Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

ess Ottilie of Nassau-SiegenIn many sources she is called Ottilie of Nassau-Dillenburg. The County of Nassau-Siegen is erroneously called Nassau-Dillenburg in many sources. The county was not named after the small, unimportant city of Dillenburg, which did not even have a church until 1491, but after the, for that time, large city of Siegen, the economic centre of the county and the counts' main residence. See Lück (1981), ''passim''. It is also evident from the numbering of the reigning counts with the given name John. One John without regal number who ruled the County of Nassau-Dillenburg in the period 1303–1328, and eight counts by the name of John who ruled the County of Nassau-Siegen in the period 1362–1638. (before or on 18 April 1437 – July 1493), , official titles: ''Gräfin zu Nassau, Vianden und Diez'', was a countess 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 ...

, and through marriage respectively Countess of Katzenelnbogen and Countess of Tierstein.

Biography

Ottilie was born before or on 18 April 1437,Schutte (1979), p. 41, Dek (1970), p. 67 and Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 92 all state born in April 1437. Since her mother died on 18 April 1437, Ottilie must have been born before or no later than on 18 April 1437. possibly in

Breda Breda ( , , , ) is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southern part of the Netherlands, located in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of North Brabant. ...

,Since her mother died in Breda (in childbirth?), Ottilie was probably born in that city. as the only daughter of

Henry II of Nassau-Siegen and his first wife Countess Genoveva of Virneburg.Schutte (1979), p. 41.Dek (1970), p. 67.Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 92. Ottilie married in 1449/1450Dek (1970), p. 67 states the year 1450. Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 92 states the year 1449. to Count Philip the Younger of Katzenelnbogen (1427 – 27 February 1453Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 92 states the date of death 30 January 1454.), the eldest son of Count Philip the Elder of Katzenelnbogen and his first wife Countess Anne of Württemberg. Following the death of her father in 1451, Ottilie claimed his part of the

County of Diez The County of Diez (also known as Dietz, ) was a county of the Holy Roman Empire, centred around in Diez, located in Lahngau (in modern German states of Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate). The county is first recorded in 1073, likely formed fro ...

as her

inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...

.Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 93.The sources do not mention whether Ottilie also claimed her father's part of the

County of Vianden Vianden ( or (locally) ) is a commune with town status in the Éislek region, north-eastern Luxembourg, with a population of 2,203 as of 2023. It is part of the canton of the same name. Vianden lies on the Our river, near the border between L ...

. This led to a conflict with her paternal uncle Count John IV of Nassau-Siegen, who had succeeded his brother in all his possessionsHuberty, et al. (1981), p. 219. and was granted the County of Diez as a fief by

Archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

Trier Trier ( , ; ), formerly and traditionally known in English as Trèves ( , ) and Triers (see also Names of Trier in different languages, names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle (river), Moselle in Germany. It lies in a v ...

on 4 November 1451. The conflict was complicated further due to the fact that another part of the County of Diez belonged to Ottilie's father-in-law Philip the Elder of Katzenelnbogen. Ottilie remarried on 3 June 1475Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 92 states the year 1471. Dek (1970), p. 67 does not mention a wedding date. to Count Oswald I of TiersteinIn older sources one can also find the spelling Thierstein. (Dek (1970), p. 67 states the year 1423 without the circa. Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 92 does not mention a date of birth. – before 1488Dek (1970), p. 67 states the year . Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 92 states the year .). Oswald was

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

in the

Alsace Alsace (, ; ) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in the Grand Est administrative region of northeastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine, next to Germany and Switzerland. In January 2021, it had a population of 1,9 ...

, the

Sundgau Sundgau ( or ; ) is a geographical territory in the southern Alsace region (Haut Rhin and Territoire de Belfort, Belfort), on the eastern edge of France. The name is derived from Alemannic German ''Sunt-Gau (territory), gowe'' ("South shire"), den ...

and the

Breisgau The Breisgau () is an area in southwest Germany extending along the Rhine River and enveloping portions of the Black Forest. Part of the state of Baden-Württemberg, it centers on the city of Freiburg im Breisgau. The district of Breisgau-Hoch ...

and councillor in

Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...

and the

Electorate of Cologne The Electorate of Cologne (), sometimes referred to as Electoral Cologne (), was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire that existed from the 10th to the early 19th century. It consisted of the Hochstift—the temporal posses ...

. In 1479 Count Philip the Elder of Katzenelnbogen died without male issue. He was succeeded by his daughter

Anne Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), Annie a ...

and her husband

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 ...

Henry III the Rich of Hesse-Marburg.Lück (1981), p. 33. Ottilie's daughter,

Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen (c. 1451 – 15 August 1517, Baden-Baden), was by marriage Margravine of Baden-Baden. Life She was the only child of Philipp II ''the Younger'' of Katzenelnbogen (1427 – 27 February 1453) and Ottilie of Nassau-Siege ...

, however, also immediately laid claim to the

County of Katzenelnbogen The County of Katzenelnbogen was an Imperial immediacy, immediate States of the Holy Roman Empire, state of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed between 1095 and 1479, when it was inherited by the Landgraves of Landgraviate of Hesse, Hesse. The es ...

. On 6 May 1482 Ottilie of Katzenelnbogen renounced her claims to the counties Katzenelbogen and Diez and received financial compensation. In 1481 Ottilie's first cousin Count John V of Nassau-Siegen fully succeeded in enforcing the still unfinished settlement of Ottilie's claims to the County of Diez. In 1485 Ottilie's second husband, Oswald I of Tierstein, attempted to murder John V of Nassau-Siegen because of his dissatisfaction with the marriage grant and the settlement of the inheritance. The ' of

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 ...

, Heinrich Weiß, was able to prevent the attempt. The settlement was finally confirmed in 1510. Ottilie died in July 1493.Dek (1970), p. 67 mentions only the year of death. Schutte (1979), p. 41 states died July (?) 1495. The year 1495 is probably an error because her first cousin of the same name died in that year.

Issue

First marriage

From Ottilie's first marriage to Count Philip the Younger of Katzenelnbogen only one daughter was born: #

( – 15 August 1517), married in

Koblenz Koblenz ( , , ; Moselle Franconian language, Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz'') is a German city on the banks of the Rhine (Middle Rhine) and the Moselle, a multinational tributary. Koblenz was established as a Roman Empire, Roman military p ...

on 19 December 1468 to

Margrave Margrave was originally the Middle Ages, medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or a monarchy, kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain Feudal ...

Christopher I of Baden (13 November 1453 –

Hohenbaden Castle Hohenbaden Castle (at the time of its establishment ''Schloss Hohenbaden'', now ''Old castle'' or ''Altes Schloss'') in German Baden-Baden was the residence of the margraves of Margraviate of Baden, Baden for almost 400 years. The castle was built ...

, 19 April 1527The date of death 29 April 1527 in ). The wedding of Ottilie and Christopher was a double wedding, as on the same day and location Christopher's sister married Count Engelbert II the Illustrious of Nassau-Breda, the eldest son of Count John IV of Nassau-Siegen.Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 95.

Ancestors

Literature

Notes

References

Sources

* * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nassau-Siegen, Ottilie 1437 births 1493 deaths Ottilie of Nassau-Siegen Ottilie of Nassau-Siegen 15th-century German women Daughters of counts