Prince of Orange

The Principality of Orange

The title originally referred to the sovereign principality of Orange in valley of Rhone in southern France, which was a property of the House of Orange (1544 House of Orange-Nassau). Because Orange was a sovereign principality in the Holy Roman Empire, in its Kingdom of Burgundy, the title contained feudal rights and that sovereignty which German principalities came to enjoy. The last descendant of original princes, René of Nassau, left the principality to his cousin William the Silent, who was not of the descent of original family. In 1673, Louis XIV of France annexed the principality as part of the war actions against the stadtholder William III of Orange (d.1702 - who later became king William III of England and Scotland).

Related Topics:
Orange - France - 1544 - House of Orange-Nassau - Kingdom of Burgundy - René of Nassau - William the Silent - 1673 - Louis XIV of France - Stadtholder - William III of Orange

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Because William III died childless, the principality was regarded as having been inherited by his closest cognatic relative, Frederick of Prussia, who ceded the principality (at least the lands, but not formally the title) to France in 1713 (France supports his claim, of course). In this way the principality lost its feudal and secular privileges. The title remains in the Prussian royal family (who reigned in Prussia until 1918) and could be used even today by them; it was also bestowed by the French king upon Louis de Mailly, whose family still holds the title today.

Related Topics:
William III - 1713

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An agnatic relative of William III, John Willem Friso of Nassau, who also by female line descended from William the Silent, was designated the heir to the princes of Orange in the Netherlands, and several of his descendants became stadtholders. They claimed the principality of Orange on the basis of agnatic inheritance (similar to that of William the Silent inheriting from his cousin René, though not being a descendant of original princes of Orange), and also on basis of the testament of William III. France never allowed them to obtain anything of the principality itself (located in Southern France), but they nevertheless assumed the title. From that derivation of the title comes the tradition of later stadtholders of the Netherlands, and the present-day royal family of the Netherlands, holding the title.

Related Topics:
William III - William the Silent - William the Silent - René

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