He was only 16 years old when his father was murdered. As his elder half-brother had been kidnapped and imprisoned in Spain, he had to break off his studies to become a member of the Dutch Government. In 1585 he was made Stadhouder of Holland and Zeeland. At first, to attract English support, the Dutch government requested the Earl of Leicester to lead the government; however, this failed, thus increasing the power and influence of Maurits. He was then in charge of all Dutch troops and, in 1590, became Stadhouder of Utrecht, Gelderland and Overijssel. In the war with Spain, he was one of the most renowned generals of his era. A lengthy dispute arose when his elder brother was at last released and returned from Spain, so that their inheritance had to be divided. At first Maurits was difficult; but on the 27 June 1609, an agreement was reached between the three half-brothers, Philips Willem, Maurits and Frederik Hendrik. The three brothers then became very wealthy in their own right, having divided properties and monies. However, this division did not last very long as, in 1618 when Philips Willem died, he left everything to Maurits; then, when Maurits died in 1625, all was left to Frederik Hendrik. The tragedy of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, a highly competent Dutch diplomat, is perhaps the one blemish on the reputation of Prince Maurits. In the early years of Protestantism, several religious directions developed, sometimes causing heated opposition to each other. Van Oldenbarnevelt and Maurits, both practical and neither very religious, found themselves caught up in opposing camps. Accusations brought van Oldenbarnevelt to court and the death-sentence was passed. Even requests from relatives failed to move Maurits to intervene and, on 13 May 1619, the 72-year-old Johan van Oldenbarnevelt was executed. Maurits, mercenary, extracted a more than generous income from the Dutch government as he was Stadhouder of five provinces, Captain-General of the Army, Admiral-General of the Navy, and head of the Judicial system which allowed him to appoint judges. Maurits lived mainly in The Hague while his mistress, Margaretha van Mechelen, resided in Rijswijk. He could hardly be called either cultured or civil as he much preferred army-life, gambling, drinking and fighting. He corresponded sparsely with his many sisters and half-sisters. Yet when his mother's illegitimate child, Christina von Dietz, married, he was generous enough to give her 16,000 guilders as a wedding present. Fearing the extinction of the House of Orange-Nassau, he forced his younger half-brother, Frederik Hendrik, to marry as otherwise he would legitimise his children by Margaretha van Mechelen. Shortly after his brother's marriage, Maurits died of a liver disease. 

Source: Leo van de Pas