William Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen

Prince William Maurice of Nassau-Siegen (18/28 January 1649 – 23 January 1691Jul.), , 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 a count from the House of Nassau-Siegen, a cadet branch of the Ottonian Line of the House of Nassau. He served as an officer in the Dutch States Army. In 1664, he was elevated to the rank and title of prince. In 1679, he became Fürst of Nassau-Siegen, a part of the County of Nassau.

William Maurice is described as a man of integrity, but not a man of above-average talent.

Biography

William Maurice was born at in Terborg on 18/28 January 1649 as the eldest son of Count Henry of Nassau-Siegen and Countess Mary Magdalene of Limburg-Stirum. After the death of their father, William Maurice and his brother Frederick Henry were adopted by their uncle Fürst John Maurice of Nassau-Siegen.

After the death of his maternal grandfather, Count George Ernest of Limburg-Stirum, in September 1661, William Maurice succeeded him as count of Bronkhorst, lord of , , and , and hereditary knight banneret of the Duchy of Guelders and the County of Zutphen. Thus, these properties came into the possession of the House of Nassau.

On 29 April 1663, William Maurice became a hopman of a company of Swiss soldiers in the Dutch States Army. On 20 April 1672 he became lieutenant colonel of an infantry regiment and in 1673 he was promoted to colonel. In 1678 he also became ritmeester of a cavalry company to the repartition of Friesland.

William Maurice and his brother Frederick Henry accompanied their uncle and adoptive father John Maurice on his journey to the city of Siegen, where they arrived on 21/31 August 1663. On 7 January 1664, the two brothers were inaugurated in the town hall of Siegen, where they confirmed the city privileges and liberties. Both brothers were elevated into the Reichsfürstenstand on 6 May 1664. and also a knight of the Teutonic Order (Bailiwick of Utrecht) and commander of Tiel.

Siegen in 1617. From Braun & Hogenberg, Civitates orbis terrarum Band 6, Cologne, 1617. In the middle (under the word Coenobiu) the St. John's Church of the former monastery, which buildings were the Residenz of the Protestant Fürsten of Nassau-Siegen with the name Nassauischer Hof. Left from the center the St. Nicholas Church. In 1678, William Maurice was appointed co-regent by John Maurice.

William Maurice died in the Nassauischer Hof in Siegen on 23 January 1691Jul., who was under the custody and regency of his mother until 1701. 20 May 1662Jul. – Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, ("See State Archives Wiesbaden (170III) notification of death dated Siegen 23‑2‑1732: «vorgestern Mittag zwischen 11 und 12 Uhren in dem 70ten Jahres ihres Alters».) See also the parish records of Siegen. Europäische Stammtafeln I, 117 and 118 states the fantasised dates 21‑2‑1714 and 19‑10‑1714 respectively." Fürst Frederick William Adolf (Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 20 February 1680 – Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 13 February 1722), succeeded his father in 1691. Married: at Homburg Castle on 7 January 1702 to Landgravine Elisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg (Homburg Castle, 6 January 1681 – Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 12 November 1707). at the in Bayreuth on 13 April 1708 ("Although Dek (1962) and Dek (1970) place the marriage in Bayreuth on 20‑4‑1708 (date confirmed by Europäische Stammtafeln I, 117, Europäische Stammtafeln II, 88 and Knetsch (1931)), we find in the marriage contract that was signed in Siegen on 6‑8‑1708: «solches durch das Fürstliche Beylager mit öffentlichen und gewöhnlichen Christfürstlichen Ceremonien den 13.) April des noch laufenden 1708 Jahres in der Fürstlichen Residenz zu Bayreuth vollzogen». The date 13 April is confirmed by the notification of the marriage (see State Archives Marburg 4f, Nassau-Siegen N. 241), dated Bayreuth 18‑4‑1708: «den 13. Aprilis allhier zu Bayreuth … durch würklich gehaltenes Beylager». See also in the Royal House Archive of the Netherlands (IV/1561), personalia: «den 13. April 1708 dero christfürstl. Beylager in Bayreuth». The registers of the Hofkirche in Bayreuth have disappeared." Great-great-grandparents

Otto IV of Holstein-Schauenburg-Pinneberg(ca. 1517–1576)⚭ 1558Elisabeth Ursula of Brunswick-Lüneburg(1539–1586)

Gumprecht II of Neuenahr-Alpen(ca. 1503–1555)⚭ 1542Amöna of Daun-Falkenstein(ca. 1520–ca. 1582) Great-grandparents

Grandparents

Parents