The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V (1500-1558) (right) and his son Phillip(1527-1598) (left) played prominent but very diffferent roles that ultimately led to the establishment of the Netherlands as an independent entity.

Paracelsus (center) was responsible for the intellectual deconsruction of the 16th century Western medicine. As a alchemist-physician, he achieved fame as a vociferous proponent of chemical pharmacolgy and therapeutics and a vigorous opponent of the medical doctrine of his time.

Boerhaave (bottom left) was regarded the foremost clinical teacher in Europe and students from many different countries attended the University of Leiden to imbibe of his wisdom sagacity.