The Ottonian Line
Counts of Nassau
- Otto I of Nassau (c. 1247–1290) Count of Dillenburg, Hadamar, Siegen, Herborn and Beilstein from 1255.
After the death of Count Otto I, his country was divided between his sons in 1303:
County of Nassau-Dillenburg, went to Nassau-Siegen in 1328
County of Nassau-Hadamar (Elder) went to Nassau-Dillenburg in 1394
County of Nassau-Siegen, called Nassau-Dillenburg from 1328 on, again got divided from 1341 to 1561:
County of Nassau-Beilstein (Elder)
County of Nassau-Dillenburg (Elder) (1341 –1606)
Counts of Nassau-Siegen
(1303–1341)
Counts of Nassau-Hadamar
(1303–1394)
Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg
(1303–1328)
- Heinrich III (1270- 1343) Count of Nassau-Siegen in Siegen, Ginsberg, Haiger and in Westerwald from 1303, in Dillenburg, Herborn and Beilstein in 1328-43.
- Emicho I (d. 1334) Count of Nassau in Driedrof, Estenau, and Hadamar.
- Johann (d.1328) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg in Beilstein and Herborn, and (from 1320) in Katzenelnbogen.
Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg
(1341–1606)
Counts of Nassau-Beilstein
(1341–1561)
Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg
- Otto II (1300/1305-1350), Count of Nassau-Dillenburg.
- Heinrich I (1307-1378) Count of Nassau-Beilstein.
Heinrich II (1414 - 1451), Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
- Heinrich II (1414 - 1451), Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Vianden and Dietz from 1442.
- Engelbert II (1475–1504) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg-Breda, Knight of the Golden Fleece.
Johann V (1455-1516) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg and Dietz
- Johann V (1455-1516) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg and Dietz from 1504.
Counts of Nassau-Breda
Princes of Orange
(1483-1544)
Henry III (1483- 1538) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg-Dietz
- Henry III (1483- 1538) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg-Dietz, Lord (from 1530 Baron) of Breda, Lord of the Lek, of Diest. Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland (1515–1521).Son of Johann V. Knight of the Golden Fleece. Eldest son of Johann V (1455-1516) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg. Married firstly Louise-Françoise of Savoy (1486 - 1511) daughter of Jacques of Savoy, secondly Claudia of Châlon (1498 – 1521) daughter of John of Chalon, Prince of Orange, Lord of Arlay and thirdly Mencia de Mendoza y Fonseca (1508 – 1554) daughter of Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar y Mendoza, 1st Marquis of Cenete.
René of Châlon (1519-1544) Prince of Orange
- René of Châlon (1519-1544) Prince of Orange from 1530, Baron of Breda from1538, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht from 1540 and Stadtholder of Guelders from 1543, Knight of the Golden Fleece. Married Anna of Lorraine (1522–1568) daughter of Antoine the Good, Duke of Lorraine.
Line extinct 1544.
Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg
(1341–1606)
Princes of Orange-Nassau
(1545-1702)
William I (1487- 1559) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg . "William the Rich".
- William I (1487- 1559) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg from 1516, known as William the Rich. Second son of Johann V (1455-1516),Count of Nassau-Dillenburg. Married firstly Countess Walburga of Egmont (1490 – 1529) daughter of John III of Egmont, Count of Egmont and secondly Countess Juliane of Stolberg-Wernigerode (1506 – 1580) daughter of Bodo VIII, Count of Stolberg-Wernigerode.
Sons of William the Rich:
William I (1533-1584), Prince of Orange. "William the Silent"
- William I (1533-1584), Prince of Orange from 1544, known as William the Silent, Stadtholder of and Zeeland 1559–1567 and 1572–1584, Stadtholder of Utrecht 1559–1567 and 1572–1584, Republican Stadtholder of Friesland 1580–1584. Knight of the Golden Fleece. Married firstly Anna van Egmont (1533 – 1558) daughter of Maximiliaan van Egmond, Count of Buren and Leerdam, secondly Anna of Saxony (1544 – 1577) daughter and heiress of Maurice, Elector of Saxony, thirdly Charlotte of Bourbon (1546/1547 –1582) daughter of Louis, Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon and fourthly Louise de Coligny (1555 – 1620) daughter of Gaspard II de Coligny, Seigneur de Châtillon.
- John VI (1535-1606), Count of Nassau-Dillenburg from 1559, Stadtholder of Guelders 1578-1581. Ancestor of all the later House of Nassau. See below.
Sons of William the Silent:
By Anna van Egmont:
Philip William (1554- 1618) Prince of Orange
- Philip William (1554- 1618) Prince of Orange from 1584. Knight of the Golden Fleece.
By Anna of Saxony:
Maurice (1567- 1625) Prince of Orange
- Maurice (1567- 1625) Prince of Orange from 1618, Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland 1585–1625, Stadtholder of Utrecht, Guelders and Overijssel 1590–1625, Stadtholder of Groningen 1620–1625. Knight of the Golden Fleece and Knight of the Garter.
By Louise de Coligny:
Frederick Henry (1584- 1647) Prince of Orange
- Frederick Henry (1584- 1647) Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel from 1625. Knight of the Garter. Married Amalia of Solms-Braunfels (1602–1675) daughter of Johann Albrecht I, Count of Solms-Braunfels.
William II (1626-1650), Prince of Orange
- William II (1626-1650), Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands from 1647. Knight of the Garter. Son of Frederick Henry, (1584- 1647), Prince of Orange. Son of Frederick Henry (1584- 1647) Prince of Orange. Married Mary, Princess Royal (1631 – 1660) daughter of Charles I, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.
William III (1650-1702) Prince of Orange
William III (1650-1702) Prince of Orange and King of England, Scotland and Ireland
- William III (1650-1702) Prince of Orange from birth, Stadtholder of Holland and Zealand 1672–1702, Stadtholder of Utrecht 1674–1702, of Guelders and Overijssel 1675–1702, King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 1689 as William III and II. Married Mary II (1662 –1694) Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland daughter of James II and VII King of England, Scotland and Ireland. Reigned as joint Sovereigns from 1689. William became sole ruler upon her death in 1694. William III left his Dutch and German possessions by will to John William Friso of Nassau-Dietz. See below.
Line extinct 1702.
Illegitimate descents of Maurice:
Henry de Nassau (1673-1754) Lord d'Auverquerque, 1st Earl of Grantham
- Louis of Nassau, (1602-1665).
- Henry, (1640- 1708) Count of Nassau, Lord of Overkirk.
- Henry de Nassau (1673-1754) Lord d'Auverquerque, 1st Earl of Grantham KG from 1698. See House of Nassau
Line extinct 1754.
Illegitimate descents of Frederick Henry:
Earls of Rochford
- Frederick Nassau de Zuylestein (1608–1672).
- William Nassau de Zuylestein, 1st Earl of Rochford, Viscount Tunbridge and Baron Enfield (1649–1709)
- William Nassau de Zuylestein, 2nd Earl of Rochford (1682–1710)
- Frederick Nassau de Zuylestein, 3rd Earl of Rochford (1683–1738)
- William Henry Nassau de Zuylestein, 4th Earl of Rochford KG (1717–1781)
- William Henry Nassau de Zuylestein, 5th Earl of Rochford (1754–1830) See House of Nassau
Line extinct 1830.
Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
(1559–1606)
John VI (1535-1606), Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
- John VI (1535-1606), Count of Nassau-Dillenburg from 1559, Stadtholder of Guelders 1578-1581. Second son of William the Rich. Married firstly Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg (1537- 1579) daughter of Landgrave George III, Landgrave of Leuchtenberg, secondly Kunigunde Jakobäa of Simmern (1556 – 1586) daughter of Frederick III, Elector Palatine, and thirdly Johanetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein (1561 – 1622) daughter of Louis I, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein.
After John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg died in 1606, Nassau-Dillenburg was divided among his five surviving sons:
By Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg:
- William Louis received Nassau-Dillenburg
- John VII received Nassau-Siegen
- George received Nassau-Beilstein later succeeded to Nassau-Dillenburg
- Ernest Casimir received Nassau-Dietz
By Johanetta of Sayn-Wittgenstein:
- John Louis received Nassau-Hadamar
Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
(1606–1620)
William Louis (1560– 1620) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
- William Louis of Nassau-Dillenburg (1560– 1620) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, and Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen, and Drenthe. Married his cousin, Anna of Nassau (1563 – 1588) daughter of William the Silent.
Counts and Princes of Nassau-Siegen
(1607–1743)
John VII (1561- 1623) Count of Nassau-Siegen
- John VII (1561- 1623) Count of Nassau-Siegen as John I. Married firstly Countess Magdalena of Waldeck, daughter of Philip IV, Count of Waldeck-Wildungen and secondly Margaret of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg, daughter of John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg.
Catholic line:
John VIII (1583- 1638) Count of Nassau-Siegen
- John VIII (1583- 1638) Count of Nassau-Siegen, Katzenelnbogen, Vianden and Dietz, Marquis of Monte-Caballo, Baron of Ronse and Beilstein as John II. Knight of the Golden Fleece. Converted to Catholicism. Married Princess Ernestine Yolande de Ligne d'Amblise (1594–1668) daughter of Lamoral de Ligne, Prince d'Espinoy.
Johann Franz Desideratus (1627-1699) Prince of Nassau-Siegen
- Johann Franz Desideratus (1627-1699) Count of Nassau-Siegen; raised to Prince in 1652. Knight of the Golden Fleece. Converted to Catholicism, and had to cede a part of the County to the Protestant branch of the family in 1648. Married firstly Countess Johanna Claudia of Königsegg-Rotenfels-Aulendorf (1632 – 1663) daughter of John George, Baron of Königsegg-Rotenfels-Aulendorf, secondly Margravine Marie Eleonore Sophie of Baden-Baden in Rodemachern (1641 – 1668) daughter of Hermann Fortunat, Markgrave of Baden in Rodemachern, and thirdly married morganatically Baroness Isabella Clara du Puget de la Serre (1651 –1714)
William Hyacinth (1667 – 1743) Prince of Nassau-Siegen
- William Hyacinth (1667 – 1743) Prince of Nassau-Siegen. Reigned 1699–1707. Claimed the Principality of Orange. Deprived of Nassau-Siegen in 1727. Married firstly Maria Francisca of Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg (1660 - 1691) daughter of Herman Egon, Prince of Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg, secondly Maria Anna von Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst (1678–1739) daughter of Ludwig Gustav, Count of Hohenlohe-Waldenburg-Schillingsfürst, and thirdly Maria Eva Sophia of Starhemberg (1722 - 1773) daughter of Konrad Sigismund, Count of Starhemberg.
Emmanuel Ignatius of Nassau-Siegen (1688 – 1735)
- Emmanuel Ignatius of Nassau-Siegen (1688 – 1735) Younger son of Johann Franz Desideratus and Isabella Clara du Puget de la Serre. He was deemed of morganatic descent in The Empire but recognised in France. Fieldmarshal of the Spanish and Austrian Army, and Regent of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen in 1727. Knight of the Golden Fleece. Knight of the Order of Saint Hubert. Married Charlotte (1688 - 1769) daughter of Louis II, Count de Mailly-Nesle. They had one surviving son Maximilian William Adolph (d. 1748), who was initially recognized by Emmanuel Ignatius but then rejected as adulterous. Maximilian William Adolph, himself, had a son Karl Heinrich von Nassau-Siegen (1743 – 1808) Grandee of Spain, Order of the White Eagle, Order of St. George, Order of St. Andrew.
Line extinct 1743 (1808). Nassau-Siegen ceded to remaining Ottonian line of Nassau-Dietz or Orange-Nassau.
Protestant line:
John Maurice (1604- 1679) Count of Nassau-Siegen
- John Maurice (1604- 1679) Count of Nassau-Siegen; raised to Prince in 1664. Grand Master of the Order of St. John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg) from 1652. Reigned 1623-1638 and again 1674-1679.
George Frederick Louis (1606- 1674) Prince of Nassau-Siegen
- George Frederick Louis (1606- 1674) Count of Nassau-Siegen; raised to Prince in 1664. Count of Katzenelnbogen, Vianden and Diez, Baron of Beilstein. Married Mauritia Eleonora of Portugal (1609–1674) daughter of Manuel of Portugal.
Henry II (1611– 1652) Count of Nassau-Siegen
- Henry II (1611– 1652) Count of Nassau-Siegen. Married firstly Maria Magdalene (1623 – 1707). She daughter of Georg Ernst, Count of Limburg Stirum, and secondly Countess Magdalene of Bentheim (1591-1649) daughter of Arnaud III of Bentheim-Steinfurt de Götterswick, Count of Bentheim-Steinfurt.
William Maurice (1649 –1691) Prince of Nassau-Siegen
- William Maurice (1649 –1691) Count of Nassau-Siegen; raised to Prince in 1664. John Maurice (1604- 1679) his uncle, adopted him in 1678. Married Ernestine Charlotte (1662–1732) daughter of Adolph, Prince of Nassau-Schaumburg, himself the younger son of Louis Henry, Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg. See below.
Frederick William Adolf (1680 – 1722) Prince of Nassau-Siegen
- Frederick William Adolf (1680 – 1722) titular Prince of Nassau-Siegen from 1691 until his death; ruled the principality from 1707. Married Elisabeth (1681 –1707) daughter of Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg.
Frederick William II (1706 – 1734) Prince of Nassau-Siegen
- Frederick William II (1706 – 1734) Prince of Nassau-Siegen. Married Sophie Polyxena Concórdia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (1709 – 1781) daughter of Count August David zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein.
Line extinct 1734. Nassau-Siegen was divided by the remaining Ottonian lines: Nassau-Dietz and Nassau-Dillenburg
Counts of Nassau-Beilstein (1607–1620)
Counts and Princes of Nassau-Dillenburg
(1620–1739)
Georg V (1562-1623) Count of Nassau-Beilstein later Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
- Georg V (1562-1623) Count of Nassau-Beilstein from 1607, later Count of Nassau-Dillenburg from 1620. Married firstly Anna Amalia of Nassau-Saarbrücken (1565-1605) daughter of Philip IV of Nassau-Weilburg, and secondly Amalia (1585-1633), the daughter of Louis I, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein.
Louis Henry (1594-1662) Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg
- Louis Henry (1594-1662) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg jointly with Albert from 1623 to 1626 and alone from 1626; raised to Prince in 1654. Married firstly Catherine of Sayn-Wittgenstein (1588–1651) daughter of Louis I, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein, and secondly Wild- and Rhinegravine Elizabeth of Salm-Dhaun (1593–1656), the daughter of Adolph Henry, Wild- and Rhinegrave of Salm-Dhaun-Neufviller.
- Albert (1596-1626) Count of Nassau-Dillenburg jointly with Louis Henry from 1623 until his death.
George Louis (1618 – 1656) Hereditary Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg
- George Louis (1618 – 1656) Hereditary Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg. Son of Louis Henry (1594-1662) Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg. Married Anna Augusta of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel (1612-1673) daughter of Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.
Henry (1641 – 1701) Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg
- Henry (1641 – 1701) Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg. Married Dorothea Elisabeth of Brieg (1646-1691) daughter of George III of Brieg, Duke of Brzeg and Legnica-Wołów.
William II (1670 – 1724) Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg
- William II (1670 – 1724) Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg. Married Johanna Dorothea of Holstein-Plön (1676 – 1727) daughter of Augustus, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön-Norburg.
Christian (1688 – 1739) Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg
- Christian (1688 – 1739) Prince of Nassau-Dillenburg. Married Isabelle Charlotte (1692-1757) daughter of Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz.
Line extinct 1739. Nassau-Dillenburg divided between Nassau-Dietz and Nassau-Siegen.
Counts and Princes of Nassau-Hadamar
(1607–1711)
John Louis (1590 – 1653) Prince of Nassau-Hadamar
- John Louis (1590 – 1653) Count of Nassau-Hadamar from 1607; raised to Prince in 1650. Knight of the Golden Fleece. Converted to Catholicism. Married Ursula of Lippe (1598–1638), daughter of Simon VI, Count of Lippe.
Maurice Henry (1626 –1679) Prince of Nassau-Hadamar
- Maurice Henry (1626 –1679) Prince of Nassau-Hadamar. Married firstly Ernestine Charlotte (1623 – 1668) daughter of John VIII, Count of Nassau-Siegen, secondly Maria Leopoldine (1652 –1675) daughter of John Francis Desideratus, Count of Nassau-Siegen and neice of his first wife, and thirdly Anna Louise (1654 –1692) daughter of Salentin Ernest, Count of Manderscheid-Blankenheim.
Francis Alexander (1674 – 1711) Prince of Nassau-Hadamar
- Francis Alexander (1674 – 1711) Prince of Nassau-Hadamar. Married Elizabeth Catherine Felicitas (1677 – 1739) daughter of William "the Elder" of Hesse-Rheinfels-Rotenburg.
Line extinct 1711. Nassau-Hadamar divided among the surviving Ottonian lines of Nassau: Nassau-Dietz, Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Siegen.
Counts and Princes of Nassau-Dietz
(1607–1702)
Princes of Orange
(1702-1806)
Kings of the Netherlands
(1815-1948)
Ernst Casimir I (1573-1632) Count of Nassau-Dietz
- Ernst Casimir I (1573-1632) Count of Nassau-Dietz from 1606, Stadtholder of Friesland 1620-1632, Stadtholder of Groningen and Drenthe 1625-1632. Married Sophia Hedwig of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1592 – 1642) daughter of Henry Julius, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.
Henry Casimir I (1612 –1640) Count of Nassau-Dietz
- Henry Casimir I (1612 –1640) Count of Nassau-Dietz and Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe 1632-1640.
Willem Frederik (1613- 1664) Prince of Nassau-Dietz
- Willem Frederik (1613- 1664) Count of Nassau-Dietz and Prince of Nassau-Dietz from 1654, Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe 1640(1650)-1664. Married Albertine Agnes of Nassau (1634 – 1696) daughter of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange.
Henry Casimir II (1657 – 1696) Prince of Nassau-Dietz
- Henry Casimir II (1657 – 1696) Prince of Nassau-Dietz, Stadtholder of Friesland and Groningen 1664-1696. Married Henriëtte Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau (1666 – 1726) daughter of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau.
John William Friso (1687-1711) Prince of Orange
- John William Friso (1687-1711) Prince of Orange from 1702, Prince of Nassau-Dietz from 1696 and Prince of Orange-Nassau from 1702. Stadtholder of Friesland and Groningen 1696–1711. Heir of William III, Prince of Orange and King of England, Scotland and Ireland. Married Princess Maria Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1688–1765), daughter of Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel.
William IV (1711-1751) Prince of Orange
- William IV (1711-1751) Prince of Orange and Nassau-Dietz from 1711 and General Stadtholder of the United Provinces from 1747. Knight of the Garter. In 1743 he inherited those lands formerly owned by the Nassau-Siegen branch. Married Anne, Princess Royal (1709 – 1759) daughter of George II, King of Great Britain and Ireland.
William V Batavus (1746-1806) Prince of Orange
- William V Batavus (1746-1806) Prince of Orange and Nassau-Dietz, last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic. Knight of the Garter. Married Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia (1751 – 1820) daughter of Augustus William, Prince of Prussia.
William I (1772-1843) Prince of Orange
William I (1772-1843) Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands
William I (1772-1843) King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg
- William I (1772-1843) Prince of Orange from 1806 to 1815, Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands from 1814 to 1815 and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg from 1815 to 1840. Married firstly Princess Friederike Luise Wilhelmine of Prussia (1774 – 1837) daughter of Frederick William II, King of Prussia and secondly married morganatically Countess Henriëtte d'Oultremont de Wégimont (1792– 1864). Founder of The Military William Order in April 1815 and The Order of the Netherlands Lion in September 1815. See Netherlands.
Family Pact of 1783
A mutual pact of inheritance and succession made in 1783 by Princes of the sovereign family of Nassau. It confirmed that Salic Law was to operate in favour of all the agnatic lines of the family, specifically the two senior surviving lines which had originated in the Middle Ages, the Walramian and the Ottonian. The pact chiefly provided that in case of one of these lines becoming extinct, the other would succeed in its hereditary Nassau lands ("the main concept of the pact was that if either the Ottonian or Walramian male line would become extinct the other line would succeed").
At the time the main Princes were:
Walramian Line:
Usingen line was represented by Charles William (1735-1803) Prince of Nassau-Usingen, his brothers Friedrich Augustus (1738-1816) later Duke of Nassau and John Adolf (1740-1793); their morganatic half-siblings, the Biburgs, were not concerned and did not participate in the pact.
Saarbrücken line was represented by Louis (1745 – 1794) Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken.
Weilburg line, considered the senior line of the whole house of Nassau, was represented by Charles Christian (1735 – 1788) Prince of Nassau-Weilburg, whose two sons and five daughters were minors..
The Saarbrücken line went extinct in 1797, the Usingen line in 1816, leaving only the Weilburg line.
Ottonian line:
Ottonian line inherited over time Vianden, Diez, and in 1530 the principality of Orange. Wilhelm the Rich left Willem the Silent whose line became extinct with William III, King of England, Scotland and Ireland (1702), and Johann the Elder, whose sons gave the lines of Siegen (extinct 1743), Dillenburg (extinct 1739), Hadamar (extinct 1711) and Dietz.
Dietz line was represented by Willem (1748-1806) Prince of Orange and Nassau-Dietz