history
Why Orange?
Why is the Dutch national colour orange — when nothing in the Netherlands is actually orange?
The colour comes from the House of Orange-Nassau — and Orange was a tiny principality in southern France that William the Silent inherited at age 11.
The principality of Orange (Orange-Provence) was inherited by William of Nassau in 1544 at age 11, making him "Prince of Orange." When he led the Dutch revolt and his descendants became the Dutch royal house, the colour stuck. The orange carrot, by the way, was selectively bred by Dutch farmers in the 17th century in tribute to the House of Orange — earlier carrots were purple, white or yellow.