Maria of Orange-Nassau (1642–1688) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maria of Orange-Nassau
|
|
|---|---|
Maria of Orange-Nassau by Johannes Mytens
|
|
| Born | September 5, 1642 The Hague, the Netherlands |
| Died | March 20, 1688 (aged 45) Schloss Oranienhof, Germany |
| Noble family | House of Nassau |
| Spouse(s) | Louis Henry, Count Palatine of Simmern-Kaiserslautern |
| Father | Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange |
| Mother | Amalia of Solms-Braunfels |
Maria of Orange-Nassau (born September 5, 1642 – died March 20, 1688) was a Dutch princess. She belonged to the famous House of Orange family. When she got married, she became a countess in a place called Simmern-Kaiserslautern.
Contents
Early Life of Princess Maria
Maria was born in The Hague, a city in the Netherlands. She was the youngest daughter of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and Amalia of Solms-Braunfels. Her father was quite old when she was born. He passed away when Maria was only four years old.
Maria was also the aunt of William III. He later became the King of England. Her older brother, William II, was William III's father.
Marriage Plans and Life
In 1660, Maria's family started talking about her marrying Charles II of Great Britain. This was a very important marriage proposal. However, Charles II decided to marry someone else instead. He chose Catharine of Braganza to form an alliance with Portugal.
A year later, there were more talks about Maria marrying John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen. But these plans also did not work out.
Maria's Marriage
On September 23, 1666, Maria married Louis Henry, Count Palatine of Simmern-Kaiserslautern. The wedding took place in a town called Kleve. Louis Henry was the son of Louis Philip. He was also the grandson of Maria's aunt, Countess Louise Juliana of Nassau.
Maria's marriage, like those of her sisters, aimed to bring together powerful Calvinist families. Maria and Louis Henry were married for eight years. They did not have any children. When Louis Henry died, his family line ended.
Building a Palace
Maria stayed in touch with her two surviving sisters after she got married. Her sisters, Louise Henriette, Albertine Agnes, and Henriette Catherine, each built their own palaces.
Maria also built a new palace after her marriage. She finished it in 1669 in Bad Kreuznach, Germany. She named her new home Schloss Oranienhof.
Later Life and Legacy
Maria passed away in 1688 at Kreuznach. She had been sick with pneumonia for six days. Sadly, her beautiful palace, Schloss Oranienhof, was destroyed by French soldiers just one year later during the Nine Years' War.
