanders' daughter, whom he married, He had seven sons; Gerrit van Velsen, a bold man, Not without cause struck him dead, which many mourned: And he was buried at Rijnsburg, as one may see. John XX. The year 1296. Count. Regned 4 years. This is John the First, a Count so named, Who married a King's daughter as we know, Named Elisabeth, a very beautiful maiden. Often has he thrown the Frisians out of the field: And subdued Utrecht, as an undaunted Prince. He was at Delft when Sir Wolfert was thrown onto the streets, Where he had been greatly tormented from the top of his lodging. This Count died without leaving children behind, Was interred at Rijnsburg with the mourning of his subjects. John XXI. The year 1300. Count. Regned 5 years. King William's sister's son, Count John of Hainaut, Had as a wife a proud daughter of Luxembourg, Who brought forth to him three faithful sons. He relieved Zierikzee from siege: and so I maintain, Brought the Flemings there into great danger, Taking prisoner their Count Guy, I believe, When this had happened, understand well here, This fine Count departed to Hainaut, And died there in peace, this fine Prince, And was buried with great mourning at Valenciennes.
Object
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
baryta paper
height 320 mm x width 240 mm
portrait
Linked Data
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