John William Friso, Prince of Orange

John William Friso ( ; 14 August 1687 – 14 July 1711) was the Stadtholder of Friesland and Groningen in the Dutch Republic who became the (titular) Prince of Orange in 1702. He also served in the Dutch States Army during the War of the Spanish Succession and played a major part in battles such as Oudenaarde and Malplaquet. His career came to an abrupt end when he died by accidental drowning, while crossing the Hollands Diep, in 1711.

Background Born on 14 August 1687 in Dessau, Anhalt, John William Friso was the son of Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz, and Princess Henriëtte Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau who were both first cousins of William III. He was also a member of the House of Nassau (the branch of Nassau-Dietz), and through the testamentary dispositions of William III became the progenitor of the new line of the House of Orange-Nassau. He was educated under Jean Lemonon, professor at the University of Franeker.

Succession With the death of William III of England and Orange, the legitimate male line of William the Silent (the second House of Orange) became extinct. John William Friso, the senior agnatic descendant of William the Silent's brother and a cognatic descendant of Frederick Henry, grandfather of William III, claimed the succession as stadtholder in all provinces held by William III. This was denied to him by the republican faction in the Netherlands.

The five provinces over which William III ruled – Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland and Overijssel – all suspended the office of stadtholder after William III's death. The remaining two provinces – Friesland and Groningen – were never governed by William III, and continued to retain a separate stadtholder, John William Friso. He established the third House of Orange. His son, William IV, Prince of Orange, later became stadtholder of all seven provinces.

NameBirthDeathNotes Anna Charlotte Amalia 23 October 1710 18 September 1777 married Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Baden-Durlach; had issue, including Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Baden William IV, Prince of Orange 1 September 1711 22 October 1751 married Anne, Princess Royal; had issue, including William V, Prince of Orange

Royal descendants

Legacy Monuments in Moerdijk and Strijensas, on both sides of the historic ferry crossing across the Hollands Diep, commemorate the drowning of John William Friso. Commemorated in a praise poem by Jetske Reinou van der Malen The Regiment Infantry Prins Johan Willem Friso (RI PJWF) is named in his honour. Central Royal Military Band of the Netherlands Army "Johan Willem Friso" is named in his honour. He along with his wife, Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel, were the most recent ancestors of all reigning European monarchs from the end of World War II until 2022. This is when Charles III of the United Kingdom became monarch, and the most recent ancestors became Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt and Caroline of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken.

Ancestry