Amalia of Solms-Braunfels

She was also an adviser to her husband, the ruling stadtholder Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange. When he became ill she took over some of his tasks and set the course for the ending of the 80 Years’ War. Three years after Frederick Henry’s death, their son died, and the First Stadtholderless Period began. Van Solms exerted her influence on the national and international stage to safeguard the future of the House of Orange, and used art as a political tool. Her collection of paintings, furniture and Asian objects rivalled those found in other European courts, and this placed the Netherlands, with the Oranges at its helm, firmly on the map as a centre for art and trade in Europe.