Laatste momenten in het leven van Lamoraal graaf van Egmond, in het Broodhuis in Brussel 1836

Paulus Lauters made this print of the final moments in the life of Lamoraal, Count of Egmond, in Brussels. The image offers insight into the political and religious tensions of the time. Lamoraal was a nobleman in the Spanish Netherlands, who was executed for treason in 1568, a moment that marked the start of the Eighty Years' War between the Netherlands and Spain. The setting in the Broodhuis, or Maison du Roi, in Brussels, adds to the drama, as this was a place of both commerce and governance. The presence of clergy suggests the importance of religion, as well as the role of religious institutions at a time of conflict. The image subtly comments on the abuse of power and the struggle for independence that defined the Netherlands during this era. To fully understand this print, we need to engage with primary source material about the history of the Eighty Years' War and the cultural context of the Spanish Netherlands.