Take on the role of Balthasar Gerards
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You, Balthasar Gerards |
It's 1584 and today you take on the role of Balthasar Gerards. You were born in 1557 in France and dislike Protestantism. You consider William of Orange as a traitor and there is a large reward on his head. Time for action!
All answers to this multi can be found during the walk. Expect a little less than an hour. You may also find some answers over the internet. Although Google is your friend, we still recommend that you answer everything during this lovely stroll through the historic center of Delft. Besides that, in the 16th century, there even was no internet!
For a few questions you will also visit museum the Prinsenhof, but purchasing an admission ticket is not required. The entrance hall is open Tue-Sun 11-5pm.
The mission
Today you take on the role of Balthasar Gerards. You were born in 1557 in Vuillafans in Besancon Franche-Comté, a region in eastern France. You are not a thing of beauty, had a strict Catholic upbringing and spit on Protestantism. The current struggle between Catholics and Protestants arouses your anger. You believe in the case of the Catholic Church and King Philip II of Spain and considers William of Orange, who had been even governor of Franche-Comté, as a traitor.
On March 15 1580, Philip II declares William of Orange an outlaw: Wilhelm van Nassau, prince van Orangien, als hooft beroerder ende bederver van tgeheel Christenrijck, ende namentlijck van dese Nederlanden: Waerby een yeghelijck geauctoriseert wordt van hem te beschadigen, offenderen ende uyter weerelt te helpen, met loon ende prys voor den ghenen die des doen, oft daer toe assisteren zullen.
The edict also contained a page long summary of the misdeeds of this villain and traitor - including bigamy, treason and hypocrisy - and the announcement that he was forever banished from the Netherlands. As an added incentive, he set 25000 gold pieces on the head of the prince as a reward. That sounds like an attractive 'cache'!
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'Herberg de Diamant' is famous |
Go to waypoint 1, 'Herberg de Diamant' (Diamond Inn).
N 52°00.766 - E 004°21.448
You, Balthasar, heard of the ban decision and dutifully plan to murder William. For a while you hoped that you didn't have to do it yourself, because someone else tried it before you. This attack on William of Orange two years before your visit to Delft failed however. In what year was this failed attack? (answer A)
Unfortunately, now you have to do it yourself. You check in at 'Herberg De Diamant' (The Diamond Inn). Smart as you are, you use your alias. How many letters has your pseudonym? (first name plus surname, answer B)
Which 'Geuzenstad' (Beggars' town) is being mentioned on the information panels (value first letter, answer C)
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One of your two 'radslot' pistols |
After checking in you relax a bit and take a strong drink to get some extra courage. Tomorrow holds an important day! The next morning you almost oversleep and you nearly forget to take your two just bought 'radslot' pistols. One for William and one to cover your retreat.
In brisk walk you go to waypoint 2 'William'.
N 52°00.723 - E 004°21.249
In the midst of this beautifully landscaped park you feel the presence of the Prince. You wonder in what year a statue will be put down here commemorating this rascal of Orange. (answer D)
You tremble at the thought, but realize you have arrived close to the right place. On leaving the park you notice there are two dates on the entrance. Strangely, both dates are in the future! (the highest year is answer E)
Somewhat confused you walk further. You might see ghosts... Maybe it's the stiff drink from yesterday?
Earlier at Willems consultant you presented yourself as a Protestant nobleman who had fled from France and wanted to enter the service of the prince. To be convincing you showed the important seal of Mansfeld.
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Your murder of William of Orange |
You report to waypoint 3 'Prinsenhof'.
N 52°00.727 - E 004°21.283
In the entry hall you look around interested. It takes a while before someone pays attention, and besides killing William you also kill the time waiting by counting the wooden pillars with oblique reinforcements (answer F) and the number of windows (answer G, tip: G is more than 7).
Finally someone comes up to you and you indicate that you want to talk to William. You can hear in the background William's wife Louise de Coligny asking concerned who that unsavory type is, but you suspect that it is probably not about you. William is pleasantly lunching with Rombertus of Uylenburgh and Cornelis van Aerssen, but a moment later he walk down the stairs. You take your chance right away and shoot him at close range in the chest and side. He drops directly to the floor. Mission accomplished!
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The forensic expert looks at the bullet holes |
[Tip: If you walk further than the entrance hall of the Prinsenhof you will see the stairs, the weapon and the real bullet holes in the wall!]
You realize you didn't make yourself quite popular with this and run outside. Soldiers and servants are close to your heels. You try to climb over the wall,
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'Het Steen' |
but before you can jump in the water, you are unfortunately caught.
You're taken to waypoint 4 'Het Steen' (The Stone).
N 52°00.688 - E 004°21.506
On this building there is a sign of the 'ANWB'. What is the last digit of the number before the slash? (answer H)
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You are trapped in the prison of 'Het Steen' |
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With "bone cruncher" you were hoping more for a chiropractor... |
'Het Steen' (The Stone) is a 13th century prison and is so called because it was at the time of construction the only stone building in Delft. The coming days appear to be no fun. You will be interrogated for days and tortured. You will then be brought to justice. The court was of the opinion that you 'ten exempelen van allen anderen seer righoreuselijcken gehestraft [moest] worden'. They condemn you to an even for 16th-century concepts extremely cruel punishment: you will be quartered.
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The tomb of William of Orange |
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The 'Nieuwe Kerk' |
The Prince's body is buried in the Nieuwe Kerk. Before this church stands a statue of the one-year-old Hugo, then still called Little Hugo. From which city is this statue? Take the value of the first letter. (answer J)
Now quickly seeking the reward of 25,000 gold pieces before your family runs away with it! Being separated in four parts it is not easy to get at the final destination, but if you have answered all questions correctly with some difficulty you will succeed in finding it.
You can find the cache at N 52° W.X - E 004° Y.Z (formulas changed at 28-08-2017!) |
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W = |
J - C |
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X = |
H * (D - E) + F |
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Y = |
B * (H / J) - G - H |
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Z = |
J * (D - A) - (C + F) |
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Hint: white on white, low (don't drop it!)
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Centuries later, you're still notorious! |