Murder of the De Witt Brothers

Timeline

1. 1672The Hague · NetherlandsCornelis de Witt was imprisoned on false charges of involvement in a plot to assassinate William III; although the court ultimately acquitted him, public opinion had already linked the De Witt family with suspicion of treason.
2. 1672Outside the prison in The Hague · NetherlandsThe resigned former Grand Pensionary Johan de Witt came to visit his brother in prison; when the two left, they were surrounded by a mob. The city militia failed to protect them effectively, as public sentiment had grown wildly out of control under the invasion crisis.
3. 1672The Hague · NetherlandsThe mob lynched the brothers and mutilated their bodies, an event that shocked all of Europe. Republican authority completely collapsed, paving the way for William III's return to power and the Orangists' resurgence.