Feature: Netherlands to be reigned by King after over century of Queens

AMSTERDAM - Willem-Alexander will be the first male representative of the House of Orange-Nassau to become monarch in over a hundred years on the coming Queen's day of 30th. April, the history of the Kingdom of The Netherlands tells.

The year 2013 is not only the year of the new King, but also the year in which The Netherlands celebrates the establishment of the monarchy two hundred years ago. The House of Orange-Nassau has played an important role in the history of The Netherlands since Willem I of Orange (1533-1584), who is also called Willem the Silent, organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which led to an independent federal Dutch republic, the United Provinces.

Under Willem I's successors as governors, or Stadtholders (primarily a military function), the United Provinces reached their height of naval and merchant power. The 17th century was also a Golden Age for The Netherlands in the fields of culture (e.g. Rembrandt, Vermeer) and science (e.g. Huygens, Van Leeuwenhoek).

Often the balance of power between the States-General, dominated by the mighty merchants (regents) of the main cities (Amsterdam, in the first place) and the Stadtholders was precarious. Stadtholder Willem III (1650-1702) came to power in 1672 after England and France had invaded the Dutch republic. In 1688 he deposed his Catholic father-in-law James II from the throne in England, Scotland and Ireland, and came to lead a coalition of Protestant nations against the King of France Louis XIV.

The 18th century saw a gradual decline in influence of the United Provinces. In the aftermath of the French Revolution Stadtholder Willem V (1748-1806), which position had become hereditary by then, was toppled. He had to flee to England. The Batavian Republic was established (1795), which drew up a modern constitution. When Napoleon came to power in France, French influence grew stronger. In 1806 the French emperor made his brother Louis Napoleon King of Holland and in 1810 Holland was annexed by France.

After the defeat of Napoleon, first in 1813 and again at Waterloo in 1815, the Dutch monarchy was established. Willem I (1772-1843), son of Stadtholder Willem V, was inaugurated as Prince of the Netherlands in 1813, and two years later, when the Allied Powers decided to establish a strong new state on the French border, as King of a United Kingdom of Belgium and the Netherlands. This ill-fated unison ended in 1839.

Under his successor Willem II (1792-1849), who is said to have turned from a conservative into a liberal in one night when the revolutionary agitation of 1848 threatened to reach the country, the Netherlands received a liberal constitution in which the power of the monarch was greatly reduced and replaced by parliamentary supremacy.

Willem II was succeeded by Willem III in 1849. Until the arrival of Willem-Alexander he was the last male Dutch monarch. He died in 1890 and at that time his daughter, Princess Wilhelmina (1880-1962), was only ten years old, too young to reign, and therefore her mother Emma was appointed Regent until 1898, after which Wilhelmina took over.

At the time of the Nazi German invasion of The Netherlands in 1940 Queen Wilhelmina and her government took refuge in London. Queen Wilhelmina's attitude during World War II contributed much to the popularity of the Dutch monarchy. Her radio talks to occupied Holland made her into a symbol of resistance against the Nazis.

When Queen Juliana succeeded Wilhelmina in 1948, it was a different world. One of the first tasks of the new Queen was to sign the peace treaty with the leaders of the new independent Republic of Indonesia that put an end to a bloody colonial war. Juliana was a different kind of monarch than her predecessors, more informal, averse to protocol, closer to the people.

Juliana's abdication in 1980 and the following inauguration of her eldest daughter Queen Beatrix was accompanied by rioting, as had the marriage 14 years earlier of then Princess Beatrix with German diplomat Claus von Amsberg. Her reign of 33 years has been a period of calm around the monarchy, however.

Beatrix's style has been different from her mother's, but she has been generally acknowledged since as one of the most highly competent monarchs this country has ever known. And her husband Prince Claus became one of the most popular members of the royal family. During the period of her reign Queen Beatrix has been struck by a lot of personal drama such as the death of her beloved husband Claus in 2002, the suicide attack on the royal family in Apeldoorn in 2009, and the skiing accident of her second son Friso, who has been in a coma since the February 2012.

Beatrix's eldest son Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of Orange-Nassau, born in 1967, will succeed his mother Queen Beatrix (1938-) as the new King of The Netherlands. His wife since 2002, Princess Maxima (born Zorreguieta), will become Queen. The royal couple have three daughters Amalia, Alexia and Ariane.

After Willem-Alexander's future abdication, The Netherlands will get a Queen again. His eldest child, Princess Catharina-Amalia, born on December 7, 2003, is the first heir to the throne.