Vertrek van Willem III met zijn vloot vanuit Hellevoetsluis en zijn aankomst in Engeland op 15 november 1688 1660 - 1688

This etching, by Dancker Danckerts, commemorates a pivotal moment in European history: William III’s departure from Hellevoetsluis and arrival in England in November 1688. Created in the late 17th century, this piece reflects the intense political and religious tensions of the era. William's invasion, framed here, was a direct challenge to James II's Catholic rule, an assertion of Protestant power. The print doesn't just show ships and armies; it shows the complex interplay between Dutch and English identities, power, and religious conflict. Consider the figures lining the shores. They are witnesses, participants in a grand narrative of political and religious change. Danckerts captures a moment of transition, a moment laden with the hopes and anxieties of a changing world. It reminds us that history isn't just about kings and battles, but about the people caught in their wake.