Frederick William Adolf, Prince Of Nassau-Siegen
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Prince Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen (20 February 1680 – 13 February 1722), , 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 ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German language, German word for a ruler as well as a princely title. ' were, starting in the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ...
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 from the period of the formal recognition of the countly title in 1159 (though "de facto" sovereignty began in 1125) until the declaration of the Duchy of Nassau in 1806 with ...
. 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, found ...
, a
cadet branch 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, titles, fiefs, property and incom ...
of the Ottonian Line of the
House of Nassau The House of Nassau is the name of a European aristocratic dynasty. The name originated with a lordship associated with Nassau Castle, which is located in what is now Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Nassau in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With t ...
. 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 basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curri ...
written by his
councillor A councillor, alternatively councilman, councilwoman, councilperson, or council member, is someone who sits on, votes in, or is a member of, a council. This is typically an elected representative of an electoral district in a municipal or re ...
Miltenberger is kept in the in
The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
.Lück (1981), p. 116.


Biography

Frederick William Adolf was born in the in
Siegen Siegen () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, 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), Arnsberg region. The university town (n ...
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 ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German language, German word for a ruler as well as a princely title. ' were, starting in the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ...
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), , official titles: ''Prinzessin von Nassau, Gräfin zu Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Diez und Holzappel, Frau zu Beilstein, Laurenburg und Schaumburg ...
.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 a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
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 t ...
Frederick III of
Brandenburg Brandenburg, officially the State of Brandenburg, is a States of Germany, state in northeastern Germany. Brandenburg borders Poland and the states of Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. It is the List of Ger ...
(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 juice *Orange (colour), the color of an orange fruit, occurs between red and yellow in the vi ...
(later King William III of England). Already on 6 September 1684 Frederick William Adolf became a
captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
of a
company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...
in the
Dutch States Army The Dutch States Army () 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 army was brought to such a size ...
to the repartitionThrough the system of repartition, the provinces of the Dutch Republic paid for the troops assigned to them. of
Friesland Friesland ( ; ; official ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia (), named after the Frisians, is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen (p ...
.


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 () 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 authority gave him ...
of the
Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
part of the
principality A principality (or sometimes princedom) is a type of monarchy, monarchical state or feudalism, feudal territory ruled by a prince or princess. It can be either a sovereign state or a constituent part of a larger political entity. The term "prin ...
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 ...
and co-ruler of the city of Siegen. He possessed the district of Siegen (with the exception of seven
village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...
s) and the districts of
Hilchenbach Hilchenbach () is a town in the Siegen-Wittgenstein ''Districts of Germany, Kreis'' (district) of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Location Hilchenbach is about northeast of Siegen. The town borders in the south on Netphen, in the west ...
and
Freudenberg Freudenberg can refer to: Companies * Freudenberg Group, a German family-owned diversified group of companies Places France * Freudenberg, Moselle, a village in the French département of Moselle (department), Moselle Germany * Schloss Freuden ...
. He shared the
city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
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 List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
''Fürsten'' of Nassau-Siegen. Frederick William Adolf also succeeded his father as count of
Bronkhorst Bronkhorst is a city in the municipality of Bronckhorst, Gelderland, the Netherlands and, with only 157 inhabitants (2010), one of the smallest cities in the Netherlands (after Staverden, Eembrugge and Sint Anna ter Muiden). Early history T ...
, lord of , , and , and hereditary knight banneret of the
Duchy of Guelders The Duchy of Guelders (; ; ) 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 present-day Germany. Though the present pr ...
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 A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of p ...
. Because he was still a
minor Minor may refer to: Common meanings * Minor (law), a person not under the age of certain legal activities. * Academic minor, a secondary field of study in undergraduate education Mathematics * Minor (graph theory), a relation of one graph to an ...
, he was under the custody and
regency In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
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 app ...
s of
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
and
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, from where he returned to Siegen as late as 1701. 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 "domicile", now obsolete except in the formal sense of an official residence. A related term, ''Residenzstadt'', denotes a city where a sovereign ruler resided, and thus carries a similar meaning to the contemp ...
'', and the nearby church.Aβmann & Menk (1996). Both buildings were built in 1488 by Count John V of Nassau-Siegen as a
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
. The ''Nassauischer Hof'' housed, among others, the collection of
painting Painting is a Visual arts, visual art, which is characterized by the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surface (called "matrix" or "Support (art), support"). The medium is commonly applied to the base with ...
s of the ''Fürsten'' of Nassau-Siegen. Numerous valuable paintings by famous
artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating the work of art. The most common usage (in both everyday speech and academic discourse) refers to a practitioner in the visual arts o ...
s, including
Rembrandt Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (; ; 15 July 1606 – 4 October 1669), mononymously known as Rembrandt was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and Drawing, draughtsman. He is generally considered one of the greatest visual artists in ...
,
Peter Paul Rubens Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ; ; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish painting, Flemish artist and diplomat. He is considered the most influential artist of the Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque tradition. Rubens' highly charged comp ...
and
Anthony van Dyck Sir Anthony van Dyck (; ; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Flemish Baroque painting, Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Spanish Netherlands and Italy. The seventh child of ...
, 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 A palace is a large residence, often serving as a royal residence or the home for a head of state or another high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word is derived from the Latin name palātium, for Palatine Hill in Rome whi ...
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 or main block, or central building of a mansion, country or manor house, castle, or palace. It contains the rooms of principal business, the state apartments and the ceremonial or formal ...
. 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 ...
s
Pieter Pieter is a male given name, the Dutch language, Dutch form of Peter (name), 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 a ...
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 judi ...
of Siegen was always guided by the utmost frugality. When Frederick William Adolf's father-in-law,
Landgrave Landgrave (, , , ; , ', ', ', ', ') was a rank of nobility used in the Holy Roman Empire, and its former territories. The German titles of ', ' ("margrave"), and ' ("count palatine") are of roughly equal rank, subordinate to ' ("duke"), and su ...
Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg (who later became known in
literature Literature is any collection of Writing, written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially novels, Play (theatre), plays, and poetry, poems. It includes both print and Electroni ...
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 ''The Prince of Homburg'', '' Das Käthchen von Heilbronn'' ...
) visited the ''Nassauischer Hof'' in 1702, he was given the obligatory gift of
wine Wine is an alcoholic drink made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented fruit. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the fruit and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Wine is most often made f ...
by the city. At an evening reception in the
town hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...
, however, the landgrave had to settle for
beer Beer is an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...
, 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 ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
for the festive reception, who certainly played at the
dinner Dinner usually refers to what is in many Western cultures the biggest and most formal meal of the day. Historically, the largest meal used to be eaten around noon, midday, and called dinner. Especially among the elite, it gradually migrated to ...
and the
ball A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but sometimes ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for s ...
.


Difficulties with the Catholic Fürst William Hyacinth

In 1703, the Catholic Fürst William Hyacinth had his part of the city separated from the
Reformed Reform is beneficial change. Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine Places * Reform, Al ...
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 serves a decorative purpose. There are various types of walls, including border barriers between countries, brick wal ...
and a
gate A gate or gateway is a point of entry to or from a space enclosed by walls. The word is derived from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*gatan'', meaning an opening or passageway. Synonyms include yett (which comes from the same root w ...
constructed, which was always guarded by two picket guards. At the same time, he had a
tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...
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 was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
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 during th ...
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 In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...
citizen Citizenship is a membership and allegiance to a sovereign state. Though citizenship is often conflated with nationality in today's English-speaking world, international law does not usually use the term ''citizenship'' to refer to nationality ...
s of Siegen in the streets and in some cases to inflict life-threatening
injuries Injury is physiological damage to the living tissue of any organism, whether in humans, in other animals, or in plants. Injuries can be caused in many ways, including mechanically with penetration by sharp objects such as teeth or with b ...
. 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 The Westphalian system, also known as Westphalian soverei ...
.
Prussian Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, the House of Hohenzoll ...
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 The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...
in
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
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 In a tax system, the tax rate is the ratio (usually expressed as a percentage) at which a business or person is taxed. The tax rate that is applied to an individual's or corporation's income is determined by tax laws of the country and can be in ...
, as well as about completely nonsensical regulations which paralysed
economic An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...
life in
Siegerland The Siegerland is a region of Germany covering the old district of Siegen (now part of the district of Siegen-Wittgenstein in North Rhine-Westphalia) and the upper part of the district of Altenkirchen, belonging to the Rhineland-Palatinate adjoin ...
, finally led the
Aulic Council The Aulic Council (; ; literally "Court Council of the Empire", sometimes abbreviated in academic writing as "RHR") was one of the two supreme courts of the Holy Roman Empire, the other being the ''Reichskammergericht'' (Imperial Chamber Court). ...
to order the
Electoral Palatinate The Electoral Palatinate was a constituent state of the Holy Roman Empire until it was annexed by the Electorate of Baden in 1803. From the end of the 13th century, its ruler was one of the Prince-electors who elected the Holy Roman Empero ...
to investigate the conditions in Nassau-Siegen. On 15 July 1706,
dragoon Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat wi ...
s from
Palatinate-Neuburg Palatinate-Neuburg () was a territory of the Holy Roman Empire, founded in 1505 by a branch of the House of Wittelsbach. Its capital was Neuburg an der Donau. Its area was about 2,750 km2, with a population of some 100,000. History The Du ...
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. It was a member state of the Holy Roman Emp ...
. 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 is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and all vertebrate animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood by way of severing through the jugular vein and common c ...
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, w ...
or
conviction In law, a conviction is the determination by a court of law that a defendant is Guilty (law), guilty of a crime. A conviction may follow a guilty plea that is accepted by the court, a jury trial in which a verdict of guilty is delivered, or a ...
, the complaints of the Catholic population to the Aulic Council became so urgent that the latter ordered the
cathedral chapter According to both Catholic and Anglican canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics ( chapter) formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese during the vacancy. In ...
in Cologne to investigate the abuses in the Catholic part of Nassau-Siegen (because the
Archbishop of Cologne The Archbishop of Cologne governs the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cologne in western North Rhine-Westphalia. Historically, the archbishop was ''ex officio'' one of the prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire and ruled the Electorate of Cologne ...
was in
imperial ban The imperial ban () 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 the '' Reichskammerg ...
at the time, the cathedral chapter governed the
Archdiocese of Cologne The Archdiocese of Cologne (; ) is a Latin Church archdiocese of the Catholic Church in western North Rhine-Westphalia and northern Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany. History At an early date Christianity came to Cologne with the Roman soldiers ...
). The subjects of William Hyacinth were particularly annoyed by an
edict An edict is a decree or announcement of a law, often associated with monarchies, but it can be under any official authority. Synonyms include "dictum" and "pronouncement". ''Edict'' derives from the Latin edictum. Notable edicts * Telepinu ...
proclaimed on 8 November 1706, according to which anyone who had a fortune and could pay the
tax A tax is a mandatory financial charge or levy imposed on an individual or legal entity by a governmental organization to support government spending and public expenditures collectively or to regulate and reduce negative externalities. Tax co ...
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 Forensics, Forensic Psychiatry/Centre for Social Psychiatry, lying at the edge of town, in whose outlying buildings is also found th ...
to
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 Hesse 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 Archdiocese of Cologne. The cohesion within the
House of Nassau The House of Nassau is the name of a European aristocratic dynasty. The name originated with a lordship associated with Nassau Castle, which is located in what is now Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Nassau in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With t ...
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 Regensburg (historically known in English as Ratisbon) is a city in eastern Bavaria, at the confluence of the rivers Danube, Naab and Regen (river), Regen, Danube's northernmost point. It is the capital of the Upper Palatinate subregion of the ...
. 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 laws () 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. Prevalent in European mo ...
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.Huberty, et al. (1981).Dek (1970).Vorsterman van Oyen (1882). 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 A pension (; ) is a fund into which amounts are paid regularly during an individual's working career, and from which periodic payments are made to support the person's retirement from work. A pension may be either a " defined benefit plan", wh ...
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 The name Frederick William usually refers to several monarchs and princes of the Hohenzollern dynasty: * Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg (1620–1688) * Frederick William, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1675–1713) * Frederick William I of ...
. 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 Nassau-Hadamar is the name of two side lines of the 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 hereditary title o ...
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 M ...
.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 (; ; ; ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in Friesland, Netherlands, with a population of 127,073 (2023). It is the provincial capital and seat of the Provin ...
.


Death, burial and succession

Frederick William Adolf died of
dropsy Edema (American English), also spelled oedema (British English), and also known as fluid retention, swelling, dropsy and hydropsy, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may inclu ...
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 custody 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, o ...
of the ''Fürstengruft'' in 1951, the
marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...
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
wall A wall is a structure and a surface that defines an area; carries a load; provides security, shelter, or soundproofing; or serves a decorative purpose. There are various types of walls, including border barriers between countries, brick wal ...
s of field-baked
brick A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...
s, some of which were loose and allowed a view into the interior of the niches. In the light of a strong
flashlight A flashlight (US English) or electric torch (Commonwealth English), usually shortened to torch, is a portable hand-held electric lamp. Formerly, the light source typically was a miniature incandescent light bulb, but these have been displaced ...
one could see that in the niche of Frederick William Adolf, at the foot of the very well preserved
coffin A coffin or casket is a funerary box used for viewing or keeping a corpse, for burial, entombment or cremation. Coffins are sometimes referred to as caskets, particularly in American English. A distinction is commonly drawn between "coffins" a ...
, there is a box of about 60x40x40 cm, made of
zinc Zinc is a chemical element; it has symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It 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 periodic tabl ...
or
lead Lead () is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Pb (from Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a Heavy metal (elements), heavy metal that is density, denser than most common materials. Lead is Mohs scale, soft and Ductility, malleabl ...
.


Marriages and issue


First marriage

Frederick William Adolf married at
Homburg Castle Homburg Castle is an old hill castle in Nümbrecht, Oberbergischer Kreis in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. History and construction The ''Homburg'' is first mentioned in records of 1276. Gottfried I of Sayn from the House of Sponhei ...
Menk (2004), p. 197. on 7 January 1702Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 311. to
Landgravine Landgrave (, , , ; , ', ', ', ', ') was a noble title, rank of nobility used in the Holy Roman Empire, and its former territories. The German titles of ', ' ("margrave"), and ' ("count palatine") are of roughly equal rank, subordinate to ' ("du ...
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 Landkreis Schaumburg, 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 ...
, 22 July 1785), married: ## in
Weimar Weimar is a city in the state (Germany), German state of Thuringia, in Central Germany (cultural area), Central Germany between Erfurt to the west and Jena to the east, southwest of Leipzig, north of Nuremberg and west of Dresden. Together w ...
on 27 June 1725 to Fürst Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen (
Köthen Köthen () is a town in Germany. It is the capital of the district of Anhalt-Bitterfeld in Saxony-Anhalt, about north of Halle. Köthen is the location of the main campus and the administrative centre of the regional university, Anhalt Univers ...
, 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 bigg ...
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. Bückeburg ha ...
, 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 of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
, 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 Middachten Castle () is a monumental manor house, located on the Middachten estate, De Steeg, Netherlands. The current building dates from 1693-1698. The castle is a rijksmonument since October 11, 2004, and is part of the Top 100 Dutch heritag ...
,
De Steeg De Steeg is a Dutch village within the municipality of Rheden. Due to its central location within the municipality, it houses the town hall. Middachten Castle is located near the village. Several De Steeg buildings once belonged to the Middachten ...
. 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
The Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
. Frederik Willem II van Nassau-Siegen.jpg, Fürst Frederick William II of Nassau-Siegen. Portrait by Franz Lippold, 1733. Siegerlandmuseum,
Siegen Siegen () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, 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), Arnsberg region. The university town (n ...
.


Second marriage

Frederick William Adolf remarried at the in
Bayreuth Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...
Menk (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), , official titles: ''Herzogin in Livland, zu Kurland und Semgallen, Fürstin zu Pilten'', was a duchess from the House of Kettler and through marriage Fürstin of N ...
(
Mitau Jelgava () is a state city in central Latvia. It is located about southwest of Riga. It is the largest town in the Semigallia region of Latvia. Jelgava was the capital of the united Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1578–1795) and was the ad ...
, 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 Princess Sophie Amalie of Nassau-Siegen (10 January 1650 Jul. – 15/25 November 1688), , official titles: ''Prinzessin von Nassau, Gräfin zu Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Diez, Limburg und Bronkhorst, Frau zu Beilstein, Stirum, Wisch, Bor ...
. From the marriage of Frederick William Adolf and Amalie Louise the following children were born:Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), pp. 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-Hohenstein Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein was a county and later principality between Hesse-Darmstadt and Westphalia. History The county with imperial immediacy was formed by the 1657 partition of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Wittgenstein and raised from a county t ...
Names 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), 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, Grünbe ...
, 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

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Nassau-Siegen, Frederick William Adolf 1680 births 1722 deaths German Calvinist and Reformed Christians German military officers Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen Military personnel from Siegen Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen 17th-century German people 18th-century German people