Wilhelmus

"Wilhelmus van Nassouwe", known simply as the "Wilhelmus", is the national anthem of the Netherlands and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It dates back to at least 1572, making it the oldest national anthem in use today, based on the continuous coexistence of its original melody and lyrics. Although the "Wilhelmus" was not recognized as the official national anthem until 1932, it maintained a fluctuating but significant presence throughout Dutch history from its inception, alternating between periods of factional partisan use and moments of broad, national popularity before gaining its present status. It was also the anthem of the Netherlands Antilles from 1954 to 1964, Suriname until 1959 and the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) until 1942. It originated at the start of the Eighty Years' War, the war of Netherlands independence from the Spanish Empire, also known as the Dutch Revolt. Uniquely for an anthem, the “Wilhelmus” is a first-person monologue of a specific figure: the leader in the revolt and father of the nation "Willem van Nassau", or 'William the Silent', better known in the Netherlands as "Willem van Oranje" ('William of Orange'), portraying his dual struggle to remain loyal to the Spanish king without betraying his conscience to God and the Dutch people. Both "Wilhelmus" and the Dutch Revolt should be seen in the light of the 16th century Reformation in Europe and the resulting persecution of Protestants by the Spanish Inquisition in the Low Countries. By combining a psalmic character with political relevance, the “Wilhelmus” stands as the pre-eminent example of a genre of militant music that served both to challenge Catholic clerics and repressive monarchs, and to foster class-transcending social cohesion.