Prince of Orange

Bearers of the title (with dates):

as sovereign prince of Orange

Until 1340, it was customary for all sons of the prince of Orange to inherit the title. Only the direct line of descent to Raimund V is shown here.

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• Bertrand I of Baux (1171-1181)
• William I of Baux (1182-1218)
• Raymond I of Baux (1218-1282)
• Bertrand IV of Baux (1281-1314)
• Raymond IV of Baux (1314-1340)
• Raymond V of Baux (1340-139)

Here starts the house of House of Orange-Châlon

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• Marie (1393-1417), with her husband John III of Châlon (1393-1418)
• Louis II the Good (1418-1463)
• William VII of Châlon (1463-1475)
• John II of Châlon (1475-1502)
• Philibert of Châlon (1502 - 1530)
• René of Châlon (1530-1544), nephew of Philibert
• William IX, of Nassau (1544-1584), cousin of René, also Lord of Breda and count of Dillenburg, stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland etc.

William is better known as William I of Orange-Nassau; the House of Orange-Nassau starts with him.

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• Philip William (son of William I from 1st marriage, not a stadtholder) (1584-1618)
• Maurice (son of William I from 2nd marriage), stadtholder, (1618-1625)
• Frederick Henry (son of William I from 4th marriage), stadtholder, (1625-1647)
• Willem II (1647-1650), stadtholder
• Willem III of Orange (1650-1702), stadtholder, and from 1688 King of England and Scotland
• John William Friso (descendant in male line of William the Silent's brother, and in female line also of William the Silent himself) (1702-1711), stadtholder of Friesland

as a personal title

• Willem IV (1711-1751), stadtholder 1747-51
• Willem V (1751-1806), stadtholder 1751-95
• Willem VI (1806-1815), 1813 returned to Holland and became the first King of the Netherlands.

as Heir Apparent

• Willem (Willem II) (1815-1840, title dropped on accession to the throne)
• Willem (Willem III) (1840-1849, title dropped on accession to the throne)
• Willem, eldest son of Willem III from his 1st marriage (1849-1879)
• Alexander, second son of William III from his 1st marriage (1879-1884)
• Crown Prince Willem-Alexander (1980-)

And so the current Heir Apparent is the 15th bearer of the title in the House of Orange-Nassau.

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