Christiane of Erbach

Count William of Nassau-Siegen (1592–1642), Christiane's husband. Studio of Jan Antonisz. van Ravesteyn. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. Countess Christiane of Erbach (5 June 1596 – 6 July 1646), , was a countess from the and through marriage Countess of Nassau-Siegen.

Biography Christiane was born on 5 June 1596 as the daughter of Count George III of Erbach (15 July 1548 – 26 February 1605) and Countess Mary of Barby and Mühlingen (8 April 1563 – 29 December 1619). She married at on 17 January 1619 to Count William of Nassau-Siegen (Dillenburg, 13 August 1592 Christiane's older half-brother from her mother's side, Count Christian of Waldeck-Wildungen, was married in November 1604 to Elisabeth of Nassau-Siegen, William's eldest sister.

After the end of the Twelve Years' Truce in 1621, William entered the service of the Dutch States Army, where he was appointed colonel of the infantry on 24 July 1622. Henceforth the county of Nassau-Siegen had two governments, one in Siegen, the other in Hilchenbach. In 1625 William became governor of Emmerich In 1637 William became governor of Sluis. William died at Orsoy on 7/17 July 1642 As field marshal of the Dutch States Army, he was succeeded by his brother-in-law .

Count William Frederick of Nassau-Diez, the stadtholder of Friesland, noted in June 1645 in his diary that Christiane's youngest daughter, sixteen-year-old Wilhelmine Christine, was the favourite girlfriend of Prince William II of Orange, "die hij zoo dicwils custe als hij woude, alleen sijnde, en de borstjes tastede" ("whom he kissed as much as he wished, being alone, and touching the breasts"). William II had to promise Wilhelmine Christine "sich deechlijck te hauden" ("to stay decent"), but the consequence of this intimacy was that Christiane did not want her daughter to be alone with Prince William, "doch dat sie het allebeide sochten" ("but that they both sought it"). When Christiane came in "maeckte prins Wilhelm den slaepert" ("Prince William sneaked out").

Christiane died in Culemborg on 6 July 1646. John William (Siegen Castle, 28 October 1619 Elisabeth Charlotte (Emmerich, 11 March 1626 – Culemborg, 16 November 1694Jul. to Count Josias II of Waldeck-Wildungen (Wildungen, 31 July 1636 – Kandia, 8 August 1669).

One of the daughters from this marriage was engaged to Count Crato of Nassau-Saarbrücken.

Known descendants Christiane has several known descendants. Among them are: the German Emperors Wilhelm I, Frederick III and Wilhelm II, the monarchs George IV, William IV, Victoria, Edward VII, George V, Edward VIII, George VI, Elizabeth II and Charles III of the United Kingdom, the kings Leopold I, Leopold II, Albert I, Leopold III, Baudouin I, Albert II and Philippe I of the Belgians. Great-great-grandparents

Great-grandparents

Grandparents

Parents