House of Orange-Nassau

The House of Orange-Nassau (in Dutch Oranje-Nassau), is a family that has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands since William I of Orange (also known as "William the Silent" and "Father of the Fatherland") organised the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War led to an independent Dutch state.

The monarchy (1815–)

A new spirit: the United Kingdom of the Netherlands

When the French Empire collapsed in 1813, Willem Frederik, son of William V, returned to the Netherlands to become King William I. In 1815 Belgium and Luxembourg were added to his realm and William ruled over the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, trying to establish one common culture, provoking the resistance of the Belgians. In 1830 Belgium declared its independence and William fought a disastrous war until 1839 when he was forced to peace. With his realm halved, he decided to abdicate in 1840.

Related Topics:
French Empire - 1813 - William V - William I - 1815 - Belgium - Luxembourg - United Kingdom of the Netherlands - 1830 - 1839 - 1840

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Royal power was curbed during the reign of his son William II in a constitution ordered by the King to prevent the Revolution of 1848 from spreading to his country.

Related Topics:
William II - Revolution of 1848

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William III and the threat of extinction

William II died in 1849. He was succeeded by his son, King William III, a conservative, even reactionary man. William III was sharply opposed to the 1848 constitution and constantly tried to form his own royal governments. In 1868, he tried to sell Luxembourg to France, causing a quarrel between Prussia and France.

Related Topics:
1849 - William III - Conservative - 1848 - 1868 - Luxembourg - France - Prussia

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William III had an unhappy marriage with Sophie von Württemberg and his heirs died young, which began to raise the possibility of the extinction of the House of Orange-Nassau. After the death of Sophie in 1877, William married Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont in 1879. A year later, Queen Emma gave birth to a daughter and heiress, Wilhelmina. Upon William's death in 1890, the House of Orange became extinct in the male line.

Related Topics:
Sophie von Württemberg - 1877 - Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont - 1879 - Wilhelmina - 1890

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As females weren't allowed to hold power in Luxembourg due to the Salic law, the Grand Duchy passed to the House of Nassau-Weilburg, a collateral line. The problem of total extinction remained until 1909, when Juliana was born. The royal house remained small until the end of the 1930s and the early 1940s, when Juliana's four children were born.

Related Topics:
Salic law - Grand Duchy - Nassau-Weilburg - 1909 - Juliana - 1930s - 1940s

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A modern monarchy

Wilhelmina ruled the Netherlands for fifty years, from 1898 to 1948. She was a symbol of the Dutch resistance during the Second World War. The moral authority of the monarchy was restored because of her rule. After fifty years, she decided to abdicate in favour of Juliana. Juliana made the monarchy less aloof and under her rule the monarchy became known as the "cycling monarchy" as the members of the royal family cycled often through the countryside. A marital policy quarrel occurred in 1966 when future queen Beatrix wanted to marry Claus von Amsberg, a German diplomat. A marriage of a royal with a German was controversial that may have been exacerbated by von Amsberg's former membership in the Hitler Youth and later service in the Wehrmacht. Permission from the government was granted and Beatrix married him. Claus became the most popular member of the royal family; he died in 2002. Beatrix' government has proven to be more professional and more aloof than Juliana's. At present, the monarchy is popular with a large part of the population and especially the Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Máxima.

Related Topics:
1898 - 1948 - Second World War - Cycled - 1966 - Beatrix - Claus von Amsberg - Controversial - Hitler Youth - Wehrmacht - 2002 - Willem-Alexander - Máxima

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Juliana died on the 20 March 2004 and Prince Bernhard died on the 1 December 2004.

Related Topics:
Juliana - 20 March - 2004 - Prince Bernhard - 1 December

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