Leiden

Leiden or Leyden, town in the western Netherlands, in South Holland Province, on the Old Rhine River near The Hague. Industries here include food processing, textiles, metal products, printing, and publishing. It is also the site of the State University of Leiden, one of the oldest and most distinguished universities in Europe. The citizens of Leiden successfully withstood a five-month siege by the Spanish in 1574 during a Dutch revolt against Spanish rule. In reward for the Dutch heroism, William I of Orange founded the university in 1575. Since that time, the city has been the intellectual centre of the country. It was the birthplace of several important Dutch painters, including Rembrandt, Jan van Goyen, and Jan Steen. During the 17th century the Pilgrims took refuge in Leiden before leaving for North America. Population 118,400 (2004 estimate).