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The House of Nassau

Blason famille de Nassau
Coat of Arms of the Counts of Laurenburg and Nassau
Part 2

The Ottonian line of Nassau 1255-1544

For further reading : Lines colored in :

ORANGE = line from Dudo-Henry to William III, 1093 - 1702, straight Male succession.

YELLOW = line from John VI "the Eder" to King William III of the Netherlands, 1559 - 1890, straight Male succession.

PINK= line from Queen Wilhelmina to Queen Beatrix, 1890 - present, Female succession.

Otto I began the Countship of Nassau-Dillenburg-Hademar-Siegen-Herborn-Beilstein, which existed to 1890. The descendants of Otto I became known as the Ottonian Line, which would inherit parts of Nassau in France and the Lowlands. The succession by the male line became extinct in 1890, but in The Netherlands the line was continued by females until present.

Walram II and Otto I, divided the Nassau lands between themselves on December 17, 1255. This first division of the Nassau areas was later known as the “Great division.” This began the separate Walramian and Ottonian lines of the House of Nassau.

Otto I of Nassau c. 1224-1290, Count of Nassau 1247-1255, Count of Nassau Dillenburg, Hadamar, Siegen, Herborn and Beilstein 1255-1290

Otto I of Nassau (c. 1224–1290), Count of Nassau was the younger son of Count Henry II of Nassau and Matilda of Geldern. Otto I became the Count of Dillenburg, Hadamar, Siegen, Herborn and Beilstein after many years of quarrel with his brother Walram II. In the division of 17 December 1255 he received possessions north to the Lahn. And thus began the geographical and political separation of the House of Nassau.

He became the founder of the Ottonian line of the house. He stood against the local aristocracy, particularly the Counts of Greifenstein and of Dernbach and was for many years banished, since he withheld lands of Teutonic Knights, which his uncle had left to him. His opponents were among other the archbishops of Cologne and Trier, who presented the territorial claims. He lost also the lordships in Emsland and Koblenz.

He married Agnes von Leiningen, daughter of Count Emich IV of Leiningen and had following children:

  1. Henry of Nassau-Siegen (d. 1343), Count in Siegen, Ginsberg, Haiger and in Westerwald since 1303, in Dillenburg, Herborn and Beilstein in 1328-43.
  2. Emicho I of Nassau-Hadamar (d. 7 June 1334) in Driedrof, Estenau and Hadamar.
  3. John of Nassau-Dillenburg (d. 1328), Count in Beilstein and Herborn since 1303, in Katzenelnbogen since 1320.
  4. Mechtild (d. 28 October 1319), married ca. 1289 Gerhard von Schönecken.
  5. Gertrud (d. 19 September 1359), Abbess of Altenberg.

He had also an illegitimate son Heinrich, who was a monk in Arnstein and a priest in Nassau.

Count of Nassau in Siegen, Dillenburg, Beilstein, and Ginsberg
Named Rule time Remarks
Otto I 1255-1290 Founder of the Ottonian line of Nassau

Henry (Heinrich) I of Nassau Siegen, Ginsberg, Haiger and Westerwald 1303-1343 and Count of Dillenburg, Herborn and Beilstein 1320-1343

Henry of Nassau in Siegen was the elder son of Count Otto I of Nassau in Siegen (c.1224-1290) and Agnes von Leunigen. The date of his birth is unknown but because he became Count in 1303,thirteen years after his fathers dead (1290), he must have been a minor, even as his younger brothers Emicho I and John. He was probably born around 1285 and succeeded his father when grown to mans estate, aged 18.

There is no information about his life than only that he married before 1302 with Adelheid von Heinsberg (died 1343), children :

  1. Otto II von Nassau in Siegen and Dillenburg (1343-50), born 1305, died 1351
  2. Hendrik I von Nassau-Beilstein, died 1380, married 1339 Meyna von Westerburg (died 1380)
  3. Agnes, died 1318, married 1314 Gerlach II von Isenburg-Limburg (died 1355)
  4. Katharina, Abbess of Altenberg, d.1334
  5. Gertrud, Abbess of Altenberg (1329-1353)

After Otto's death in 1290 the sons of Otto I of Nassau jointly managed) the County but in 1303 they divided the possessions between his three sons :

  1. Nassau-Siegen undeer Henry I
  2. Nassau-Hadamar under Emicho I
  3. Nassau-Dillenburg under John

In 1328 Nassau-Dillenburg became part of the branch of Nassau-Siegen but they call themselves Nassau-Dillenburg. In 1341 Nassau-Dillenburg was divided into Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Beilstein.

After the extinction of the Nassau-Beilstein branch in 1561, all areas of the Ottonian line on the right bank of the Rhine were reunited under Count John of Nassau-Dillenburg, the younger brother of William I "the silent" of Orange.

Count of Nassau in Siegen, Ginsberg, Haiger, and the Westerwald, and (1328-1343) in Dillenburg, Herborn, and Beilstein
Name Rule time Remarks
Henry (Heinrich) I 1303-1343  
Counts of Nassau-Hadamar 1303-1369
Name Rule time Remarks
Emicho I 1303-1334 Count of Nassau in Driedrof, Estenau, and Hadamar
John 1334-1364 co-Count
Emicho II 1334-1359 co-Count
Henry 1364-1369 co-Count
to Nassau-Dillenburg

Otto II of Nassau 1305-1351, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 1343-1351

Coat of Arms of the Counts of Nassau 13th century

Otto II of Nassau-Dillenberg (1305-1350) was the son of Henry I of Nassau-Siegen and Adelheid of Heinsberg-Blankenberg. Otto married in 1331 Adelheid (1309-1373), daughter and heiress of Filips II of Vianden, children :

  1. John I of Nassau-Dillenburg 1339-1416, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg (1351-1416)
  2. Heinrich, died Kassel 1402
  3. Otto, a canon in Mainz, died 1384
  4. Adelheid, Abbess of Keppel (1378-81).

Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg

John I of Nassau-Dillenburg 1339 -1416, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 1351-1416

John I of Nassau-Dillenberg was the elder son of Otto II of Nassau-Dillenburg and Adelheid of Vianden. He married in 1357 Margaretha van der Mark-Kleef (?-1409), daughter of Adolf II van der Mark, children :

  1. Adolf (1362-1420) of Nassau-Dillenburg and Diez (1416-1420), married 1st c. 1384 Jutta von Diez (1367-1397), married 2nd 1401 Kunigunde of Isenburg-Limburg (died 1403)
  2. John II "the elder" of Nassau-Dillenburg (1420-1448), died Dillenburg 1448
  3. Engelbrecht I of Nassau-Dillenburg (1370-1442)
  4. Henry, died after 1401
  5. Johann III "the younger" of Nassau-Dillenburg in Greifenstein, died 1433

Engelbrecht I 1370-1442, Lord of Breda 1403-1442

Engelbrecht I of Nassau was the son of Johan I of Nassau-Dillenburg en Margaretha van der Marck-Kleef. Hij studied in Cologne, in 1389 he became dean at Münster until 1399.

He became counselor of the Duke of Brabant, first for Anton of Burgundy, later for his son John IV of Brabant. Engelbrecht also played an important role in the creation of the marriage of John IV, Duke of Brabant and Jacoba of Bavaria, which would eventually lead to the Hook and Cod wars in Holland and Flanders. As a result, in 1430 he eventually joined Philip the Good. Engelbrecht I of Nassau renounced the deanery because his two brothers were childless. He married in Breda on August 1, 1403 with Johanna of Polanen van der Leck (1392 to 1445), the wealthy heiress of Jan van Wassenaar-Polanen, born circa 1350, died 11-08-1394, Lord of Breda. Married twice :

  1. about 1380 with ? van Grimhuijsen, born about 1350, unknown origin.
  2. about 1390 with Odilia van Salm-Ardeneen, born about 1365, died 22-06-1428, daughter of Johann van Salm-Ardeneen and Philippa van Valkenburg. Odilia's legacy included many delights and cities in Holland and Brabant, Hainaut, Utrecht and Zeeland. With this marriage the Line of Nassau-Dillenburg acquired possessions in the Lowlands c. 1390.

Engelbrecht's wife Joanna van Polanen was Baroness of Breda, Lady of Drimmelen in 1411, and Grimbergen. The Polanen were one of the richest families in the Netherlands, after their union with the Duvenvoordes, thus all their titles.

Engelbert I aquired the following titles on his marriage with Johanna of Polanen (August, 1 1403) : Lord of Breda, Lord of Polanen, Lord of Grimbergen, Lord of Geertruiden, Niervaart, Klundert, Oosterhout, Naaldwijk, Steenbergen, Castricum, Monster, Rijswijk, Princenhage, Sprundel, Dongen.

In 1411 : Lord of Drimmelen.

In 1416 : Count of Vianden, Lord of Sankt-Vith, Butgenbach, Daasberg, 1/2 Grimberger, Corry, Frasnes, and Londerzeel.

In 1420 : Count of Nassau in Siegen, Dillenburg, Hadamar, and Herborn.

In 1425 : Count of Nassau in Herborn.

Engelbrecht was also Member of the Council in Brabant, 1405-1406, 1409-1418 and 1421-1442, Member of the Council of Holland from 1405-1420.

Engelbrecht resided at the Castle of Breda. He had also houses in Brussels and Mecheln. He died on May 3, 1442 at Breda and was buried in the Grote or Church of our lady in Breda, children :

  1. John IV 1410-1475, Lord von der Lek and Breda, 1442-1475, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Vianden and Diez (1448-1475), married in 1440 Marie von Loon-Heinsberg (1424-1502), heiress of Millen, Gangelt, Vucht, Lummen and Steijn
  2. Henry II 1414-1451, married first Genoveva van Virneburg and second Irmgard van Schleiden-Junkerath
  3. Margareth 1415-1467, married 1435 Dietssrich I von Sayn (died 1452)
  4. William 1416-?
  5. Maria 1418-1472, married 1437 John II of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein (1419-1480)
  6. Philip 1420-1429

John IV 1410-1475, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Vianden and Diez 1416-1475, Lord of de Leck and Breda 1442-1475

Johm IV was the elder son of Engelbrecht I and Johanna of Polanen van der Leck, he was born 1410, married 1440 Marie von Loon-Heinsberg, heiress of Millen, Gangelt, Vucht, Lummen and Steijn (1424-1502), children :

  1. Engelbert II of Nassau-Dillenburg in Breda (1451-1504), in Diest, Sichem and Zeelhem 1499, VisCount of Antwerp, in Rosendaal, Wouw and Nispen 1501, Stadtholder of the Northern-Lowlands in 1496, Stadtholder of Flanders 1501 and Lille 1486, etc, married in 1468 Zimburg von Baden (1450-1501)
  2. John V of Nassau-Dillenburg, born Breda 1455, died Dillenburg 1516
  3. Anna, died 1513, 1st married 1467 Duke Otto II of Braunschweig-Lüneburg (died 1471), 2nd married 1474 Philipp von Katzenelnbogen (died 1479)
  4. Johanna, 1444-1468, married 1464 Philipp I von Waldeck (died 1475)
  5. Adriane, 1449-1477, married 1468 Philipp III von Hanau-Münzenberg (died 1500)
  6. Ottilie, Prioress at Vredenburg, died at Alkmaar 1495

Johann V 1455-1516, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Siegen, Vianden, Dietssz and Lord of Breda 1504-1516, Stadtholder of Guelders and Zutphen 1504-1505

Johann V was born in 1455, married 1482 Elisabeth of Hesse (1466-1523). In 1504 he inherited Vianden and Breda from his brother Engelbert II of Nassau. After his death his son Henry III of Nassau inherited his Dutch possessions. The German possessions went to his son William the Rich. He had the following children:

  1. Heinrich III of Nassau-Breda, born 12 Jan 1483, died 14 Sep 1538
  2. John, born 1484, died 1504
  3. Ernst, born 1486, died ?
  4. William I the Rich of Nassau-Dillenburg, born 10 Apr 1487, died 6 Oct 1559
  5. Elisabeth, born 1488, died 1559
  6. Maria born 1491, died 1547

Henry III of Nassau-Dillenburg 1483-1538,  Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland 1515-1521, Lord and Baron of Breda, Lord of the Leck and Diest 1516-1538

Henry III of Nassau-BredaHenry III was the son of Count John V of Nassau-Dillenburg and Elisabeth of Hesse. His younger brother was William I "the Rich", Count of Nassau-Dillenburg (father of William the Silent).

In 1499 Henry's uncle, Count Engelbert II, invited Henry III to the Burgundian Netherlands as his heir. He travelled with Duke Philip the Handsome to Castile in 1501-1503. Upon the death of his uncle in 1504 Henry inherited the Nassau possessions in the Netherlands, including the wealthy lordship of Breda in the Duchy of Brabant.

The next year (1505) he was chosen a knight of the Golden Fleece. He again travelled to Spain in 1505-1506. He became a close confidant of the young future Emperor Charles V as well as his Chamberlain (1510), becoming his Upper Chamberlain upon the death of William of Croÿ-Chièvres in 1521. The good relation between Charles and Henry is evident in the fact that Charles did not name a new Upper Chamberlain after Henry's death.

In 1519 he was part of the delegation that had Charles chosen king of the Romans. He was also prominently present at Charles' coronation to Emperor in Bologna in 1530. He was a member of the Privy Council of Charles since 1515 and of the Privy Council of Archduchess Margaret of Austria between 1525-1526.

He temporarily served as Stadtholder of the conquered parts of Guelders and was Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland between 1515 and 1521. Henry was again in Spain between 1522 and 1530 (accompanying Charles) and in 1533-1534 (with his wife Claudia and son Rene of Chalon).

Henry served as an important military commander in the Lowrlands, defending Brabant from Guelders in 1508. He was Captain General in the war with Guelders between 1511 and 1513, and fought with Maximilian of Austria against France until 1514, participating in the battle of Guinegate (1513). He again commanded the armies against Guelders and France between 1516 and 1521, defeating the Black Band (Landsknechts), which was in the employ of Charles of Guelders, in 1518 and defeating Robert van der Marck, Lord of Sedan in 1521. He also repelled Francis I of France, who invaded Hainaut that same year. Subsequently Henry conquered Tournai (Doornik).

Although Henry, who attended the Dietss of Augsburg in 1530, was at first not averse to Martin Luther and his teachings, he later followed Charles' example and remained a staunch Catholic. He didn't approve the choice of his brother William I "the Rich", who did become a Lutheran, but remained supportive of him throughout his life. He was very impressed with the Renaissance and especially its arts, examples of which he enCountered on his journeys to Spain and Italy. For example, he commissioned Italian architect Tomasso Vincidor da Bologna to completely rebuild his castle at Breda in a renaissance style in 1536, one of the first of such buildings north of the Alps. However, his interests seem to have been superficial. Desiderius Erasmus only considered him a "platonic friend of science".

Henry married three times:

  1. Louise-Françoise of Savoy, 1503-1511
  2. Claudia of Châlon 1498-1521, in May 1515, daughter of Jean II of Chalon, died 1502, who married Philiberte of Luxembourg
  3. Mencia de Mendoza y Fonseca 1508-1544) in June 1524

With Claudia of Châlon he had one son, René of Chlon, born February 5, 1519), who became prince of Orange in 1530 on the death of Claudia's brother Philibert. Henry had no further legitimate children, although he is known to have had some bastard offspring. Upon his death in 1538 he was succeeded by his only son, but René was himself slain in battle only a few years later in 1544.

His marriage to Mencia de Mendoza y Fonseca was mainly encouraged by Charles V, as part of his plan to make the nobility of Spain and the Low Countries mix. Henry was however never really liked by the Spaniards, who regarded him as a loud and barbarian German parvenu.

Henry was buried beneath the huge grave monument he had erected for his uncle Engelbrecht II in the Grote Kerk at Breda, children :

  1. René of Chalon

Rene of Chalon 1519-1544, Prince of Orange 1530-1544, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 1538-1544, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland and Utrecht 1540-1544 and Gelre 1543-1544

Rene van ChalonRené of Châlon (5 February 1519 – 15 July 1544), also known as Renatus of Châlon, was a Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Gelre. He was born in Breda as the only son of Count Henry III of Nassau-Breda and Claudia of Châlon. Her brother, Philibert of Châlon, was the last Prince of Orange from the house of Châlon. When Henry III died in 1530, René inherited the Princedom on condition that he used the name and coat of arms of the Châlon.

History knows him therefore as René of Châlon instead of "of Nassau-Breda". René of Châlon married, on 20 August 1540, at Bar-le-Duc with Anna of Lorraine (1522-1568). They had a daughter, Maria, who lived only 3 weeks and was buried in the "Grote Kerk", Breda. While in the service of Emperor Charles V he was killed during the siege of Saint-Dizier in 1544. The Emperor was at his deathbed. René of Châlon was buried in the Grote Kerk at Breda. In the church of Saint Etienne at Bar-le-Duc is a cenotaph for him. He left no children and all his possessions were transferred to the elder son of his uncle William I "the rich" of Nassau-Dillenburg.

Although William I "the Rich" of Nassau-Dillenburg was the legal heir to the possessions of Rene of Chalon after his dead in 1544, Emperor Charles V interfered and Rene's possessions went to his elder son William "the Silent" on condition that he would come to Brussels and educated at his court, most likely because William  "the Rich" was a Lutheran. William of Nassau-Dillenburg inherited all of René’s lands. Thus, William I of Orange, (in English better known as William the Silent) became the founder of the House of Orange-Nassau (see later).

William I "the Rich" 1487-1559, Count of Vianden and Dietz 1516-1559, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 1544-1559

WillemderijkeWilliam of Nassau (Dutch: Willem de Rijke) (10 April 1487– 6 October 1559). He was called William "the Rich". William was born in Dillenburg as the younger son of Count John V of Nassau-Dillenburg and landgravine Elisabeth of Hesse, daughter of Landgrave Henry III of Hesse-Marburg and Anna of Katzenelnbogen.

He was the brother of Count Henry III of Nassau-Breda and the father of the later William I of Orange-Nassau, who inherited the principality of Orange. The early House of Orange-Nassau (until 1702) descends from him, while the later House of Orange-Nassau (1702-1890) and the present Dutch royal family descends from his third son John VI "the Elder". William I was married twice :

First he married October 29, 1506 Countess Walburga van Egmond (1490–1529). She gave him two daughters:

  1. Elisabeth, 1515–1523
  2. Magdalene, 1522–1567, married July,16 1538 to Count Hermann of Neuenahr and Mörs

Second he married September 20, 1531 Countess Juliane of Stolberg-Wernigerode (1506–1580). They had twelve children:

  1. William I (Maurice) "the Silent" of Nassau, born 25 April 1533, died 10 July 1584
  2. Hermanna, born 9 August 1534, died young
  3. John VI "the Elder", born 22 November 1536 – 28 October 1606
  4. Louis, born 10 January 1538 – 14 April 1574, killed in fighting in the 80 Years War
  5. Maria, born 15 March 1539 – May 1599, married on 11 November 1556 to Count Wilhelm IV of Berg-s'Heerenberg
  6. Adolf, born 11 July 1540 – 23 May 1568, killed in fighting in the 80 Years War
  7. Anna, born (21 September 1541 – 12 February 1616, married on 16 June 1559 to Count Albrecht of Nassau-Weilburg-Ottweile
  8. Elisabeth, 25 September 1542 – 18 November 1603), married 16 June 1559 to Count Conrad of Solms-Braunfels
  9. Catharina, born 19 December 1542 – 25 December 1624), married on 17 November 1560 to Count Günther XLI of Schwarzburg-Arnstadt
  10. Juliana, born 10 August 1546 – 31 August 1588), married 14 June 1575 to Count Albrecht VII of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt
  11. Magdalena, born 15 December 1547 – 16 May 1633), married on 27 January 1567 to Count Wolfgang of Hohenlohe-Weikersheim
  12. Henry, born 15 October 1550 – 14 April 1574, killed in fighting in the 80 Years War

John VI "the Elder" 1536-1606, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg and Dietz 1559-1606, Stadtholder of Guelders and Zutphen 1578-1581

Jan de OudeProgenitor of the Nassau-Dietz line

John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg was born November 22, 1535. Other names he had were Jan VI or Jan de Oude. John VI was the second son of Count William I of Nassau-Dillenburg and his second wife Juliane of Stolberg-Wernigerode and brother of William I of Orange.

Count John VI of Nassau was the principal author of the Union of Utrecht, signed on 23 January 1579, unifying the Northern-Lowlands, until then under the control of Habsburg Spain. The treaty was a reaction of the Northern-Provinces to the in 1579 signed Union of Arras (Dutch: Unie van Atrecht), in which the Southern-Provinces of the Lowlands (French speaking part of modern Belgium and Northern France) declared their support for Roman Catholic Spain.

The treaty was signed on 23 January by Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht (but not all of Utrecht) and the province (but not the city) of Groningen. On February 4, 1579 Ghent also signed. In March some cities from Friesland joined it, as well as 3/4 quarters of Guelders. In the summer, Amersfoort from the province of Utrecht also joined, together with Ypres, Antwerp, Breda and Brussels. In February 1580, Lier, Bruges and the surrounding area also signed the Union. The city of Groningen shifted in favor under influence of the Stadtholder for Friesland, George van Rennenberg (de Lalaing), and also signed the treaty. Later on, Zutphen also signed so did Guelders (of which Zutphen is one of the quarters) supported the Union completely. This happened in April 1580, as did the signing of Overijssel and Drenthe.

The Union of Utrecht is regarded as the foundation of the Republic of the Seven United Provinces, which was not recognized by the Spanish Empire until the Twelve Years' Truce in 1609.

John VI died on October 8, 1606 in Dillenburg and was buried there. John VI was married three times and had a total of 24 children.

First, he was married on June 16, 1559 with Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg (1537–1579) and had in this marriage the following children :

  1. William Louis "Us Heit, our father)", 13 March 1560 – 31 May 1620, Count of Nassau, Stadtholder of Frisia 1584, Drenthe 1593 and Groningen 1594, married Anna, his niece, (1563-1588), daughter of William I "the Silent" of Orange-Nassau
  2. John VII "the Middle" of Nassau-Siegen, 7 June 1561 – 27 September 1623, Count of Nassau-Siegen, married 1st 1581 Magdalena of Waldeck (1558-1599), widow of Philipp Ludwig I of Hanau-Münzenberg (1553-1580), a grandson of Juliana of Stolberg-Wenigerode, married 2nd 1603 Margaretha of Holstein-Sonderburg (1583-1658). He had 25 children
  3. George "the Old" of Nassau-Dillenburg, 1 September 1562 – 9 August 1623, Count of Nassau-Beilstein, married 1st 1584 Anna Amalia of Nassau-Saarbrücken (1565-1605), married 2nd 1605 Amalia of Sayn-Wittgenstein (1585-1633), line of Nassau-Dillenburg. He had 15 children by his 1st wife and only one by his 2nd.
  4. Elisabeth, 24 January 1564 – 5 May 1611, married 1st on 3 October 1583 with Count Philipp IV of Nassau-Saarbrücken (1542-1602), 2nd on 7 May 1603 to Count Wolfgang Ernst I of Isenburg-Büdingen (1560-1633)
  5. Juliana, 6 October 1565 – 4 October 1630, married 1st on 24 April 1588 with Wild and Rheingraf Adolf Henry of Salm-Dhaun (1557-1606), 2nd on 8 February 1619 with Count John Albrecht I of Solms-Braunfels (1563-1623)
  6. Philip, 1 December 1566 – 3 September 1595, fought for the United Provinces during the Eighty Years' War
  7. Maria, 12 November 1568 – 10 May 1625, married on 2 December 1588 with Count John Louis I of Nasau-Wiesbaden-Idstein, 1567-1596, he died falling out of a window
  8. Anna Sibylla, 29 September 1569 – 19 December 1576
  9. Mathilde, 27 December 1570 – 10 May 1625, married on 24 June 1592 with Count Wilhelm V of Mansfeld-Arnstein(1555-1615)
  10. Albert, born and died in 1572
  11. Ernst Casimir of Nassau-Dietsz, 22 December 1573 – 2 June 1632, Count of Nassau-Dietz
  12. Louis Günther, 15 February 1575 – 12 September 1604, married 1601 Anna Margaretha of Manderscheidt-Blankenheim (1606).

Second, he married on 13 September 1580 with Kunigunde Jakoba of Simmern of The Palts (1556-1586) and had in this marriage two daughters:

  1. Amalie, 27 July 1582 – 31 October 1635, married on 23 August 1600 with Count Wilhelm I of Solms-Braunsfeld-Greiffenstein, 1570-1635
  2. Kunigunde, 12 July 1583 – 4 April 1584

Third, he married on 14 June 1586 to Johannetta of Sayn-Witgenstein (1561-1622) and had in this marriage the following children:

  1. Georg Ludwig, born and died in 1588
  2. Prince John Louis of Nassau-Hadamar, 6 August 1590 – 10 March 1653
  3. Johannette Elisabeth, 13 February 1593 – 13 September 1654, married on 16 December 1616 to Count Conrad Gumprecht of Bentheim-Limburg
  4. Anna, 24 November 1594 – 11 February 1660, married on 19 June 1619 to Count Philipp Ernst of Isenburg-Birstein
  5. Magdalena, 13 November 1595 – 31 July 1633, married on 29 May 1624 to Count Georg Albrecht I of Erbach
  6. Anna Amalie, 19 July 1599 – 4 May 1667, married on 25 November 1648 to Count Wilhelm Otto of Isenburg-Birstein
  7. Juliana, born and died in 1602

Recapitulation of the Counts of Nassau until 1606

Counts of Nassau-Dillenburg 1303-1606
Named Rule time Remarks
John (Johann) 1303-1328 Count of Nassau-Dillenburg in Beilstein and Herborn, and (from 1320) in Katzenelnbogen
Henry I (Heinrich) 1328-1343  
Otto II 1343-1350  
John I 1350-1416  
Adolf 1416-1420  
John II 1420-1448  
Engelbert I 1420-1442  
Henry (Heinrich) II 1442-1451  
John IV 1448-1475  
Engelbert II 1475-1504 Childless deceased, posessions to Henry III
Johann V 1504-1516  
Henry III 1516-1538 Nassau-Breda
Rene of Chalon 1538-1544 Nassau-Orange
William I "the Rich" 1544-1559 Father of William I of Orange-Nassau
John VI "the elder" 1559-1606 Father of Ernst Casimir of Nassau-Dietssz, the present Dutch royal family descends from his grandson Johan Willem Friso.
More in this category: « Origin of the house of Nassau The house of Orange-Nassau 1544-1625 »
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