Count Maurits of Nassau (later Prince of Orange) was born in November 1567 and removed from his mother by his father because of her infidelity. He never saw her again and all through his life never spoke about her. At the age of seventeen his father was murdered and Maurits had to take his place in the struggle against the King of Spain. Spending most of his time in army-camps, he had no time for women although he had fleeting affaires until at thirty-three he fell in love. Margaretha van Mechelen was about nineteen years old and a lady-in-waiting to Emilia, Maurits' sister. Both her parents had died and she had been brought up in the Catholic religion by her maternal aunts. Her father, Jonker Cornelis van Mechelen, had belonged to the lower nobility while her mother, Barbara van Nassau, belonged to an illegitimate branch of the House of Nassau which made Maurits and Margaretha cousins. Maurits bought a house for Margaretha in The Hague and in 1601 a son was born: Willem van Nassau, later Lord of La Lecq. He was followed in 1602 by Lodewijk van Nassau, later Lord of Beverweerd, and in 1604 by Maurits van Nassau. In 1603 Louise de Coligny (the step-mother of Maurits) wrote to one of Maurits's half-sisters who lived in France: "Your eldest brother is still with his great love and doesn't change. His lady-love has bought a beautiful house, where she appears to be a good housewife. She lives there with her two little children who apparently are very handsome. She doesn't move in society, even though everyone knows about her. If possible pretend to Maurits you know nothing of this affaire. And as far as I am concerned I didn't tell you anything." In 1605 the boys were placed in the care of a governess, Catharina de Caruijn. Margaretha lived in comfort with her servants and in 1613 bought another house where she would live until 1627. She also owned other houses in The Hague. Financially she was not dependant upon Maurits as she had had a rich inheritance from her own family. In all she had only three children by the Prince but her relationship with him lasted until he died. Probably she was aware that in later years he had fleeting affaires with other women and fathered five more children by five different women. Nearly all these women were married off once these children were born. In the summer of 1617 plague broke out, first in Amsterdam and Leiden and then in The Hague. One victim was Margaretha's youngest son and it would take weeks before Maurits could bring himself to visit Margaretha again. In 1618 religious troubles erupted, involving Maurits and Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, resulting in the execution of the latter which alienated Maurits from many of his friends and relatives. In 1622 a plot against his life was discovered. Two of van Oldenbarnevelt's sons were involved but only one was arrested. In all, fifteen were to be executed. The night before the execution Maria van Utrecht, the widow of van Oldenbarnevelt, came to visit him, begging their forgiveness and for their lives to be spared. Maurits asked her why she hadn't pleaded for her husband's life, to which she answered: "My husband was not guilty, but my son is!" Nevertheless the executions still took place. Maurits's health began to deteriorate and his servants reported him to have nightmares with visions of decapitated heads on plates placed on his table. Shortly before Maurits died he acknowledged his illegitimate children; also Margaretha was bequested as so were all his children. However, the bulk of his estate went to his brother, the new Prince of Orange. Maurits was only fifty-seven when he died. In 1625 many people had expected Maurits to marry Margaretha on his deathbed and so legitimise their children. Maurits had threatened this if his younger half-brother, Frederik Hendrik, refused to marry and so, shortly before Maurits's death, Frederik Hendrik married Amalia of Solms. The children of Margaretha and Maurits were highly regarded and accepted at the Dutch Court whereas they probably never knew Maurits's other children. In 1627 her eldest son, Willem van Nassau, married Anna van der Noot and shortly after the marriage he joined his uncle's army. Prince Frederik Hendrik had attacked the city of Grol which was forced to surrender but Willem van Nassau was hit by a bullet and died. Lodewijk van Nassau was now her only remaining son. Apart from his own properties he also inherited those of his brother. In 1630 he wished to marry Isabella van Hornes, but Margaretha objected because she was a second cousin of Isabella's mother who had forsaken the Catholic religion to marry the Count of Hornes. However, Lodewijk ignored his mother's objections and married Isabella. Margaretha van Mechelen lived on until she died in The Hague on 17 May 1662 and was buried in Leiden. 
 

Source: Leo van de Pas