Emmanuel Ignatius of Nassau-Siegen facts for kids
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Emmanuel Ignatius of Nassau-Siegen (born January 6, 1688 – died August 1, 1735) was a significant military leader. He served as a Field Marshal in both the Spanish and Austrian armies. For a short time in 1727, he also acted as the Regent of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen.
Emmanuel Ignatius was born in Roermond. He was one of many children of John Francis Desideratus, Prince of Nassau-Siegen. He was the ninth child from his father's third marriage to Isabella Clara du Puget de la Serre.
Life and Family
Emmanuel Ignatius belonged to the Catholic branch of the House of Nassau-Siegen. However, there was a disagreement about whether he and his full brothers were truly part of the royal family. This was because their parents' marriage was considered a morganatic marriage. This meant that their children might not have the same high rank as children from a more traditional royal marriage.
A contract signed after their parents' wedding stated that their children would not have a higher rank than regular nobles. This would only change if all the male descendants from the Prince's first two marriages died out. Despite this, after his father died in 1699, Emmanuel Ignatius and his surviving brothers began using the title and name of Nassau-Siegen.
However, his older half-brother, William Hyacinth, Prince of Nassau-Siegen, went to court. In 1701 and 1709, the courts ruled that the children from the third marriage could not use the princely titles. This was because the marriage contract from 1669 was for a morganatic union. Even with these rulings, Emmanuel Ignatius and his siblings continued to use the title of Prince or Princess of Nassau. They also used the titles Count or Countess of Katzenelnbogen, Vianden and Diez, and Baron or Baroness of Beilstein and Ronse.
In Paris on May 14, 1711, Emmanuel Ignatius married Charlotte. She was the daughter of Louis II, Count de Mailly-Nesle. They had two sons, Charles Nicholas (born 1712, died 1712) and Maximilian (born 1713, died 1714), but both died when they were very young.
Military Career and Honors
Emmanuel Ignatius chose a career in the military. He first served in the Spanish army. From 1714, he joined the Austrian army. By 1718, he had become a colonel. In 1723, he was promoted to Generalfeldwachtmeister. Finally, in 1733, he was appointed a field marshal, a very high military rank. He also served as a captain in the army of Archduchess Maria Elisabeth, who was the Governor of the Austrian Netherlands.
He received several important awards for his service. In 1715, he was given the Order of the Golden Fleece. In 1720, he received the Order of Saint Hubert.
In 1722, Emmanuel Ignatius and Charlotte had another son, Maximilian William Adolph. Emmanuel Ignatius recognized this son as his own.
Role in Nassau-Siegen
After Frederick William Adolf, Prince of Nassau-Siegen died in 1722, Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI allowed Emmanuel Ignatius and his two older brothers to inherit some of the Nassau-Siegen family's property.
In 1727, after William Hyacinth was removed from power, the Emperor named Emmanuel Ignatius as the administrator of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen. However, his power was very limited. The real control was held by the Electorate of Cologne. Soon after, he returned to Brussels and did not try to rule the principality further.
The hope for a Catholic ruler in Nassau-Siegen after Prince Frederick William II died in 1734 did not happen. Both Emmanuel Ignatius and his brother Francis Hugo died shortly after each other in 1735.
After his death, there was still a dispute about his claim to the title. The Holy Roman Empire did not recognize his claim. This decision was made at the request of William IV, Prince of Orange in 1744 and confirmed by the Emperor in 1745. After his son Charles Henry died in 1748, his claims continued, but without success. The Principality of Nassau-Siegen was eventually inherited by the Protestant Nassau-Diez branch of the family.
See also
In Spanish: Emmanuel Ignacio de Nassau-Siegen para niños
