Frederick William II, Prince of Nassau-Siegen
Fürst Frederick William II of Nassau-Siegen. Portrait by Franz Lippold, 1733. Siegerlandmuseum, Siegen.
Fürst of Nassau-Siegen
Coat of arms
Reign1722–1734
PredecessorFrederick William Adolf
Successor
Full name
Frederick William II Prince of Nassau-Siegen
Native nameFriedrich Wilhelm II Fürst von Nassau-Siegen
BornFriedrich Wilhelm Prinz von Nassau, Graf zu Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Diez, Limburg und Bronkhorst, Herr zu Beilstein, Stirum, Wisch, Borculo, Lichtenvoorde und Wildenborch, Erbbannerherr des Herzogtums Geldern und der Grafschaft Zutphen
(1706-11-11)11 November 1706
Nassauischer Hof, Siegen
Baptised18 November 1706
Siegen
Died2 March 1734(1734-03-02) (aged 27)
Nassauischer Hof, Siegen
Buried17 April 1734
Fürstengruft, Siegen
Noble familyHouse of Nassau-Siegen
Spouse(s)Sophie Polyxena Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein
Issue
Detail		5 daughters
FatherFrederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen
MotherElisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg
OccupationRitmeester in the Dutch States Army 1723, colonel of a regiment infantry 1728

Prince Frederick William II of Nassau-Siegen (11 November 1706 – 2 March 1734), German: Friedrich Wilhelm II. Fürst von Nassau-Siegen, official titles: Fürst zu Nassau, Graf zu Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Diez, Limburg und Bronkhorst, Herr zu Beilstein, Stirum, Wisch, Borculo, Lichtenvoorde und Wildenborch, Erbbannerherr des Herzogtums Geldern und der Grafschaft Zutphen, was since 1722 Fürst of Nassau-Siegen, a part of the County of Nassau. He descended from the House of Nassau-Siegen, a cadet branch of the Ottonian Line of the House of Nassau. He was the last male representative of his lineage, with him the Protestant line of the House of Nassau-Siegen became extinct.

Biography

The Nassauischer Hof, later called Untere Schloss, seen from the west, ca. 1720. Attempt at reconstruction, ink drawing, Wilhelm Scheiner, 1922.

Frederick William was born in the Nassauischer Hof in Siegen[1] on 11 November 1706[2][note 1] as the only son of Fürst Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen and his first wife Landgravine Elisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg.[4] He was baptised in Siegen on 18 November.[5] His mother died just one year after his birth.[6]

In October 1712, Frederick William Adolf and William Hyacinth, the Catholic Fürst of Nassau-Siegen, reached an agreement about their share in the city of Siegen. William Hyacinth ceded the Catholic land to Frederick William Adolf in exchange for an annual pension of 12,000 Reichsthalers. There was even an intention to marry off Frederick William, the Reformed Hereditary Prince, to Maria Anna Josepha, William Hyacinth's underage daughter. All this was done not in the least to get rid of the troublesome foreign administration.[7] Since April 1707, the Catholic part of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen had, by order of the Aulic Council, been under the administration of the cathedral chapter in Cologne, due to the maladministration of William Hyacinth (because the Archbishop of Cologne, Joseph Clemens of Bavaria, was in imperial ban at the time, the cathedral chapter governed the Archdiocese of Cologne).[8]

On the death of his father in 1722, Frederick William succeeded his father as the territorial lord of the Protestant part of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen and co-ruler of the city of Siegen.[1][9] He possessed the district of Siegen (with the exception of seven villages) and the districts of Hilchenbach and Freudenberg. He shared the city of Siegen with his second cousin, William Hyacinth, the Catholic Fürst of Nassau-Siegen.[10] Frederick William also succeeded his father as count of Bronkhorst, lord of Wisch, Borculo, Lichtenvoorde and Wildenborch, and hereditary knight banneret of the Duchy of Guelders and the County of Zutphen.[11] Finally, Frederick William succeeded his father in a part of the Principality of Nassau-Hadamar.[1][9] Due to he was still a minor, he was under the custody and regency of his stepmother Amalie Louise of Courland until 1727.[1]

Frederick William became a ritmeester in the Dutch States Army on 23 November 1723, and colonel of a regiment infantry on 22 July 1728.[5] And in 1731 he became a knight of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg, Saxony, Pomerania and Wendland) in Sonnenburg.[1]

Frederick William died in the Nassauischer Hof in Siegen[1] on 2 March 1734,[12][note 2] he was only 27 years old. He was buried on 17 April[1][5] in the Fürstengruft there.[1][13]

On 19 June, his widow Sophie Polyxena Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein gave birth to the fifth daughter. Thus, there were no male heirs and the Dowager Fürstin was compelled to accept that the Catholic Fürst William Hyacinth would take possession of the Reformed lands and the city of Siegen. However, the Fürsten Christian of Nassau-Dillenburg and William Charles Henry Friso of Nassau-Diez also laid claim to the inheritance. Their soldiers occupied the Nassauischer Hof in Siegen, while William Hyacinth was in Spain.[14]

In order to drive out this occupation by Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Diez, Elector Clemens August of Cologne called in the Landesausschuß in his countries bordering the Siegerland. On 20 August 1735, peasants from Cologne crossed the borders of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen and plundered "was ihnen vorkam" ("what was in front of them"). On 23 August they were admitted to the (Catholic) castle and advanced with two to three thousand men to the (Reformed) Nassauischer Hof. But the armies of Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Diez, united with the citizens of Siegen, forced the troops from Cologne to flee. Thus, the Reformed part of Siegerland remained under the rule of Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Diez, and the Catholic part remained under the imperial administration.[14]

The entrance to the Fürstengruft in Siegen. Photo: Bob Ionescu, 2009.

When, during the renovation of the Fürstengruft in 1951, the marble slabs that had been placed in front of the niches in 1893 had to be reattached, it was possible to take a look inside the graves. It was discovered that many graves had already been opened. Behind the slabs were walls of field-baked bricks, some of which were loose and allowed a view into the interior of the niches. In the light of a strong flashlight one could see that in the niche of Frederick William is a coffin apparently made of mahogany, framed by gilt bands about 4 cm wide.[15]

Marriage and issue

Countess Sophie Polyxena Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein. Detail of a anonymous portrait, 18th century. Siegerlandmuseum, Siegen.

Frederick William married at Ludwigseck Hunting Lodge near Feudingen on 23 September 1728[1][9][note 3][17] to Countess Sophie Polyxena Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein[note 4] (Berlin,[9][17] 28 May 1709[2][note 5] – Untere Schloss, Siegen,[17] 15 December 1781[19][note 6]), the second daughter of Count August of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein and his first wife Countess Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein.[4]

From the marriage of Frederick William and Sophie Polyxena Concordia the following children were born:[5][20][21]

  1. Charlotte Sophia Louise[note 7] (Siegen, 6 June 1729 – Burgsteinfurt, 2 April 1759), married in Siegen on 30 September 1748 to Count Charles Peter Ernest of Bentheim-Steinfurt (Burgsteinfurt, 30 August 1729 – Burgsteinfurt, 30 June 1780).
  2. Frederica Wilhelmine Polyxena (Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 3 April 1730 – Wittgenstein Castle, Laasphe, 18 November 1733).
  3. Mary Eleonore Concordia (Siegen, 2 March 1731 – Kamen, 20 April 1759). She died of smallpox in the house of the preacher Theodore Diederich Henrich Wever in Kamen.[22]
  4. Frederica Augusta Sophia (Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 1 June 1732 – Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 23 March 1733).
  5. Anne Charlotte Augusta[note 8] (Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 19 June 1734 – Untere Schloss, Siegen, 9 June 1759).

Ancestors

Ancestors of Frederick William II, Prince of Nassau-Siegen[23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33]
Great-great-grandparents John VII 'the Middle' of Nassau-Siegen
(1561–1623)
⚭ 1603
Margaret of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
(1583–1658)		 George Ernest of Limburg-Stirum
(1593–1661)
⚭ 1603
Magdalene of Bentheim-Tecklenburg
(1591–1649)		 Louis Henry of Nassau-Dillenburg
(1594–1662)
⚭ 1615
Catharine of Sayn-Wittgenstein
(1588–1651)		 Peter Melander
(1589–1648)
⚭ 1638
Agnes von Efferen genannt Hall
(?–1656)		 George I 'the Pious' of Hesse-Darmstadt
(1547–1596)
⚭ 1572
Magdalene of Lippe
(1552–1587)		 Christopher of Leiningen-Westerburg
(1575–1635)
⚭ 1601
Anna Maria Ungnad von Weißenwolff
(1573–1606)		 William of Courland
(1574–1640)
⚭ 1609
Sophie of Prussia
(1582–1610)		 George William of Brandenburg
(1595–1640)
⚭ 1616
Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate
(1597–1660)
Great-grandparents Henry of Nassau-Siegen
(1611–1652)
⚭ 1646
Mary Magdalene of Limburg-Stirum
(1632–1707)		 Adolf of Nassau-Schaumburg
(1629–1676)
⚭ 1653
Elisabeth Charlotte Melander
(1640–1707)		 Frederick I 'the Elder' of Hesse-Homburg
(1585–1638)
⚭ 1622
Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg
(1604–1667)		 Jacob of Courland
(1610–1682)
⚭ 1645
Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg
(1617–1676)
Grandparents William Maurice of Nassau-Siegen
(1649–1691)
⚭ 1678
Ernestine Charlotte of Nassau-Schaumburg
(1662–1732)		 Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg
(1633–1708)
⚭ 1670
Louise Elisabeth of Courland
(1646–1690)
Parents Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen
(1680–1722)
⚭ 1702
Elisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg
(1681–1707)

Notes

  1. ↑ "See Dek (1970), confirmed by State Archives Marburg (4f, Nassau-Siegen, Nr. 241 (2)), notification dated Siegen 11‑11‑1706: «heute früh gleich nach 9 Uhr»."[3]
  2. ↑ "Europäische Stammtafeln incorrectly states that he died on 3‑3‑1734. Dek (1970) gives the same date and gives Siegen as place of death. In fact the prince died on 2‑3. See a) parish registers Siegen, b) State Archives Wiesbaden (130II 2209), notification dated Siegen 3‑3‑1734: «gestern nachtmittags zwischen 1 u. 2 Uhr»."[3]
  3. ↑ "See the registers of the Protestant court parish in Siegen: «1728 den 23 Sept. Nachts zwischen 11 und 12 Uhr sind auf dem Hochgräfl. Wittgensteinischen Jagdhauses Ludwigs-Eck … ehelich zusammen geworden der Durchl. Fürst und Herr Friedrich Wilhelm …». See State Archives Wiesbaden (170III), notification dated 24‑9‑1728, Wittgenstein: «gestern auf meinem Jagdhaus Ludwigseck durch priesterliche Copulation vollzogen worden»."[16]
  4. ↑ Dek (1970), p. 99 mentions only the name Sayn-Wittgenstein.
  5. ↑ "See Archives of the princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein, Wittgenstein Castle, Laasphe, notification dated Berlin 8‑6‑1709: «am 28ten Maii abends um 9 Uhr». The mother died on 4 June and the child was baptised on 11 June «à la maison» (baptismal register of Berlin Cathedral), which proves that the birth took place in Berlin."[18]
  6. ↑ "See Dek (1970), confirmed by the parish registers, notifications and an article in the Dillenburgische Intelligenz Nachrichten, LI. Stück, Sonnabends, den 22 Decembris 1781: «Den 15ten dieses des Abends». Vorsterman van Oyen (1882) states she died in 1783."[18]
  7. ↑ Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 388 names her Charlotte Sophie. The given name Charlotte Sophia Louise in Dek (1970), p. 98 and Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 130.
  8. ↑ Given name according to Menk (2004), p. 201 and Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 388. Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 406 mentions that this given name appears in the baptismal certificate. The given name Catharina Anna (Charlotte Augusta) in Dek (1970), p. 98 and Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 35. The given name Catharina Anna in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 130, who mentions in a footnote that she also appears as Anna Charlotte Augusta.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Menk (2004), p. 200.
  2. 1 2 All sources that mention a full date of birth, state this date.
  3. 1 2 Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 373.
  4. 1 2 All sources that mention both parents, name these parents.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Dek (1970), p. 99.
  6. ↑ All sources that mention the death of his mother, state that she died in 1707.
  7. ↑ Lück (1981), p. 144.
  8. ↑ Lück (1981), p. 143.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 354.
  10. ↑ Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 273.
  11. ↑ Lück (1981), p. 116.
  12. ↑ All sources that mention a full date of death, state this date.
  13. ↑ Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 35.
  14. 1 2 Lück (1981), p. 147.
  15. ↑ Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 37.
  16. ↑ Huberty, et al. (1981), pp. 373–374.
  17. 1 2 3 Menk (2004), p. 201.
  18. 1 2 Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 374.
  19. ↑ All but one of the sources that mention the full date of death, state this date of death. Only Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 129 mentions 15 December 1783.
  20. ↑ Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 388.
  21. ↑ Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 130.
  22. ↑ Genealogy of the Wever family.
  23. ↑ Huberty, et al. (1981).
  24. ↑ Huberty, et al. (1976).
  25. ↑ Dek (1970).
  26. ↑ Dek (1968).
  27. ↑ Dek (1962).
  28. ↑ Knetsch (1931).
  29. ↑ von Ehrenkrook, et al. (1928).
  30. ↑ Vorsterman van Oyen (1882).
  31. ↑ Behr (1854).
  32. ↑ Textor von Haiger (1617).
  33. ↑ Europäische Stammtafeln.

Sources

  • Aßmann, Helmut & Menk, Friedhelm (1996). Auf den Spuren von Nassau und Oranien in Siegen (in German). Siegen: Gesellschaft für Stadtmarketing Siegen e.V.
  • Behr, Kamill (1854). Genealogie der in Europa regierenden Fürstenhäuser (in German). Leipzig: Verlag von Bernhard Tauchnitz.
  • Dek, A.W.E. (1962). Graf Johann der Mittlere von Nassau-Siegen und seine 25 Kinder (in German). Rijswijk: Krips Repro.
  • Dek, A.W.E. (1968). "De afstammelingen van Juliana van Stolberg tot aan het jaar van de Vrede van Münster". Spiegel der Historie. Maandblad voor de geschiedenis der Nederlanden (in Dutch). 1968 (7/8): 228–303.
  • Dek, A.W.E. (1970). Genealogie van het Vorstenhuis Nassau (in Dutch). Zaltbommel: Europese Bibliotheek.
  • von Ehrenkrook, Hans Friedrich; Förster, Karl & Marchtaler, Kurt Erhard (1928). Ahnenreihen aus allen deutschen Gauen. Beilage zum Archiv für Sippenforschung und allen verwandten Gebieten (in German). Görlitz: Verlag für Sippenforschung und Wappenkunde C.A. Starke.
  • Huberty, Michel; Giraud, Alain & Magdelaine, F. & B. (1976). l'Allemagne Dynastique (in French). Vol. Tome I: Hesse-Reuss-Saxe. Le Perreux: Alain Giraud.
  • Huberty, Michel; Giraud, Alain & Magdelaine, F. & B. (1981). l'Allemagne Dynastique (in French). Vol. Tome III: Brunswick-Nassau-Schwarzbourg. Le Perreux: Alain Giraud.
  • Knetsch, Carl (1931). Das Haus Brabant. Genealogie der Herzoge von Brabant und der Landgrafen von Hessen (in German). Vol. II. Teil: Die Nachkommen Philipps des Grossmütigen. Darmstadt: Historischer Verein für das Großherzogtum Hessen.
  • Lück, Alfred (1981) [1967]. Siegerland und Nederland (in German) (2nd ed.). Siegen: Siegerländer Heimatverein e.V.
  • Lück, Alfred & Wunderlich, Hermann (1956) [1952]. Die Fürstengruft zu Siegen (in German). Siegen: Verkehrsverein Siegen e.V.
  • Menk, Friedhelm (1971). Quellen zur Geschichte des Siegerlandes im niederländischen königlichen Hausarchiv (in German). Siegen: Stadt Siegen/Forschungsstelle Siegerland.
  • Menk, Friedhelm (2004). "Die Fürstengruft zu Siegen und die darin von 1669 bis 1781 erfolgten Beisetzungen". In Burwitz, Ludwig; Menk, Friedhelm; Opfermann, Ulrich Friedrich; Pfau, Dieter & Plaum, Bernd D. (eds.). Siegener Beiträge. Jahrbuch für regionale Geschichte (in German). Vol. 9. Siegen: Geschichtswerkstatt Siegen – Arbeitskreis für Regionalgeschichte e.V. pp. 183–202. ISSN 1431-6684.
  • Textor von Haiger, Johann (1617). Nassauische Chronik (in German). Herborn: Christoph Raab.
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