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 second stadtholderless era

The regents found that they had suffered under the powerful leadership of William III and declared the stadtholdership vacant for the second time.

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The main reason was a quarrel about the title Prince of Orange between John William Friso of the Frisian Nassaus, appointed heir in William III's will, and the King of Prussia. The King of Prussia, Friedrich I was the rightful heir by blood, grandson to Frederick Henry in the maternal line and appointed successor in the will of Frederick Henry in the case the House would die out.

Related Topics:
John William Friso - Friedrich I

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The solution was that both claimants were allowed to bear the title. The problem of the lands solved itself as the principality of Orange was conquered by Louis XIV in 1713. John William Friso drowned in 1711 in the Hollands Diep near Moerdijk and left a posthumous son William IV. He was proclaimed stadtholder of Gelderland, Overijssel, Drenthe and Utrecht in 1722. When the French invaded in 1747 William was restored as stadtholder of the whole Dutch Republic, hereditary in both male and female line.

Related Topics:
Orange - 1713 - 1711 - Moerdijk - William IV - Gelderland - Overijssel - Drenthe - 1722 - 1747

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