Prince Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen (20 February 1680 – 13 February 1722), german: link=no, Friedrich Wilhelm Adolf 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 1691 Fürst of

Nassau-Siegen Nassau-Siegen was a principality within the Holy Roman Empire that existed between 1303 and 1328, and again from 1606 to 1743. From 1626 to 1734, it was subdivided into Catholic and Protestant parts. Its capital was the city of Siegen, found ...

, a part of the

County of Nassau The County of Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire and later part of the German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, the male line of which is now extinct, was the House of Nassau. Origins Nassau, originally a county, developed ...

. He descended from the

House of Nassau-Siegen Nassau-Siegen was a principality within the Holy Roman Empire that existed between 1303 and 1328, and again from 1606 to 1743. From 1626 to 1734, it was subdivided into Catholic and Protestant parts. Its capital was the city of Siegen, founde ...

, a

cadet branch In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets— realm, tit ...

of the Ottonian Line of the

House of Nassau 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. The lords of Nassau were originally titled "Count ...

Biography

Frederick William Adolf was born in the in

Siegen Siegen () is a city in Germany, in the south Westphalian part of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is located in the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in the Arnsberg region. The university town (nearly 20,000 students in the 2018–2019 winter semest ...

Menk (2004), p. 198. on 20 February 1680All sources that mention a full date of birth, state this date. as the eldest son of Fürst William Maurice of Nassau-Siegen and Princess

Ernestine Charlotte of Nassau-Schaumburg Princess Ernestine Charlotte of Nassau-Schaumburg (20 May 1662 Jul. – 21 February 1732), german: Ernestine Charlotte Prinzessin von Nassau-Schaumburg, official titles: ''Prinzessin von Nassau, Gräfin zu Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Diez ...

.All sources that mention both parents, name these parents. He was baptised in Siegen on 3 March.Dek (1970), p. 97. Among his godfathers were two later

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

s, namely

Elector Elector may refer to: * Prince-elector or elector, a member of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Holy Roman Emperors * Elector, a member of an electoral college ** Confederate elector, a member of ...

Frederick III of

Brandenburg Brandenburg (; nds, Brannenborg; dsb, Bramborska ) is a state in the northeast of Germany bordering the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony, as well as the country of Poland. With an area of 29,480 sq ...

(later King Frederick I of Prussia) and Prince William III of

Orange Orange most often refers to: *Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis'' ** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower *Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum * ...

(later King William III of England).Lück (1981), p. 116. Already on 6 September 1684 Frederick William Adolf became a captain of a company in the

Dutch States Army The Dutch States Army ( nl, Staatse leger) was the army of the Dutch Republic. It was usually called this, because it was formally the army of the States-General of the Netherlands, the sovereign power of that federal republic. This mercenary arm ...

to the repartitionThrough the system of repartition, the provinces of the Dutch Republic paid for the troops assigned to them. of

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

. Not much is known about his life, but a short

biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

written by his

councillor A councillor is an elected representative for a local government council in some countries. Canada Due to the control that the provinces have over their municipal governments, terms that councillors serve vary from province to province. Unl ...

Miltenberger is kept in the in

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

Fürst of Nassau-Siegen

On the death of his father in 1691, Frederick William Adolf succeeded his father as the

territorial lord A territorial lord (german: Landesherr) was a ruler in the period beginning with the Early Middle Ages who, stemming from his status as being immediate (''unmittelbar''), held a form of authority over a territory known as ''Landeshoheit''. This a ...

of the

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

part of the principality of Nassau-Siegen and co-ruler of the city of Siegen. He possessed the district of Siegen (with the exception of seven

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

s) and the districts of Hilchenbach and Freudenberg. He shared the

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

of Siegen with his second cousins, John Francis Desideratus (until 1699) and William Hyacinth (since 1699), the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

''Fürsten'' of Nassau-Siegen. Frederick William Adolf also succeeded his father as count of

Bronkhorst Bronkhorst is a village in the municipality of Bronckhorst, Gelderland, the Netherlands. Technically, it is a city (see below) and with only 157 inhabitants (2010), it is one of the smallest cities in the Netherlands (after Staverden, Eembrugge a ...

, lord of , , and , and hereditary knight banneret of the

Duchy of Guelders The Duchy of Guelders ( nl, Gelre, french: Gueldre, german: Geldern) is a historical duchy, previously county, of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries. Geography The duchy was named after the town of Geldern (''Gelder'') in p ...

and the

County of Zutphen The County of Zutphen, located in modern-day Gelderland, a province of the Netherlands, was formed in the eleventh century as a fief of the Bishop of Utrecht. It was ruled by the Counts of Zutphen between 1046 and 1138, and then formed a per ...

. Because he was still a minor, he was under the guardianship and

regency A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...

of his mother until 1701.Menk (2004), p. 199. The young prince made several trips to the

royal court A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word "court" may also be appl ...

s of

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, from where he returned to Siegen as late as 1701. Siegen Unteres Schloss 1720 Totale

In 1695, a major city fire destroyed a large part of Siegen, including the ''Nassauischer Hof'', the princely ''

Residenz Residenz () is a German word for "place of living", now obsolete except in the formal sense of an official residence. A related term, Residenzstadt, denotes a city where a sovereign ruler resided, therefore carrying a similar meaning as the modern ...

'', and the nearby church.Aβmann & Menk (1996). Both buildings were built in 1488 by Count John V of Nassau-Siegen as a

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone ( hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer whi ...

. The ''Nassauischer Hof'' housed, among others, the collection of

painting Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called the "matrix" or "support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush, but other implements, such as knives, sponges, and ai ...

s of the ''Fürsten'' of Nassau-Siegen. Numerous valuable paintings by famous artists, including Rembrandt,

Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens (; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat from the Duchy of Brabant in the Southern Netherlands (modern-day Belgium). He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque tradi ...

and Anthony van Dyck, fell victim to the flames. The nearby was spared in the fire. The burnt down residence building was not rebuilt. Under the old name, a new three-winged palace was built on the site, and the ''Fürstengruft'' was completely incorporated into the

corps de logis In architecture, a ''corps de logis'' () is the principal block of a large, (usually classical), mansion or palace. It contains the principal rooms, state apartments and an entry.Curl, James Stevens (2006). ''Oxford Dictionary of Architecture ...

. The construction of the new palace, which has been called ''Untere Schloss'' since the middle of the 18th century, took place between 1695 and 1720. Frederick William Adolf devoted all his energy to governmental affairs and the reconstruction of the city of Siegen and the new palace (for which the plans were still the work of Fürst John Maurice and his Dutch

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Pieter Pieter is a male given name, the Dutch form of Peter. The name has been one of the most common names in the Netherlands for centuries, but since the mid-twentieth century its popularity has dropped steadily, from almost 3000 per year in 1947 ...

and

Maurits Post Maurits Post (ca. 10 December 1645 – 6 June 1677) was a Dutch Golden Age architect. Biography Post was born in Haarlem, the son of the architect Pieter Post, and was probably his assistant, as he took over his father's projects when he died i ...

). The hospitality of the

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judic ...

of Siegen was always guided by the utmost frugality. When Frederick William Adolf’s father-in-law,

Landgrave Landgrave (german: Landgraf, nl, landgraaf, sv, lantgreve, french: landgrave; la, comes magnus, ', ', ', ', ') was a noble title used in the Holy Roman Empire, and later on in its former territories. The German titles of ', ' (" margrave"), ...

Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg (who later became known in

literature Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...

as '' Prinz Friedrich von Homburg'' through

Heinrich von Kleist Bernd Heinrich Wilhelm von Kleist (18 October 177721 November 1811) was a German poet, dramatist, novelist, short story writer and journalist. His best known works are the theatre plays '' Das Käthchen von Heilbronn'', ''The Broken Jug'', ''Amph ...

) visited the ''Nassauischer Hof'' in 1702, he was given the obligatory gift of

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

by the city. At an evening reception in the town hall, however, the landgrave had to settle for

beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...

, because – according to the town’s accounts – ‘''er seinen Wein bereits erhalten habe''’ (‘he already had received his wine’). As a special honour, however, the magistrate had engaged the city pipers from

Cologne Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...

for the festive reception, who certainly played at the

dinner Dinner usually refers to what is in many Western cultures the largest and most formal meal of the day, which is eaten in the evening. Historically, the largest meal used to be eaten around midday, and called dinner. Especially among the elite ...

and the ball. Willem Hyacinth, by Nicolas de Largillière

Difficulties with the Catholic Fürst William Hyacinth

In 1703, the Catholic Fürst William Hyacinth had his part of the city separated from the Reformed part, although the city was actually jointly owned, and at the lower end of ''Burgstraße'' he had a

wall A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or, is decorative. There are many kinds of walls, including: * Walls in buildings that form a fundamental part of the sup ...

and a gate constructed, which was always guarded by two picket guards. At the same time, he had a

tower A tower is a tall structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting structures. Towers are specifi ...

built next to the wall enclosing the ''Hasengarten'', which was flattened at the top and on which stood a statue of the

Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...

and was therefore popularly known as ‘''die platte Merge''’ (‘the flat virgin’). The tower was equipped with two

cannon A cannon is a large- caliber gun classified as a type of artillery, which usually launches a projectile using explosive chemical propellant. Gunpowder ("black powder") was the primary propellant before the invention of smokeless powder ...

s aimed at the ''Residenz'' of the Reformed princely family in the ''Nassauischer Hof''. Frederick William Adolf repeatedly tried – through the mediation his relatives Fürst William II of Nassau-Dillenburg and Fürst Francis Alexander of Nassau-Hadamar – to reach an amicable settlement with William Hyacinth, but the latter remained unapproachable. His servants dared to assault citizens of Siegen in the streets and in some cases to inflict life-threatening

injuries An injury is any physiological damage to living tissue caused by immediate physical stress. An injury can occur intentionally or unintentionally and may be caused by blunt trauma, penetrating trauma, burning, toxic exposure, asphyxiation, or o ...

. Therefore, Frederick William Adolf finally requested the intervention of King Frederick I of Prussia in his capacity as member of the

Westphalian Circle Westphalian may refer to: * The culture or people of the Westphalia region of Germany * Westphalian language, one of the major dialect groups of West Low German * Westphalian sovereignty, a concept in international relations * Westphalian (stage), ...

Prussian Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an e ...

troops then entered Siegen and temporarily (18 January – 24 February 1705) secured the rights of the population. During this period, the citizens destroyed ‘''die platte Merge''’.Lück (1981), p. 143. William Hyacinth, who stayed with the

Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

at the beginning of 1705 and hoped in vain to win him over, experienced many changes on his return. Suddenly he intensified the pressure in the religious domain. Complaints about this and about the unbearable burden of the tax rate, as well as about completely nonsensical regulations which paralysed

economic An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the ...

life in Siegerland, finally led the

Aulic Council The Aulic Council ( la, Consilium Aulicum, german: Reichshofrat, literally meaning Court Council of the Empire) was one of the two supreme courts of the Holy Roman Empire, the other being the Imperial Chamber Court. It had not only concurrent juri ...

to order the

Electoral Palatinate The Electoral Palatinate (german: Kurpfalz) or the Palatinate (), officially the Electorate of the Palatinate (), was a state that was part of the Holy Roman Empire. The electorate had its origins under the rulership of the Counts Palatine of ...

to investigate the conditions in Nassau-Siegen. On 15 July 1706, Palatinate-Neuburgian dragoons suddenly entered Siegen, together with a detachment of Prussian troops and 500 men of the ''Ausschuß'' of the

Duchy of Berg Berg was a state—originally a county, later a duchy—in the Rhineland of Germany. Its capital was Düsseldorf. It existed as a distinct political entity from the early 12th to the 19th centuries. The name of the county lives on in the modern ...

. They did not leave the city until 24 July, after various military measures to end harrowing injustices. When on 29 March 1707 William Hyacinth had the innocent citizen Friedrich Flender

beheaded Decapitation or beheading is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and most other animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood, while all other organs are deprived of the ...

without

trial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal ...

conviction In law, a conviction is the verdict reached by a court of law finding a defendant guilty of a crime. The opposite of a conviction is an acquittal (that is, "not guilty"). In Scotland, there can also be a verdict of " not proven", which is cons ...

, the complaints of the Catholic population to the Aulic Council became so urgent that the latter ordered the cathedral chapter in CologneSince the Archbishop of Cologne was in

imperial ban The imperial ban (german: Reichsacht) was a form of outlawry in the Holy Roman Empire. At different times, it could be declared by the Holy Roman Emperor, by the Imperial Diet, or by courts like the League of the Holy Court (''Vehmgericht'') or t ...

at the time, the cathedral chapter governed the

Archdiocese of Cologne The Archdiocese of Cologne ( la, Archidioecesis Coloniensis; german: Erzbistum Köln) is an archdiocese of the Catholic Church in western North Rhine-Westphalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. History The Electorate of Cologn ...

. to investigate the abuses in the Catholic part of Nassau-Siegen. The subjects of William Hyacinth were particularly annoyed by an

edict An edict is a decree or announcement of a law, often associated with monarchism, but it can be under any official authority. Synonyms include "dictum" and "pronouncement". ''Edict'' derives from the Latin edictum. Notable edicts * Telepinu Pro ...

proclaimed on 8 November 1706, according to which anyone who had a fortune and could pay the

tax A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, or n ...

es but did not, had to have their heads cut off. The Friedrich Flender case had shown that William Hyacinth was indeed serious about carrying out such threats. On 20 April 1707 representatives of the cathedral chapter in Cologne appeared in Siegen with an armed contingent and occupied . William Hyacinth fled headlong, first to Burbach, then via

Hadamar Hadamar is a small town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany. Hadamar is known for its Clinic for Forensic Psychiatry/Centre for Social Psychiatry, lying at the edge of town, in whose outlying buildings is also found the Hadamar Mem ...

Limburg an der Lahn Limburg an der Lahn (officially abbreviated ''Limburg a. d. Lahn'') is the district seat of Limburg-Weilburg in Hesse, Germany. Geography Location Limburg lies in western Hessen between the Taunus and the Westerwald on the river Lahn. The t ...

. There he invited William II of Nassau-Dillenburg and Francis Alexander of Nassau-Hadamar and pointed out to them what it could mean if a Nassau area were to fall permanently under the administration of the

. The cohesion within the House of Nassau was so great that the relatives even promised their support to such an incompetent man as William Hyacinth in order to regain governmental power.Lück (1981), p. 144. The next year and a half, William Hyacinth stayed in Regensburg. His attempts at the Imperial Diet achieved nothing. Furthermore, at that time he also tried to sell the Catholic principality of Nassau-Siegen. He offered it to Frederick I of Prussia, but the latter did not even consider it because he knew that such a sale would be against the Nassau

house law House law or House laws (''Hausgesetze'') are rules that govern a royal family or dynasty in matters of eligibility for succession to a throne, membership in a dynasty, exercise of a regency, or entitlement to dynastic rank, titles and styles. ...

s. Willem Hyacinth also offered it to his Protestant second cousin Frederick William Adolf. The latter did not accept the offer because everyone could foresee that the Catholic line of Nassau-Siegen sooner or later would become extinct without male heirs and that the part of the land would fall to the Protestant relatives anyway.But actually the Protestant line already became extinct in the male line in 1734, while the Catholic line became extinct in the male line in 1743. In October 1712 Frederick William Adolf and William Hyacinth 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 ''

Reichsthaler The ''Reichsthaler'' (; modern spelling Reichstaler), or more specifically the ''Reichsthaler specie'', was a standard thaler silver coin introduced by the Holy Roman Empire in 1566 for use in all German states, minted in various versions for the ...

s''. There was even an intention to marry off Maria Anna Josepha, William Hyacinth’s underage daughter, to the even younger reformed Hereditary Prince Frederick William. All this was done not in the least to get rid of the troublesome foreign administration.

Partial inheritance of Nassau-Hadamar

On the death of Fürst Francis Alexander of Nassau-Hadamar in 1711, when the

House of Nassau-Hadamar Nassau-Hadamar is the name of two side lines of the Otto I of Nassau, Ottonian main line of the House of Nassau. The older line of the counts of Nassau-Hadamar existed from 1303 to 1394; the younger line existed from 1607 to 1711 and received the h ...

became extinct in the male line, Frederick William Adolf inherited the Principality of Nassau-Hadamar together with the ''Fürsten'' William Hyacinth of Nassau-Siegen, William II of Nassau-Dillenburg and John William Friso of Nassau-Diez. When the principality of Nassau-Hadamar was divided in 1717, Frederick William Adolf and William Hyacinth of Nassau-Siegen acquired the city of Hadamar, Dehrn and

Niederzeuzheim Hadamar is a small town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany. Hadamar is known for its Clinic for Forensic Psychiatry/Centre for Social Psychiatry, lying at the edge of town, in whose outlying buildings is also found the Hadamar Memo ...

.Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 354. These territories represented one third of the inheritance. As they belonged to both William Hyacinth and Frederick William Adolf, Frederick William Adolf therefore owned only one-sixth of Nassau-Hadamar. Franzalexander stadtmuseum.jpg, Fürst Francis Alexander of Nassau-Hadamar. Stadtmuseum Hadamar. Willem II van Nassau-Dillenburg 1670-1734.jpg, Fürst William II of Nassau-Dillenburg. Anonymous portrait. Townhall, Herborn. Portrait of Johan Willem Friso van Nassau-Dietz (1687-1711) by Lancelot Volders.jpg, Fürst John William Friso of Nassau-Diez. Portrait by Lancelot Volders, 1710. Stadhouderlijk Hof,

Leeuwarden Leeuwarden (; fy, Ljouwert, longname=yes /; Stadsfries dialects, Town Frisian: ''Liwwadden''; Leeuwarder dialect: ''Leewarden'') is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in Fri ...

Death, burial and succession

Frederick William Adolf died of

dropsy Edema, also spelled oedema, and also known as fluid retention, dropsy, hydropsy and swelling, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may include skin which feels tight, the area ma ...

in the ''Nassauischer Hof'' in Siegen on 13 February 1722.All sources that mention a full date of death, state this date. He was buried on 10 April in the ''Fürstengruft'' there. He was succeeded by his son Frederick William II,Menk (2004), p. 200. who was under the guardianship and regency of his stepmother until 1727. When, during the

renovation Renovation (also called remodeling) is the process of improving broken, damaged, or outdated structures. Renovations are typically done on either commercial or residential buildings. Additionally, renovation can refer to making something new, ...

of the ''Fürstengruft'' in 1951, the

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite. Marble is typically not foliated (layered), although there are exceptions. In geology, the term ''marble'' refers to metamorphose ...

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

s 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 Adolf, at the foot of the very well preserved coffin, there is a box of about 60x40x40 cm, made of

zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...

lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cu ...

Marriages and issue

First marriage

Frederick William Adolf married at Homburg CastleMenk (2004), p. 197. on 7 January 1702Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 311. to

Landgravine Landgrave (german: Landgraf, nl, landgraaf, sv, lantgreve, french: landgrave; la, comes magnus, ', ', ', ', ') was a noble title used in the Holy Roman Empire, and later on in its former territories. The German titles of ', ' ("margrave"), ...

Elisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg (Homburg Castle,Menk (2004), p. 196. 6 January 1681 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 12 November 1707), the fifth daughter of Landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg and his second wife Duchess

Louise Elisabeth of Courland Louise Elisabeth of Courland (12 August 1646 in Jelgava – 16 December 1690 in Weferlingen) was Landgravine of Hesse-Homburg by marriage to Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg. Life Louise Elisabeth was a daughter of Duke Jacob of Co ...

. From the marriage of Frederick William Adolf and Elisabeth Juliana Francisca the following children were born: # Charlotte Frederica (Siegen, 30 November 1702 –

Stadthagen Stadthagen () is the capital of the district of Schaumburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approximately 20 km east of Minden and 40 km west of Hanover. The city consists of the districts Brandenburg, Enzen-Hobbensen, Hörkamp-L ...

, 22 July 1785), married: ## in

Weimar Weimar is a city in the state of Thuringia, Germany. It is located in Central Germany between Erfurt in the west and Jena in the east, approximately southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together with the neighbouri ...

on 27 June 1725 to Fürst Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen ( Köthen, 29 November 1694^Jul. – Köthen, 19 November 1728). ## in

Varel Varel () is a town in the district of Friesland, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Jade River and the Jade Bight, approximately south of Wilhelmshaven and north of Oldenburg. With a population of 23,984 (2020) it is the bigge ...

on 26 April 1730 to Count Albrecht Wolfgang of Schaumburg-Lippe-Bückeburg (

Bückeburg Bückeburg (Northern Low Saxon: ''Bückeborg'') is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, on the border with North Rhine Westphalia. It is located in the district of Schaumburg close to the northern slopes of the Weserbergland ridge. Population: 21,0 ...

, 27 April 1699 – Bückeburg, 24 September 1748). # Sophia Mary (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 28 January 1704 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 28 August 1704). # Sibylle Henriette EleonoreHuberty, et al. (1981), p. 354 names her Sibylle Henriëtte. The given name Sibylla Henrietta Eleonora in Menk (2004), p. 198; Sibylle Henriëtte Eleonora in Dek (1970), p. 97; Sibylle Henriette Eleonore in Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 35 and Sibilla Henrietta Eleonora in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 128. (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 21 September 1705 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 5 September 1712). # Fürst Frederick William II (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 11 November 1706 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 2 March 1734), succeeded his father in 1722. Married at Ludwigseck Hunting Lodge near on 23 September 1728 to Countess Sophie Polyxena Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

, 28 May 1709 – , Siegen, 15 December 1781). # Sophia Elizabeth (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 7 November 1707 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 5 October 1708). Portrait of Elisabeth Juliana Franziska van Hessen-Homburg (1681-1707).jpg, Landgravine Elisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg (1681–1707). Anonymous portrait, late 17th century or early 18th century. Middachten Castle, De Steeg. Portret van Charlotte Frederika van Nassau -Siegen (1702-1785).jpg, Princess Charlotte Frederica of Nassau-Siegen (1702–1785). Portrait by Christoph Gottfried Ringe, 1751
Foundation Historical Collections of the House of Orange-Nassau

Second marriage

Frederick William Adolf remarried at the in BayreuthMenk (2004), p. 201. on 13 April 1708 to his first cousin Duchess

Amalie Louise of Courland Duchess Amalie Louise of Courland (23 July 1687 – 18 January 1750), german: Amalia Luise Herzogin von Kurland, official titles: ''Herzogin in Livland, zu Kurland und Semgallen, Fürstin zu Pilten'', was a duchess from the House of Ket ...

(

Mitau Jelgava (; german: Mitau, ; see also other names) is a state city in central Latvia about southwest of Riga with 55,972 inhabitants (2019). It is the largest town in the region of Zemgale (Semigalia). Jelgava was the capital of the united ...

, 23 July 1687 – ''Unteres Schloss'', Siegen, 18 January 1750), the third daughter of Duke Frederick Casimir of Courland and his first wife Princess Sophie Amalie of Nassau-Siegen. From the marriage of Frederick William Adolf and Amalie Louise the following children were born:Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 128–129. # Sophia Wilhelmine Adolphina (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 28 February 1709 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 16 December 1710). # Charles Frederick (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 4 March 1710 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 25 December 1710). # Wilhelmine Charlotte LouiseHuberty, et al. (1981), p. 355 names her Charlotte Wilhelmine. The given name Wilhelmina Charlotta Luisa in Menk (2004), p. 201; Wilhelmina Charlotte Louise in Dek (1970), p. 97; Wilhelmine Charlotte Luise in Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 35 and Wilhelmina Charlotta Louisa in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 129. (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 25 April 1711 – ''Untere Schloss'', Siegen, 7 March 1771). # Augusta AmelieGiven name according to Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 355. The given name Augusta Amelia Albertina Henriëtte Elisabeth in Dek (1970), p. 97 and Augusta Amalia Albertina Henrietta Elisabeth in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 129. (Siegen, 9 September 1712 – Wittgenstein Castle, Laasphe, 22 February 1742), married in Siegen on 6 May 1738 to Count Frederick of Sayn-Wittgenstein-HohensteinNames according to Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 355. The names Karel Frederik Willem van Sayn-Wittgenstein in Dek (1970), p. 97 and Carel Frederik Willem van Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 129. (Berlin, 29 January 1708 – 9 June 1756). He later remarried the youngest sister of Augusta Amelie. # Louis Ferdinand (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 29 March 1714 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 26 February 1715). # Caroline Amelie Adolphina (Siegen, 26 November 1715 –

Laubach Laubach is a town of approximately 10,000 people in the Gießen region of Hesse, Germany. Laubach is known as a ', a climatic health resort. It is situated east of Gießen. Surrounding Laubach are the towns of Hungen, Grünberg, Schotten and ...

, 10 August 1752), married at Wittgenstein Castle in Laasphe on 11 February 1751 to Count Christian August of Solms-Laubach (

Wetzlar Wetzlar () is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. It is the twelfth largest city in Hesse with currently 55,371 inhabitants at the beginning of 2019 (including second homes). As an important cultural, industrial and commercial center, the un ...

, 1 August 1714 – Laubach, 20 February 1784). # William Maurice (''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 1 March 1717 – ''Nassauischer Hof'', Siegen, 5 August 1719). # Elizabeth Hedwig (Siegen, 19 April 1719 – Wittgenstein Castle, Laasphe, 10 January 1789), married in Siegen on 12 June 1743 to Count Frederick of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein (Berlin, 29 January 1708 – 9 June 1756). He was the widower of an older sister of Elisabeth Hedwig. Amalia Luise von Kurland 1687-1750.jpg, Duchess Amalie Louise of Courland (1687–1750). Detail of an anonymous portrait, 18th century. Siegerlandmuseum, Siegen. Augusta Amalia van Nassau-Siegen.jpg, Princess Augusta Amelie of Nassau-Siegen (1712–1742). Portrait by Johann Philipp Behr, 1738. Siegerlandmuseum, Siegen. Carolina Amalia Adolfina van Nassau-Siegen.jpg, Princess Caroline Amelie Adolphina of Nassau-Siegen (1715–1752). Portrait by Johann Philipp Behr, 1738. Siegerlandmuseum, Siegen. Elisabeth Hedwig van Nassau-Siegen.jpg, Princess Elizabeth Hedwig of Nassau-Siegen (1719–1789). Portrait by Johann Philipp Behr, 1738. Siegerlandmuseum, Siegen.

Ancestors

Notes

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * (2004). "Die Fürstengruft zu Siegen und die darin von 1669 bis 1781 erfolgten Beisetzungen". In: u.a. (Redaktion), ''Siegener Beiträge. Jahrbuch für regionale Geschichte'' (in German). Vol. 9. Siegen: Geschichtswerkstatt Siegen – Arbeitskreis für Regionalgeschichte e.V. p. 183–202. * * * * (1882). ''Het vorstenhuis Oranje-Nassau. Van de vroegste tijden tot heden'' (in Dutch). Leiden: A.W. Sijthoff/Utrecht: J.L. Beijers.

External links

Friedrich Wilhelm I Adolf Fürst zu Nassau-Siegen
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by Darryl Lundy.

In

compiled by Charles Cawley.

In

by Paul Theroff. , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Nassau-Siegen, Frederick William Adolf 1680 births 1722 deaths German Calvinist and Reformed Christians German military officers Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen People from Siegen 17th-century German people 18th-century German people