The disbanding of the waardgelders by Prince Maurits of Nassau on the Neude, Utrecht, 31 July 1618

The scene depicted marked the opening of the campaign of the States General of the United Provinces against the Remonstrants, led by Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (1547-1619), Advocate of the States in Holland, whose actions threatened the break-up of the nascent Dutch Republic. The States of Holland had authorised the raising of militias - waardgelders - to keep the peace that was threatened by the religious division among the Calvinist Remonstrants and the Contra- Remonstrants. The Contra-Remonstrant States General in The Hague instituted a commission led by Prince Maurits of Nassau (1585-1625) the Stadholder, to disband them. The city of Utrecht, which had joined the state of Holland in opposition to the Contra-Remonstrants, was the first test for the commission. On 31 July 1618, the Prince entered the city and disarmed the waardgelders. He then proceeded to disarm the militias throughout Holland. On 23 August, van Oldenbarnevelt was arrested, his trial in The Hague followed in November, and on 13 May 1619 the seventy-one year old patriot was beheaded in the Binnenhof.

Droochsloot painted several versions of the scene, of which one is in the Rijksmuseum (no. A606) and another is in the Centraal Museum, Utrecht. In these a cavalry officer is depicted saluting Prince Maurits and his party, who are on foot, centre-left; a similar group, although with the Prince not clearly identifiable, is depicted in the present picture. A detachment of the regular army is drawn up on the square, as the waardgelders hand their weapons in at the guardroom.