Editing Diest (section)

==History==
Between 1499 and 1795 the town was controlled by the [[House of Nassau]] (as were Breda in the Netherlands, Dillenburg in Germany and Orange in France) which was also the family of the [[House of Orange-Nassau|Princes of Orange]] who at the end of the [[Napoleonic Wars]] became in 1815 the kings and queens of [[Kingdom of the Netherlands|the Netherlands]] after the [[Batavian Revolution|termination of the Dutch republic]] at the hands of revolutionary forces in 1795. The most famous representative of the House of Orange was William I of Orange-Nassau. Also known as William the Silent (1533-1584), who led the revolt of the United Provinces against Spain. His son [[Philip William, Prince of Orange|Philip William]] - who unlike his father remained a pious Catholic throughout his life - is buried in Diest. In his will Philip William commanded that the city's parish church of Saint Sulpice should celebrate a yearly [[Requiem Mass]] for his soul.

Diest is surrounded by high ramparts, which are partially preserved.