William (Willem) IV Stadtholder of the Netherlands

This portrait is to be found in the wonderful Rijksmuseum branch at Schiphol Airport.

It is of William IV of Orange. William was the son of John William Friso, Prince of Orange, head of the Frisian branch of the House of Orange-Nassau, and of his wife Landgravine Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel. He was born six weeks after the death of his father.

William succeeded his father as Stadtholder of Friesland and also, under the regency of his mother until 1731, as Stadtholder of Groningen. In 1722 he was elected Stadtholder of Guelders.

In 1720 William was named the 549th Knight of the Order of the Garter, and married at St. James' Palace London, Anne the Princess Royal, eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain.

In April 1747 the French army invaded Flanders. In an effort to quell internal strife amongst the various factions, the States-General of the Netherlands appointed William to the hereditary position of General Stadtholder of all seven of the United Provinces. William and his family moved to The Hague. On 4 May 1747 he was confirmed as Hereditary Stattholder of the United Provinces (Netherlands).

William IV stopped the practice of indirect taxation by which independent contractors managed to make large sums for themselves. He was also Director-General of the Dutch East India Company.

William served as General Stadtholder of all the Netherlands until his death in 1751 at The Hague.