Coats of arms corresponding to the titles borne by various Dutch monarchs, including Veere and Flushing (right above the bottom crowned arms), displayed at Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam
Besides being sovereign over the principality of Orange, this is a partial listing of larger estates and titles that William the Silent and his heirs possessed, most enfeoffed to some other sovereign, either the King of France, the Habsburgs, or the States of the provinces of the Netherlands[1]
-The monarch of the Netherlands is constitutionally always considered "king" to ensure the powers are continuous.
Amsterdam (Capital & largest city)
Amsterdam (Capital & largest city) (Netherlands)
Royal Arms since 1907
Principality of Orange
The original main title was taken from the Principality of Orange on the Rhone River outside Avignon and the papal lands of the Comtat Venaissin. The principality was 108 sq mi (280 km2). However, the prince was a sovereign monarch, which put him on the same plane as the kings and monarchs of Europe and the world. This is much the same situation as Monaco today.
- Founded by First House of Orange- 885 - Imperial immediacy 1163 as a principality in the Holy Roman Empire - Completely sovereign as Holy Roman Empire retreated from the Kingdom of Burgundy approx. 1254 - Ceded to France by the Treaty of Utrecht 1713
-The Grand Duchy was setup as an associated part of the German Confederation in 1815, but ruled by the King of the Netherlands. -In the founding of the Belgian state in 1830-1831 the status of Luxembourg was at issue. It was repartitioned with the predominantly Germanic/Luxembourgish part remaining as the independent Grand Duchy. -When William III of the Netherlands died in 1890 without a male heir, the next heir by the pact of the Nassau Family was Adolph of Nassau-Weilburg, the former Duke of Nassau, who was installed as Grand Duke.
Luxembourg City (Capital & largest city)
Luxembourg City (Capital & largest city) (Luxembourg)
-The Duchy was setup as originally as provinces of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815-1830) and an associated part of the German Confederation in 1815, but ruled by the King of the Netherlands and consolidating several older states, including the Duchy of Limburg/Hertogdom Limburg.
-In the founding of the Belgian state in 1830-1831 the status of Luxembourg and Limburg was at issue. Along with Luxembourg being partitioned, the Dutch thus created the Duchy of Limburg (consisting of the Province of Limburg minus its two major cities, Maastricht and Venlo). -After 1890, Limburg was considered an integral part of the Netherlands.
-The style "Duchy of Limburg" continued to be used in some official capacities until February 1907. An idiosyncrasy that survives to this day is that the King's Commissioner for the province is still informally addressed as "Governor" in Limburg, although his formal style does not differ from that used in other provinces.
Roermond
Roermond (Netherlands)
Ducal Arms
The Exchange of 1839. The removal of Western Luxembourg (4) from the German customs union by Belgium (3) resulted in compensation by the Netherlands (1) by the creation of the Duchy of Limburg (2) (this territory was controlled by Belgium until 1839).
Germany
Ancestral Lands
Initially, the family was known as “of Nassau” after their oldest possession the County of Nassau and their part of the subdivision of the lands, the Countship of Nassau-Dillenburg. This was divided and subdivided amongst the descendants of John the Elder. It generally comprised the northern part of the entire county of Nassau, north of the Lahn River. It was reunited in the 18th century under the line of Nassau-Dietz.
- Founded and Acquired by the Lords of Laurenburg 915 – 1125 - Imperial immediacy 1093, on the death of the last Duke of Franconia - Raised to Princely County 1664 - Lost in the Austrian-Prussian War, 1866
Nassau (light yellow) within the HRE during the rule of the Staufers. The Rhine is light blue line to the left.
Subdivisions of Nassau
These subdivisions (baronies and lordships) of Nassau were split into semi-autonomous countships and principalities for the younger members of the House of Nassau. The title for these was Count of Nassau in xyz.
House of Nassau (Walramian and Ottonian) Lands in and around Nassau in 1789
Close up of House of Orange-Nassau (Ottonian) Lands in and around Nassau in 1789
House of Nassau Lands in and around Nassau. After John VI the Elder of Nassau-Dillenburg died in 1606, Nassau-Dillenburg was divided among his five surviving sons (see genealogical table above, House of Nassau-Dillenburg): William Louis received a reduced Nassau-Dillenburg, George received Nassau-Beilstein, and John VII the Middle received Nassau-Siegen.
-Ancestral seat of the Royal House of the Netherlands. -Dillenburg Castle was built on top of the peak now called the Schlossberg in the late 13th or early 14th century -Usually a seat of the elder line of the Ottonian Nassaus. -Last broken off in 1504 for "William the Rich", father of William the Silent and his younger brother "John the Elder". It went John in 1544 when William went to the Netherlands to claim the inheritance of the Nassau-Breda line as Prince of Orange.
-Confiscated by Napoleon in Favor of the Confederation of the Rhine/Grand Duchy of Berg.
Dillenburg
Dillenburg (Germany)
The Counts of Nassau in Dillenburg to 1739 Civic Arms
-In 1388 part passed via his daughter Jutta to his son-in-law, Adolf I, Count of Nassau-Siegen. -In 1564, Nassau-Dillenburg and the Electorate of Hesse split the county.
Diez (brown) to the west of bordering/almost surrounded by Nassau (light yellow) within the HRE during the rule of the Staufers. The northern half of Katzenellenbogen is in orange just below Diez. The Rhine is light blue line to the left.
-After John VII died in 1628, the country was divided: his eldest son, John VIII, who had converted to Catholicism, received the part of the county south of the river Sieg. John Maurice, who remained Protestant, received the part of the county north of the Sieg. -In 1743, Nassau-Siegen had died out in the male line, and the territory fell to Prince William IV of the Orange-Nassau-Dietz line, who thereby reunited all the lands of the Ottonian line of the House of Nassau.
-The principality consisted of the districts of Siegen, Netphen, Hilchenbach, and Freudenberg. From 1628-1734, the Protestant part consisted of the districts of Hilchenbach and Freudenberg and a half the district of Siegen. At the time, the Catholic half of the district of Siegen was called the district of Hayn. The Catholic part of the county consisted of the district of Netphen and the other half of the district of Siegen.
Siegen
Siegen (Germany)
The Counts of Nassau in Siegen to 1679 Counts of Nassau in Siegen to 1743 Civic Arms
The baronies and lordships of Nassau by Blaeu in 1645
- Founded and Acquired by Diether I as Vogt of Abby of Prüm Abbey -In 1479, the male line of the Katzenelnbogens became extinct. The Obergrafschaft was passed to the Landgraves of Hesse by virtue of the 1458 marriage of Henry III of Upper Hesse to Count Philipp's daughter Anna of Katzenelnbogen -The counts of Nassau also claimed Katzenellenbogen, and the Monarchs of the Netherlands still claim this as part of their title
-During the Eighty Years' War it was alternately captured by Spanish and Dutch troops, - During the war it finally fell to Maurice of Orange. -It did not become an integral part of the Republic, though Dutch troops were stationed there.
-After the death of William III of Orange in 1702, Moers was inherited by the king of Prussia.
Most of the estates of the family were in the Netherlands in the more populous provinces of northern Brabant, southern Holland, and Zealand, around the delta of the Rhine/Scheldt/Maas rivers, the trading center made by them, and its entrance to the sea. The land itself was secondary to the profit on the commerce that flowed through it and the political influence that accrued with them (see Western Netherlands Commercial Center which developed into Amsterdam Trading Center, which later developed into the Dutch Randstad.).
The family properties in the Netherlands centered around the Barony of Breda. The barony sat on the delta of the Rhine in northwestern Brabant. Before the revolt the main residence of the family outside the Nassau Palace in Brussels was the castle and fortress of Breda. It was as also relatively close to their important function of Viscount of Antwerp. This fortress withstood several sieges during the 80 years war if the Dutch Revolt, but is most famous for being captured in 1624 by the Spanish as immortalized by Velazquez.
The county of Vianden sat high above a tributary of the Moselle that flowed into the trade routes of the Rhine into western Germany and the Netherlands. In the 12th to 15th centuries the counts of Vianden were the mightiest lords of the area between the rivers Rhine, Mosel and Maas. Their territory was in modern Vianden canton, Luxemburg and Bitburg-Prüm, Germany.
William the Silent married as his first wife Anna van Egmont heiress of Maximiliaan van Egmond, Count of Buren. This also included the counties of Leerdam and Lingen. While these lands devolved to Anna's son Philip William, as he died without heirs, they devolved to the prince of Orange. The hier/eldest son of the prince of Orange was titled “Count of Buren”. It remains one of the subsidiary titles of the Dutch Monarch.
Northern Netherlands/later the Dutch Republic & the Kingdom of the Netherlands
These counties, baronies and lordships are in the official titulature of the monarch of the Netherlands:
- formed a part of the Vijfheerenlanden domain, -raised County in 1498. - in 1551, inherited by Nassau Family with Acquoy when William the Silent married Anna van Egmont in 1551.
Leerdam
Leerdam (Benelux)
Arms of Leerdam with the arms of the Count of Leerdam on the lefthand lion.
- created for the Van Amstel family. - in 1363 inherited by the Inherited by Egmonds. - Inherited by Nassau Family when William the Silent married Anna van Egmont in 1551.
IJsselstein
IJsselstein (Benelux)
1649 map of IJsselstein in Willem and Joan Blaeu's "Toonneel der Steden"
- First mentioned 1223, as Castle Cranendonck, inherited by William van Cranendonck. - inherited by families Van Sevenborn, Van Milberg, Van Schoonvorst, Van Horne and Van Egmond.
- 1551 inherited by Oranges when William the Silent married Anna van Edmond.
- Motte and Bailey castle in 1100. In 1232, Eindhoven was still in the possession of Duke Henry II of Brabant, but the manor of Eindhoven was probably given to Willem, lord of Cranendonck, in 1282. - inherited by various families. The manor was then sold in 1483 to Frederik van Egmont. In 1521 he was succeeded by his son Floris van Egmont, and then his son Maximilian of Egmont in 1539. This went with his daughter Anna of Egmont when she married William of Orange in 1551. Their son was Philip Willem,became lord of Eindhoven in 1558 after the death of his mother. - Since then, the manor has always remained in the possession of the House of Nassau..
- In 1305 Acquoy is mentioned as part of the property of the lords of Voorne. Bought by Otto van Arkel and added to the Lordship of Arkel. After Acquoy changed hands several times, it was bought by Floris van Egmond, Count of Buren, in 1513. -Through the marriage of Willem of Orange with the granddaughter of Floris van Egmond, Anna van Egmond in 1551, Acquoy, together with Leerdam, became property of the House of Orange and part of the County of Holland. The shire of Acquoy was made a barony in that time.
-In 1820 it became part of West Betuwe in Gelderland.
- created for the . - Inherited by Philip William from the Egmonds s part of the county of Buren and willed to his brothers. As the only noble left in Zealand, it gave him the position of First Noble in the Zeeland Estates (nl) and the vote for the nobility in the Estates of Zealand (Zealand gov't). in Zeeland
markiezaat van Vlissingen en Kampenveere in Zeeland
Bought
1582 - present
-Purchased in 1582 by William the Silent. It was owned by Philip II since 1567, but had fallen into arrears to the province. In 1580 the Court of Holland ordered it sold. William bought it as it gave him two more votes in the States of Zeeland, and as he was the lord, could appoint their magistrates. He already had one vote as First Noble for Philip William, who had inherited Maartensdijk. This gave William effective control of the States of Zeeland.[5] -After William III's death, John William Friso struggled to obtain the marquisate. After his death the States of Zealand tried to ignore the claims of William IV. They abolished the title in 1732 and expropriated its freehold property. -The marquisate was finally restored in 1748, when William IV managed to establish himself as stadtholder of all the Dutch provinces. -It was abolished once again when the Dutch Republic was replaced with the Batavian Republic in 1795.
-Restored for the second time in 1814. Since then, it has been held by the kings and queens of the Netherlands as a title, not an office or freehold.
Flushing
Veere
Maps of the Lands of the House of Orange (Benelux)
-The "lordship of the Zoestdijck" was purchased in 1674 by Stadtholder Willem III from the Amsterdam regent family De Graeff. -The States of Utrecht elevated Baarn, Soest and Ter Eem to high lordship in the same year. William III built the hunting palace of Soestdijk there. -After the battle for the inheritance of William III, Baarn, Soest and Ter Eem came into the possession of William IV and then his son Willem V in 1732. In 1795, Baarn, Soest and Ter Eem were confiscated by the Batavian Republic. -In 1815, the State donated Soestdijk Palace to King Willem II as a thank you for his efforts at the Battle of Waterloo.
-The palace became property of the Dutch State in 1971, although Juliana and Bernard lived their until their death.
Baarn
Soest
Ter Eem
Maps of the Lands of the House of Orange (Benelux)
- Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange conquered Bredevoort in the year 1597 on the Spanish occupation. -The Spanish reconquered the city in 1606, but Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange liberated the garrison and citizens who had retreated in the Castle of Bredevoort. -In the rampjaar ("disaster year") 1672 Bernhard von Galen reconquered the city and occupied city and herrschaft for almost two years.
-In 1697 William III of England received the city and herrschaft from the States of Gelderland. From that day until 1795 the city and herrschaft was a personal belonging to the House of Orange-Nassau. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is still Lord of Bredevoort.
-Bought in 1684 by William III, it was owned before that by the Bentinck family. It came with the lordships of Apeldoorn, Beekbergen en Loenen. William was primarily interested in the hunting in the area. The palace he built primarily functioned for him as a hunting lodge. - In 1694 the States of Gelderland awarded William the high and low justice for the lordship. - When Wiliiam III died, the high and low lordship immediately expired. It was awarded again in 1748 to William IV.[6] - William IV inherited it in 1732 in the settlement William III's inheritance. - It is now the property of the Dutch Royal Family.
-Given by King Philip IV of Spain to Amalia van Solms-Braunfels, wife of Prince Frederick Henry, and then to William III. - In the settlement over William III's estate in 1732 these lordships went to Willem IV and then his sone William V.
- Lost to the French in 1794 and restored after 1815. In 1830 Turnhout found itself on the Belgian side of the border.
Zevenbergen
Turnhout
Maps of the Lands of the House of Orange (Benelux)
-The current name was first used in 1639 as Willemstat, and refers to William the Silent who fortified the settlement in 1583.
-The settlement used to be known as Ruigenhil, and was located at a strategic location along the Hollands Diep. In 1587, the fortifications were completed, and Willemstad received a heptagon (seven sided) shape with seven bastions.
- Ameland is one of the Frisian islands. It remained a free lordship until the ruling family, Cammingha, died out in 1708. - After that, the mother of the Frisian stadtholder John William Friso, Prince of Orange, bought it for her son, and he became lord of Ameland.
- After him, his son the stadtholder of all the Netherlands, William IV, Prince of Orange, and his grandson, William V, Prince of Orange.
-The lordship of Borculo & Lichtenvoorde was bought in 1776 by William V from the Polish Prince Adam Kazimierz Czartoryski. - In 1795 it was confiscated by the Batavian Republic, and restored in when the Oranges were restored. - As many of these lordships were owned by the Bronkhorst Family as part of their lordships of Bronkhorst and Batenburg, you will see their arms, shown to right.
Maps of the Lands of the House of Orange (Benelux)
Van Bronkhorst Lordship of Borculo Lordship of Lichtenvoorde
Lordship of Borculo in 1741
Lordship of Lichtenvoorde in 1741 The County of Zutphen in the Duchy of Gelderland showing all the Orange possessions: Borculo, Lichtenvoorde, Breedevoort and Wisch
-The manor of Montfort was founded by Hendrik III of Guelders. -It was given by Philip IV of Spain to Stadtholder William II in 1647. After his death, Montfort came to William III.
- After the battle for the inheritance of William III, Montfort came into the possession of King Frederick William I of Prussia in 1732. His son Frederick II 'the Great' sold it again to Stadtholder William V in 1769.[6]
Montfort
Montfort (Benelux)
Lordship of Montfort
Lordship of Montfort
Lordship of Montfort in 1623
These lordships are not in the official titulature of the monarch of the Netherlands, but are cited on the board in the picture.
- The Wisch family were Ministerialis. They were rewarded with the lordship by the Bishop of Munster. - The holder was also a bannerlord, which made them higher in the local aristocracy, but obligated them to military service. - The lordship passed into the House of Limburg-Stirum, and then by marriage in 1646 between Count Henry of Nassau-Siegen and Maria Magdalena of Limburg-Stirum.
- When all the lines of Nassau died out the current Royal line of Nassau-Dietz inherited all the titles and lands.
- Before the dyking and draining of the polder the area was called Dinteloord and was part of the lordship of Steenbergen. - As lord of Steenbergen (see above), Philip William, prince of Orange, in 1606 erected the area as a separate lordship named 'Prinsenland'. - Between 1606 and 1997 the area was a separate municipality: Dinteloord and Prinsenland. After that, the municipalities were reorganized and Dinteloord and Prinsenland was merged with Steenbergen.[7]
- The monarch of the Netherlands still retains the title.
1551-present - The name Scherpenisse is first mentioned in 1203 as Scarpenesse.
-Scherpenisse was one of the five islands that would together form the island of Tholen. The village arose near a dammed side channel of the Oosterschelde.
-The area became property of the House of Orange in 1551 from Anna of Egmont & Buren
The Southern Netherlands/later the Spanish & Austrian Netherlands, and the Kingdom of Belgium
While not as substantial as their interests in the northern Netherlands, the estates in the southern Netherlands were in the more populous provinces, in this case Brabant (most importantly Antwerp) around the river systems that ultimately flowed to the sea through the commercial entrepot of Antwerp. Again, the land itself was secondary to the profit on the commerce that flowed through it and the political influence that accrued with them (see Southern Netherlands Commercial Center which developed into Antwerp Trading Center, which later developed into the Belgian Flemish Diamond.).
- title from the Margraviate of Antwerp(nl) as an inheritable office by the lords of Heinsberg. -It passed down through several families until finally inherited and traded for by Engelbrecht II of Nassau-Breda in 1499. -The most famous holder was William the Silent. -It was a center for the Dutch Revolt before its recapture by the Spanish and confiscation of the position by Philip II in 1567. -Subsequently in the Low countries, the rank of burggraaf evolved into the nobility synonymous with viscount.[10][11][12][13][14] The title "Viscount of Antwerp" is still claimed by the reigning monarch of the Netherlands as one of its subsidiary titles.[15]
Antwerp
Antwerp (Benelux)
City of Antwerp in 1572 looking up the Scheldt at its height as the entrepôt of Western Capitalism
-Engelbrecht II of Nassau-Breda became baron in 1499, through an exchange of territories with Duke William IV of Gulik (see Antwerp below). -Confiscated 1567, given back to Philip William in 1596. After Maurice, it was claimed by the Catholic John VIII of Nassau-Siegen, which was recognized in 1625 (see other lands of the Nassaus in Spanish Netherlands). Returned to prince of Orange in 1648 with Peace of Munster.
-The barony of Warneton (called Waasten in Dutch) was mentioned as a seigneury as early as the 13th century. -It was a possession of the House of Luxembourg. Louise Francisca of Savoy, the first wife of Henry III of Nassau-Breda, was the daughter of Mary of Luxembourg-Ligny.
-Henry III received the manor in 1511. Also confiscated as other Nassau lands in the Southern Netherlands by Philip II. Returned with the Peace of Munster in 1648.
Warneton
Warneton (Benelux)
These lordships are not mentioned in the titulature, but are shown on the board of Lordships:
approx. 1100 - approx 1566 - Founded and Acquired by the Lords of Sponheim 915 – 1125 - Inherited by Nassau Family 1417 from Elisabeth van Sponheim-Kreuznach. -Subsidiary lordships:
- seized by Philip II of Spain in 1567. Awarded to Philip William, and then the catholic house of Nassau-Siegen. Returned to Oranges with peace of Munster in 1648. -Confiscated by the French in 1786.
Vianden
St. Vith
Bütgenbach
Dasburg
Grimbergen
Maps of the Lands of the House of Orange (Benelux)
The region around Vianden in 1400. Vianden is in light green surrounded by the duchy of Luxembourg in light brown. In the 12th to 15th centuries the counts of Vianden were the mightiest lords of the area between the rivers Rhine, Mosel and Maas.
Franche-Comté was controlled by the King of Spain, so the princes of Orange lost control of the lands that they had inherited from the previous princes of Orange, the House of Chalon-Arlay, the Viscountship of Besançon and lordships of Chalons itself, Arlay, Nozeroy. By the time the King of France had conquered the county of Burgundy, the prince of Orange (William III) was at odds with the King, Louis XIV.
-In the thirteenth century the barony of Arlay, on the borders with the Bresse region, passed into the dynasty of the counts of Châlons, the preeminent noblemen in the south of the Franche-Comté. They controlled the exploitation of salt mined at Salins. - Their heirs became Princes of Orange in the early fifteenth century, when Jean III de Chalon-Arlay married the heiress of the Principality of Orange -It passed to Rene of Chalons and his heir William the Silent and the house of Nassau. Confiscated by Philip II in 1567, but restored with the Peace of Munster in 1648. Fell to the inheritance of William IV from William III.
-The title baron of Arlay is still held by Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
Arlay
Arlay (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté)
Barons of Arlay & Barons of Chalons-Arlay (after 1256)
-In the thirteenth century the barony of Arlay, on the borders with the Bresse region, passed into the dynasty of the counts of Châlons, the preeminent noblemen in the south of the Franche-Comté. They controlled the exploitation of salt mined at Salins. - Their heirs became Princes of Orange in the early fifteenth century, when Jean III de Chalon-Arlay married the heiress of the Principality of Orange -It passed to Rene of Chalons and his heir William the Silent and the house of Nassau. Confiscated by Philip II in 1567, but restored with the Peace of Munster in 1648. Fell to the inheritance of William IV from William III.
-The title baron of Nozeroy is still held by Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.
Nozeroy
Nozeroy (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté)
Barons of Nozeroy
County of Burgundy at the end of the XVth Century showing Nozeroy
- 1349 left to Jean II de Chalon-Arlay, prince of Orange by his cousin. - With the death of William III († 1702), went to the French contenders for William's inheritance: François-Louis de Conti († 1709) and then his son Louis-Armand de Conti († 1727.
- United to the crown of France in April 1731, attached to the province of the Dauphiné in 1734.
-Imperial Free City 1184, independent Imp Free City 1290 -The Burgrave (Viscount) functioned as an office in other burgraviates in the Empire's other Free Cities.
-Confiscated 1567, given back to Philip William in 1596. After Maurice, it was claimed by the Catholic John VIII of Nassau-Siegen, which was recognized in 1625 (see other lands of the Nassaus in Spanish Netherlands). Returned to prince of Orange in 1648 with Peace of Munster. -The office of viscount was the same as the rank of burgrave in the Holy Roman Empire, of which the County of Burgundy as part of .
Besançon
Besançon (Bourgogne-Franche-Comté)
Viscounts of Besançon
County of Burgundy at the end of the XVth Century showing Nozeroy
10th century–1401 - 1401, the last count died -his heir Odo of Thoire-Geneva sold the comté to Count Amadeus VIII of Savoy. -members of the Genevan House protested, and the House of Chalons (and, after its extinction, the House of Orange-Nassau) remained the strongest claimant.
10th century–1401 - 1401, the last count died -his heir Odo of Thoire-Geneva sold the comté to Count Amadeus VIII of Savoy. -members of the Genevan House protested, and the House of Chalons (and, after its extinction, the House of Orange-Nassau) remained the strongest claimant.
The House of Orange-Nassau is the current reigning house of the Netherlands. A branch of the European House of Nassau, the house has played a central role in the politics and government of the Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe, particularly since William the Silent organised the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) led to an independent Dutch state. William III of Orange led the resistance of the Netherlands and Europe to Louis XIV of France and orchestrated the Glorious Revolution in England that established parliamentary rule. Similarly, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was instrumental in the Dutch resistance during World War II.
William the Silent or William the Taciturn, more commonly known in the Netherlands as William of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that set off the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. Born into the House of Nassau, he became Prince of Orange in 1544 and is thereby the founder of the Orange-Nassau branch and the ancestor of the monarchy of the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, he is also known as Father of the Fatherland.
Maurice of Orange was stadtholder of all the provinces of the Dutch Republic except for Friesland from 1585 at the earliest until his death on 23 April 1625. Before he became Prince of Orange upon the death of his eldest half-brother Philip William on 20 February 1618, he was known as Maurice of Nassau.
Burgrave, also rendered as burggrave, was since the medieval period in Europe the official title for the ruler of a castle, especially a royal or episcopal castle, and its territory called a Burgraviate or Burgravate.
Prince of Orange is a title associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by the stadtholders of, and then the heirs apparent of, the Netherlands.
Frederick Henry was the sovereign prince of Orange and stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from his older half-brother's death on 23 April 1625 until his death on 14 March 1647. In the last seven years of his life, he was also the stadtholder of Groningen (1640-1647).
Breda is a city and municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Brabant. The name derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. Breda has 185,072 inhabitants on 13 September 2022 and is part of the Brabantse Stedenrij; it is the ninth largest city/municipality in the country, and the third largest in North Brabant after Eindhoven and Tilburg. It is equidistant from Rotterdam and Antwerp.
Philip William, Prince of Orange was the eldest son of William the Silent by his first wife Anna van Egmont. He became Prince of Orange in 1584 and Knight of the Golden Fleece in 1599.
The House of Egmond or Egmont is named after the Dutch town of Egmond, province of North Holland, and played an important role in the Netherlands during the Middle Ages and the Early modern period. The main lines Egmond-Geldern, Egmond-Gavere and Egmond-Buren-Leerdam had high noble, princely rank.
The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With the fall of the Hohenstaufen in the first half of the 13th century royal power within Franconia evaporated and the former stem duchy fragmented into separate independent states. Nassau emerged as one of those independent states as part of the Holy Roman Empire. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count of Nassau", subject only to the Emperor, and then elevated to the princely class as "Princely Counts". Early on they divided into two main branches: the elder (Walramian) branch, that gave rise to the German king Adolf, and the younger (Ottonian) branch, that gave rise to the Princes of Orange and the monarchs of the Netherlands.
Anna van Egmont, mainly known as Anna van Buren, was a Dutch heiress who became the first wife of William the Silent, Prince of Orange.
Chalon-Arlay was a noble house of the Holy Roman Empire. They were the lords of Arlay in the county of Burgundy and a cadet branch of the ruling house of the county, the House of Ivrea. The founder of the house was John I of Chalon-Arlay, fifth son of John, Count of Chalon. When John III, lord of Arlay, married Mary de Baux, princess of Orange, the House acquired the principality of Orange.
Breda Castle is a castle in the city of Breda, in the Netherlands.
The monarchy of the Netherlands is governed by the country's constitution, roughly a third of which explains the mechanics of succession, accession, and abdication; the roles and duties of the monarch; the formalities of communication between the States General of the Netherlands; and the monarch's role in creating laws. The monarch is the head of state and the de jure head of government of the Netherlands.
Count John IV of Nassau-Siegen, German: Johann IV. Graf von Nassau-Siegen, official titles: Graf zu Nassau, Vianden und Diez, Herr zu Breda, was since 1442 Count of Nassau-Siegen, of Vianden and of half Diez, and Lord of Breda and of the Lek. He descended from the Ottonian Line of the House of Nassau.
Lady Mary of Looz-Heinsberg, Dutch: Maria van Loon-Heinsberg, was a noble lady from the House of Looz and through marriage Countess of Nassau-Siegen.
Johanna van Polanen was a Dutch noblewoman. She was the daughter of John III of Polanen, Lord of Breda, and his wife, Odilia of Salm. The House of Polanen was a side branch of the still existing House of Wassenaer.
This page shows the coats of arms, heraldic achievements, and heraldic flags of the House of Nassau.
References
↑ (in Dutch)Pennings, J.C.M. & Schreuder, E.A.T.M., ‘Heer en meester van Ameland tot Zwaluwe. Het beheer en bestuur van de heerlijkheden van het Huis Oranje-Nassau door de Nassause Domeinraad (14de eeuw–1811)’ in: Klooster, L.J.van der e.a. (red.), Jaarboek Oranje-Nassau Museum 1994, Barjesteh, Meeuwes & Co Historische Uitgeverij, Rotterdam (1995), p. 45-75, ISBN90-73714-18-4.
↑ Wilhelm von der Nahmer: Handbuch des Rheinischen Particular-Rechts, Sauerländer, 1832, S.577 (Google Books)
↑ The Central Limburg Montfort (Montfort, see below) is often confused with Montfoort bij Heeswijk in connection with the king's titles, see [http://www.kasteelmontfort.eu/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=21&cntnt01returnid=68]. The Limburg Montfort was first given (see below) from Philip IV to William II. Frederick the Great, king of Prussia inherited it, but sold the Limburg Montfort castle in 1769 and the manor of Montfort to the House of Orange, who have since used the title Lord (or Lady) of Montfort. This probably means that the Utrecht Montfort near Heeswijk was never a possession of the Polanens.
1 2 (in Dutch)Pennings, J.C.M. & Schreuder, E.A.T.M., ‘Heer en meester van Ameland tot Zwaluwe. Het beheer en bestuur van de heerlijkheden van het Huis Oranje-Nassau door de Nassause Domeinraad (14de eeuw–1811)’ in: Klooster, L.J.van der e.a. (red.), Jaarboek Oranje-Nassau Museum 1994, Barjesteh, Meeuwes & Co Historische Uitgeverij, Rotterdam (1995), p. 45-75, ISBN90-73714-18-4.
↑ Noord-Brabant tijdens de Republiek der Verenigde Nederlanden, Willem A. van Ham, blz.31
↑ Parker, Geoffrey (2002). The Dutch Revolt. Penguin.
↑ Rowen, Herbert H. (1990). The Princes of Orange: The Stadholders in the Dutch Republic. Cambridge Univ. Press.
↑ Koninklijkhuis (2013). "Frequently asked questions re King William-Alexander". Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst (RVD). Archived from the original(web) on 2013-06-21. Retrieved 2013-05-30. The King's full official titles are King of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg, Count of Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Diez, Spiegelberg, Buren, Leerdam and Culemborg, Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen, Baron of Breda, Diest, Beilstein, the town of Grave and the lands of Cuyk, IJsselstein, Cranendonk, Eindhoven and Liesveld, Hereditary Lord and Seigneur of Ameland, Lord of Borculo, Bredevoort, Lichtenvoorde, 't Loo, Geertruidenberg, Klundert, Zevenbergen, Hoge and Lage Zwaluwe, Naaldwijk, Polanen, St Maartensdijk, Soest, Baarn and Ter Eem, Willemstad, Steenbergen, Montfort, St Vith, Bütgenbach and Dasburg, Viscount of Antwerp.
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, this is a partial listing of larger estates and titles that William the Silent and his heirs possessed, most enfeoffed to some other sovereign, either the King of France, the Habsburgs, or the States of the provinces of the Netherlands [1] 
, Vianden 
, Buren 
, Moers 
, Leerdam 
, and Culemborg (1748) 
, Lands of Cuijk 
, Eindhoven 
, City of Grave 
, Lek 
, IJsselstein 
, Acquoy 
, Diest 
, Grimbergen 
/ 
, Herstal 
, Warneton (Waasten (nl)) 
, Beilstein 
, Bentheim-Lingen 
, Arlay 
, Nozeroy 
, and Orpierre 
; 
, Dasburg 
, Geertruidenberg 
, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe 
, Klundert 
, 't Loo 
, Montfort, 
Naaldwijk 
, Niervaart, Polanen/lands of Polanen 
, Steenbergen 
, Sint-Maartensdijk 
, Turnhout 
& Zevenbergen 
, Willemstad 
, Bütgenbach 
, Sankt Vith 
, and Besançon 
