This is an account of the Princes of Orange in the Dutch Republic from William I, "the Silent", to William V, the last and saddest, in their roles as "stadholders." It interweaves their personal lives and characters with the development of the unique institution of the stadholderate and the broad political history of the republic. Without attempting to engage in psychohistory, the book treats the mind and personalities of the stadholders as significant factors.