House of Nassau

Updated on Nov 17, 2023

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Founded 1093

Country Germany, Netherlands, England, Scotland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Nassau, Orange Titles King of the Netherlands King of England, Scotland and Ireland Grand Duke of Luxembourg Duke of Nassau Duke of Limburg Prince of Nassau-Weilburg Prince of Orange Fürst of Nassau-Orange Fürst of Nassau-Orange-Fulda Princely Count of Nassau-Dietz Count of Nassau-Weilburg Count of Nassau-Dillenburg Stadtholder in the Netherlands Founder Dudo-Henry of Laurenburg Current head Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands Dissolution Since 1985 extinct in the original agnatic line

The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count of Nassau", then elevated to the princely class as "Princely Counts" (in German: gefürstete Grafen, i.e. Counts who are granted all legal and aristocratic privileges of a Prince).

Early on they divided into two main branches: the elder (Walramian) branch, that gave rise to the German Emperor Adolf, and the younger (Ottonian) branch, that gave rise to the Princes of Orange and the monarchs of the Netherlands.

At the end of the Holy Roman Empire and the Napoleonic Wars, the Walramian branch had inherited or acquired all the Nassau ancestral lands and proclaimed themselves, with the permission of the Congress of Vienna, the "Dukes of Nassau", forming the independent state of Nassau with its capital at Wiesbaden; this territory today mainly lies in the German Federal State of Hesse (Hessen), and partially in the neighbouring State of Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz). The Duchy was annexed in 1866 after the Austrian-Prussian War as an ally of Austria by Prussia. It was subsequently incorporated into the newly created Prussian Province of Hesse-Nassau.

Today, the term Nassau is used in Germany as a name for a geographical, historical and cultural region, but no longer has any political meaning. All Dutch and Luxembourgish monarchs since 1815 have been senior members of the House of Nassau. However, in 1890 in the Netherlands and in 1912 in Luxembourg, the male lines of heirs to the two thrones became extinct, so that since then, they have descended in the female line from the House of Nassau.

According to German tradition, the family name is passed on only in the male line of succession. The House would therefore, from this German perspective, be extinct since 1985. However, both Dutch and Luxembourgish monarchial traditions, constitutional rules and legislation in that matter differ from the German tradition, and thus both countries do not consider the House extinct. The Grand Duke of Luxembourg uses "Duke of Nassau" as his secondary title and a title of pretense to the dignity of Chief of the House of Nassau (being the most senior member of the eldest branch of the House), but not to lay any territorial claims to the former Duchy of Nassau which is now part of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Origins

Count Dudo-Henry of Laurenburg (ca. 1060 – ca. 1123) is considered the founder of the House of Nassau. He is first mentioned in the purported founding-charter of Maria Laach Abbey in 1093 (although many historians consider the document to be fabricated). The Castle Laurenburg, located a few kilometres upriver from Nassau on the Lahn, was the seat of his lordship. His family probably descended from the Lords of Lipporn. In 1159, Nassau Castle became the ruling seat, and the house is now named after this castle.

The Counts of Laurenburg and Nassau expanded their authority under the brothers Robert (Ruprecht) I (1123–1154) and Arnold I of Laurenburg (1123–1148). Robert was the first person to call himself Count of Nassau, but the title was not confirmed until 1159, five years after Robert's death. Robert's son Walram I (1154–1198) was the first person to be legally titled Count of Nassau.

The chronology of the Counts of Laurenburg is not certain and the link between Robert I and Walram I is especially controversial. Also, some sources consider Gerhard, listed as co-Count of Laurenburg in 1148, to be the son of Robert I's brother, Arnold I. However, Erich Brandenburg in his Die Nachkommen Karls des Großen ('The Descendants of Charlemagne') states that it is most likely that Gerhard was Robert I's son, because Gerard was the name of Beatrix of Limburg's maternal grandfather.

Counts of Laurenburg (ca. 1093–1159)

ca. 1060 – ca. 1123: Dudo-Henry

1123–1154: Robert (Ruprecht) I – son of Dudo-Henry

1123–1148: Arnold I – son of Dudo-Henry

1148: Gerhard – son (probably) of Robert I

1151–1154: Arnold II – son of Robert I

1154–1159: Robert II – son of Robert I

Counts of Nassau (1159–1255)

1154–1198: Walram I – son of Robert I

1158–1167: Henry (Heinrich) I – son of Arnold I, died in Rome during the August 1167 epidemic (after the Battle of Monte Porzio)

1160–1191: Robert III, the Bellicose – son of Arnold I

1198–1247: Henry II, the Rich – son of Walram I

1198–1230: Robert IV – son of Walram I; from 1230–1240: Knight of the Teutonic Order

1247–1255: Otto I; from 1255–1289: Count of Nassau in Dillenburg, Hadamar, Siegen, Herborn and Beilstein

1249–1255: Walram II; from 1255–1276: Count of Nassau in Wiesbaden, Idstein, and Weilburg

In 1255, Henry II's sons, Walram II and Otto I, split the Nassau possessions. The descendants of Walram became known as the Walram Line, which became important in the County of Nassau and Luxembourg. The descendants of Otto became known as the Ottonian Line, which would inherit parts of Nassau, France and the Netherlands. Both lines were themselves often divided over the next few centuries. In 1783, the heads of various branches of the House of Nassau sealed the Nassau Family Pact (Erbverein) to regulate future succession in their states, and to establish a dynastic hierarchy whereby the Prince of Orange-Nassau-Dietz was recognised as President of the House of Nassau.

Counts of Nassau in Wiesbaden, Idstein, and Weilburg (1255–1344)

1255–1276: Walram II

1276–1298: Adolf of Nassau, crowned King of Germany in 1292

1298–1304: Robert VI of Nassau

1298–1324: Walram III, Count of Nassau in Wiesbaden, Idstein, and Weilnau

1298–1344: Gerlach I, Count of Nassau in Wiesbaden, Idstein, Weilburg, and Weilnau

After Gerlach's death, the possessions of the Walram line were divided into Nassau-Weilburg and Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein.

Nassau-Weilburg (1344–1816)

Count Walram II began the Countship of Nassau-Weilburg, which existed to 1816. The sovereigns of this house afterwards ruled the Duchy of Nassau until 1866 and from 1890 the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The branch of Nassau-Weilburg ultimately became rulers of Luxembourg. The Walram line received the lordship of Merenberg in 1328 and Saarbrücken (by marriage) in 1353.

Counts of Nassau-Weilburg (1344–1688)

1344–1371: John I

1371–1429: Philipp I of Nassau-Weilburg, and (from 1381) Count of Saarbrücken

1429–1492: Philip II

1492–1523: Louis I

1523–1559: Philip III

1559–1593: Albert

1559–1602: Philip IV

1593–1625: Louis II, Count of Nassau-Weilburg and in Ottweiler, Saarbrücken, Wiesbaden, and Idstein

1625–1629: William Louis, John IV and Ernest Casimir

1629–1655: Ernest Casimir

1655–1675: Frederick

1675–1688: John Ernst

Princely counts of Nassau-Weilburg (1688–1816)

1688–1719: John Ernst

1719–1753: Charles August

1753–1788: Charles Christian

1788–1816: Frederick William

1816: Wilhelm, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg and Duke of Nassau — Nassau-Weilburg merged into Duchy of Nassau

Dukes of Nassau (1816–1866)

1816–1839: Wilhelm

1839–1866: Adolf

In 1866, Prussia annexed the Duchy of Nassau as the duke had been an ally of Austria in the Second Austro-Prussian War. In 1890, Duke Adolf would become Grand Duke Adolphe of Luxembourg.

Grand Dukes of Luxembourg (from the House of Nassau-Weilburg) – 1890–1912 and succession through a female onwards

1890–1905: Adolphe

1905–1912: William IV

1912–1919: Marie-Adélaïde

1919–1964: Charlotte

1964–2000: Jean

2000–present: Henri

From a morganatic marriage, contracted in 1868, descends a family, see Count of Merenberg, which in 1907 was declared non-dynastic. Had they not been excluded from the succession, they would have inherited the headship of the house in 1912.

Counts of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein (1344–1728)

1344–1370: Adolph I

1370–after 1386: Gerlach II, Count of Nassau-Wiesbaden

1370–1393: Walram IV, Count of Nassau-Idstein; inherited Wiesbaden when Gerlach II died

1393–1426: Adolph II

1426–1480: John II

1480–1509: Philip, Count of Nassau-Idstein

1480–1511: Adolf III, Count of Nassau-Wiesbaden; inherited Idstein in 1509

1511–1558: Philip I

1558–1566: Philip II

1566–1568: Balthasar

1568–1596: John Louis I

1596–1599: John Philip, jointly with his brother John Louis II

1596–1605: John Louis II

1605–1627: Louis II

1627–1629: William Louis

1629–1677: John, Count of Nassau-Idstein, and (from 1651) in Wiesbaden, Sonnenberg, Wehen, Burg-Schwalbach and Lahr

1677–1721: George August Samuel (1688–1721)

1721–1723: Charles Louis

1723–1728: Frederick Louis, Count of Nassau-Ottweiler (1680–1728), and in Rixingen (1703–28), and Idstein (1721–1728), and in Wiesbaden, etc. (1723–28)

After Frederick Louis's death, Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein fell to Charles, Prince of Nassau-Usingen

Counts of Nassau-Saarbrücken (1429–1797)

1429–1472: John II

1472–1545: John Louis I

1545–1554: Philip II

1554–1574: John III

1574–1602: Philip IV, as Philip III of Nassau-Saarbrücken

1602–1625: Louis II, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken and Ottweiler

1629–1640: William Louis, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken and Ottweiler

1640–1642: Crato

1642–1659: John Louis II, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken and (1659–80) in Ottweiler, Jungenheim, and Wöllstein

1659–1677: Gustav Adolph

1677–1713: Louis Crato

1713–1723: Charles Louis

1723–1728: Frederick Louis

1728–1735: Charles

1735–1768: William Henry, first Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken

1768–1794: Louis

1794–1797: Henry Louis

1797–1812: Adolph II

After Henry Louis's death, Nassau-Saarbrücken fell to Charles William, Prince of Nassau-Usingen until Adolph came of age in 1805.

Princes of Nassau-Usingen (1659–1816)

1659–1702: Walrad, elevated to Prince

1702–1718: William Henry

1718–1775: Charles

1775–1803: Charles William

1803–1816: Frederick Augustus

In 1816, Nassau-Usingen merged with Nassau-Weilburg to form the Duchy of Nassau. See "Dukes of Nassau" above. The princely titles continued to be used, however, evidenced by the carrying of the title Prince of Nassau-Weilburg by the Grand Duke of Luxembourg. Following Frederick Augustus' death, the princely title was adopted (in pretense) by his half brother through an unequal marriage, Karl Philip. As head of the House in 1907, Wilhelm IV declared the Count of Merenberg non-dynastic; by extension, this would indicate that (according to Luxembourgish laws regarding the House of Nassau) this branch would assume the Salic headship of the house in 1965, following the death of the last male Count of Merenberg.

The Ottonian Line

1255–1290: Otto I, Count of Nassau in Siegen, Dillenburg, Beilstein, and Ginsberg

1290–1303: Joint rule by Henry, John and Emicho I, sons of Otto I

In 1303, Otto's sons divided the possessions of the Ottonian line. Henry received Nassau-Siegen, John received Nassau-Dillenburg and Emicho I received Nassau-Hadamar. After John's death. Nassau-Dillenburg fell to Henry.

Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg

1303–1328: John in Dillenburg, Beilstein and Herborn, and (from 1320) in Katzenelnbogen

1328–1343: Henry, from 1303 in Siegen, Ginsberg, Haiger, and the Westerwald, and from 1328 in Dillenburg, Herborn, and Beilstein

1343–1350: Otto II

1350–1416: John I

Tetrarchy

1416–1420: Adolf

1420–1429: John III

1420–1442: Engelbert I

1420–1443: John II

1442–1451: Henry II

1448–1475: John IV

1475–1504: Engelbert II

1504–1516: John V

1516–1538: Henry III

1538–1559: William I

1559–1606: John VI

1606–1620: William Louis

1620–1623: George

1623–1662: Louis Henry, Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg from 1654

1662–1701: Henry

1701–1724: William II

1724–1739: Christian

In 1739, Nassau-Dillenburg fell to Nassau-Dietz, a.k.a. Orange-Nassau.

Counts of Nassau-Beilstein

In 1343, Nassau-Beilstein was split off from Nassau-Dillenburg.

1343–1388: Henry I

1388–1410: Henry II, jointly with his brother Reinhard

1388–1412: Reinhard

1412–1473: John I, jointly with his brother Henry III

1412–1477: Henry III

1473–1499: Henry IV

1499–1513: John II

1513–1561: John III, jointly with his brother Henry V

1513–1525: Henry V

After John III's death, Nassau-Beilstein fell back to Nassau-Dillenburg. It was split off again in 1607 for George, who inherited the rest of Nassau-Dillenburg in 1620.

Counts and Princes of Nassau-Hadamar

1303–1334: Emicho I, Count in Driedorf, Esterau, and Hadamar, married Anna of Nuremberg

1334–1364: John, married Elisabeth of Waldeck

?-1412: Elisabeth, daughter of John, Countess of Nassau-Hadamar

1334–1359: Emicho II, son of Emicho I, married Anna of Dietz

1364–1369: Henry, son of John, Count of Nassau-Hadamar

1369–1394: Emicho III, son of John

After Emicho III's death, Nassau-Hadamar fell back to Nassau-Dillenburg.

In 1620, the younger line of Nassau-Hadamar was split off from Nassau-Dillenburg

1620–1653: John Louis, son of John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg, Prince from 1650

1653–1679: Maurice Henry, son of John Louis

1679–1711: Francis Alexander, son of Maurice Henry

In 1711, Nassau-Hadamar was divided between Nassau-Dietz, Nassau-Dillenburg, and Nassau-Siegen.

Nassau-Siegen

The branch of Nassau-Siegen was a collateral line of the House of Nassau, and ruled in Siegen. The first Count of Nassau in Siegen was Count Henry, Count of Nassau in Siegen (d. 1343), the elder son of Count Otto I of Nassau. His son Count Otto II of Nassau ruled also in Dillenburg.

1303–1343: Henry, Count of Nassau in Siegen, Ginsberg, Haiger, and the Westerwald, and (1328–1343) in Dillenburg, Herborn, and Beilstein

In 1328, John of Nassau-Dillenburg died unmarried and childless, and Dillenburg fell to Henry of Nassau-Siegen. For counts of Nassau-Siegen in between 1343 and 1606, see "Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg" above.

In 1606 the younger line of Nassau-Siegen was split off from the House of Nassau-Dillenburg. After the main line of the House became extinct in 1734, Emperor Charles VI transferred the county to the House of Orange-Nassau.

Counts and Princes of Nassau-Siegen

1606–1623 John I

1623–1638 John II

1638–1674 George Frederick

1674–1679 John Maurice

1679–1691 William Maurice

1691–1699 John Francis Desideratus

1699–1707 William Hyacinth

1707–1722 Frederick William Adolf

1722–1734 Frederick William II

In 1734, Nassau-Siegen fell to Nassau-Dietz, a.k.a. Orange-Nassau.

Counts and Princes of Nassau-Dietz

When the Nassau lands were divided by the sons of John, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, the brother of William the Silent, the main part of the Counts of Nassau-(in)Dietz was the town of Diez:

1606–1632: Ernst Casimir

1632–1640: Henry Casimir I

1640–1664: William Frederick, Prince from 1650

1664–1696: Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz, Prince of Nassau-Dietz

1696–1711: John William Friso, Prince of Nassau-Dietz (after 1702 also Prince of Orange)

Orange-Nassau

The House of Orange-Nassau stems from the Ottonian Line. The connection was via Engelbert I, who offered his services to the Duke of Burgundy, married a Dutch noblewoman and inherited lands in the Netherlands, with the barony of Breda as the core of his Dutch possessions.

The importance of the Nassaus grew throughout the 15th and 16th century. Henry III of Nassau-Breda was appointed stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht by Emperor Charles V in the beginning of the 16th century. Henry was succeeded by his son, René of Châlon-Orange in 1538, who was, as can be inferred from his name, a Prince of Orange. When René died prematurely on the battlefield in 1544 his possessions and the princely title passed to his cousin, William the Silent, a Count of Nassau-Dillenburg. By dropping the suffix name "Dillenburg" (of the Orange-Nassau-Dillenburg), from then on the family members called themselves "Orange-Nassau."

With the death of William III, the legitimate direct male line of William the Silent became extinct and thereby the first House of Orange-Nassau. John William Friso, the senior agnatic descendant of William the Silent's brother and a cognatic descendant of Frederick Henry, grandfather of William III, inherited the princely title and all the possessions in the low countries and Germany, but not the Principality of Orange itself. The Principality was ceded to France under the Treaty of Utrecht that ended the wars with King Louis XIV. John William Friso, who also was the Prince of Nassau-Dietz, founded thereby the second House of Orange-Nassau (the suffix name "Dietz" was dropped of the combined name Orange-Nassau-Dietz).

The Revolutionary and Napoleonic era was a tumultuous episode of the history of both the Ottonian and Walramian branches of the House of Nassau. France's dominance of the international order severely strained the House of Nassau's traditional strategy of international conflict resolution, which was to maintain links with all serious power-brokers through a dynastic network in the hope of maintaining a balance of power. Despite that both branches of the House of Nassau reinvigorated the dynastic network in the years of liberation, 1812–1814, the post-Napoleonic European order saw both branches set on different historical paths.

After the post-Napoleonic reorganization of Europe, the head of House of Orange-Nassau gained the title "King/Queen of the Netherlands" and "Grand Duke of Luxembourg". The latter was gained, with permission of the Congress of Vienna by trading the ancestral Ottonian Nassau lands in Germany to their Walramian cousins for the duchy of Luxembourg, which was closer to their power center of Holland, and remained in personal union with the Kingdom of the Netherlands until the death of the last male Ottonian, King William III of the Netherlands. The King of Prussia, who also had a claim to the principality of Orange received lands in the Ruhr. In this way, everyone consolidated more land nearer their power bases.

Princes of Orange

House of Orange-Nassau(-Dillenburg), first creation

1544–1584: William I, also Count of Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Dietz, Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein

1584–1618: Philip William, also Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Count of Vianden, Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein

1618–1625: Maurice, also Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Count of Vianden, Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein

1625–1647: Frederick Henry, also Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Count of Vianden, Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein

1647–1650: William II, also Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Count of Vianden, Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein

1650–1702: William III, also Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Count of Vianden, Buren and Leerdam, Lord of IJsselstein and (from 1689) King of England, Scotland, and Ireland

In 1702, the Orange-Nassau-Dillenburg line died out and its possessions fell to the Nassau-Dietz line.

House of Orange-Nassau(-Dietz), second creation

1702–1711: John William Friso, also Prince of Nassau-Dietz, Count of Vianden, Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein

1711–1751: William IV, also Prince of Nassau-Dietz, Count of Vianden, Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein

1751–1806: William V, also Prince of Nassau-Dietz, Count of Vianden, Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein

1806–1815: William VI, also Prince of Fulda and Count of Corvey, Weingarten and Dortmund; in 1815 became King William I of the Netherlands

Kings and Queens of the Netherlands (from the House of Orange-Nassau-Dietz)

1815–1840: William I, also Duke and Grand Duke of Luxemburg and Duke of Limburg

1840–1849: William II, also Grand Duke of Luxemburg and Duke of Limburg

1849–1890: William III, also Grand Duke of Luxemburg and Duke of Limburg

1890–1948: Wilhelmina

Following German laws, the House of Orange-Nassau(-Dietz) has been extinct since the death of Wilhelmina (1962). Dutch laws and the Dutch nation do not consider it extinct.

1948–1980: Juliana

1980–2013: Beatrix

2013–present: Willem-Alexander

Family Tree

The following family tree is compiled from Wikipedia and the reference cited in the note

House of Orange and Nassau

A summary family tree of the House of Orange-Nassau from the joining of the house of Nassau-Breda/Dillenburg and the House of Châlon-Arlay-Orange to the end of the Dutch Republic is shown below. The family spawned many famous statesmen and generals, including two of the acknowledged "first captains of their age", Maurice of Nassau and the Marshal de Turenne.