Prince of Orange facts for kids

Coat of arms of the Principality of Orange.

See also: Princess of Orange

Prince of Orange is a title of nobility.

The title is used by members of the House of Orange-Nassau, as heirs to the crown of the Netherlands. It also used by members of the House of Hohenzollern. At the moment, the title is used by Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (Orange-Nassau), Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia (Hohenzollern) and Guy, Marquis de Mailly-Neslé, Prince d'Orange.

The history of the title

Four generations Princes of Orange - William I, Maurice and Frederick Henry, William II, William III (Willem van Honthorst, 1662)

The title was at first related to a self-ruling state called the Principality of Orange. It lies in the south of what we now call France. The land was the property of the house of Orange and from 1544 of the house of Orange-Nassau.

The last of the original princes, René of Nassau, left the principality to his cousin William the Silent after he died. William the Silent was not related to the original house of Orange, but was the legal heir.

In a war in 1673, Louis XIV of France took over the lands of the principality and added them to his own royal domain. This was part of the war against the stadtholder William III of Orange. Louis XIV then gave the principality to Louis of Mailly-Nesles, marquis of Nesles (1689–1764), a very remote relation of the original princes of Orange. His descendant still claims the title today. In 1714, Louis XIV allowed Prince Louis Armand of Bourbon-Conti to use the land of the Principality to make money. Prince Louis Armand died in 1727 and the principality was merged in the Crown in 1731.

William III died without legitimate children. This meant that the principality was seen as inherited by his closest cognate relative on the basis of the testament of Frederic-Henry, Frederick I of Prussia . The kings of Prussia and the German emperors styled themselves Princes of Orange till 1918.

John William Friso of Nassau was chosen as the heir to the princes of Orange in the Netherlands by the last will of William III. John William Friso was also related to William the Silent through the female line. Several of his descendants became stadtholders. They claim the principality of Orange on the basis of agnatic inheritance (inheritance of lands to the brother rather than the sons of the king) . This way of inheriting is similar to the way William the Silent inherited from his cousin René. The claim to the title is also on basis of the testament of Philips William, Maurice and William III. Although they claimed the title "Prince of Orange", France never allowed them to obtain anything of the lands of the principality itself. It is from this tradition that later stadtholders of the Netherlands, and the present-day royal family of the Netherlands, also hold the title.

People with title Prince of Orange

As sovereign prince of Orange

Until 1340, it was customary for all sons of the prince of Orange to inherit the title. Only the direct line of descent to Raimond V is shown here.

House of Baux

Picture	Name	Birth	Created Prince of Orange	Stopped to be Prince of Orange	Death	Other titles while Prince of Orange	Princess of Orange
	Prince Bertrand I	1110/1115	1173 After the death of his brother-in-law, Raimbaut, Count of Orange, the County of Orange was made more important and became a principality and given to Bertrand I by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I.	April/October 1180		Lord of Baux	Tibors de Sarenom

House of Baux-Orange

Name	Birth	Became Prince of Orange	Stopped to be Prince of Orange	Other titles while Prince of Orange	Princess of Orange
Prince William I	1155	31 October 1180	bef. 30 July 1218	Co-Prince (with brothers); Lord of Baux	1. Ermengarde of Mévouillon 2. Alix
Prince William II	-	31 October 1180	bef. 1 November 1239	Co-Prince (with brothers); Lord of Baux	Précieuse
Prince Raymond I	-	bef. 30 July 1218	1282	Lord of Baux	Malberjone of Aix
Prince Bertrand II	-	1282	aft. 21 July 1314	Lord of Baux	Eleanore of Geneva
Prince Raymond II	-	aft. 21 July 1314	1340, aft. 9 September	Lord of Baux and Condorcet	Anne of Viennois
Prince Raymond III	-	aft. 9 September 1340	10 February 1393	Lord of Baux	1. Constance of Trian 2. Jeanne of Geneva
Princess Mary	-	10 February 1393	October 1417	Lady of Arlay, Cuiseaux, and Vitteaux	Prince John I

House of Châlon-Arlay (also House of Ivrea of Anscarid dynasty)

Name	Birth	Became Prince of Orange	Stopped to be Prince of Orange	Death	Other titles while Prince of Orange	Princess of Orange
Prince John I	-	10 February 1393	October 1417	2 September 1418	Lord of Arlay, Cuiseaux and Vitteaux	Princess Mary
Prince Louis I	1390	October 1417	3 December 1463		Lord of Arlay, Arguel, Orbe, and Echelens	1. Jeanne of Montbéliard 2. Eleanor d'Armagnac 3. Blanche of Gamaches
Prince William II	-	3 December 1463	27 September 1475		Lord of Arlay and Arguel	Catherine of Brittany
Prince John II	1443	27 September 1475	15 April 1502		Count of Tonnerre; Lord of Arlay, Arguel and Montfaucon; Admiral of Guyenne.	1. Jeanne de Bourbon 2. Philiberte of Luxembourg
Prince Philibert	18 March 1502	15 April 1502	3 August 1530		Viceroy of Naples; Prince of Melfi; Duke of Gravina; Count of Tonnerre, Charny, Penthièvre; Viscount of Besançon; Lord of Arlay, Nozeroy, Rougemont, Orgelet and Montfaucon, Lieutenant-General in the Imperial army.	no wife

House of Nassau

Picture	Name	Birth	Became Prince of Orange	Stopped to be Prince of Orange	Death	Other titles while Prince of Orange	Princess of Orange
	Prince René	5 February 1519	3 August 1530	15 July 1544		Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Guelders; Count of Nassau, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Breda, Diest, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Anna of Lorraine

House of Orange-Nassau (first creation)

Name	Birth	Became Prince of Orange	Stopped to be Prince of Orange	Other titles while Prince of Orange	Princess of Orange
Prince William I	24 April 1533	15 July 1544	10 July 1584	Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Friesland; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Breda, Lands of Cuijk, City of Grave, Diest, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Willemstad, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	1. Anna van Egmont 2. Anna of Saxony 3. Charlotte de Bourbon 4. Louise de Coligny
Prince Philip William	19 December 1554	10 July 1584	20 February 1618	Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Eindhoven, City of Grave, IJsselstein, Diest, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Willemstad, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Éléonore de Bourbon
Prince Maurice	14 November 1567	20 February 1618	23 April 1625	Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, Overijssel and Groningen; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Bentheim-Lingen, Moers, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Willemstad, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	no wife
Prince Frederick Henry	29 January 1584	23 April 1625	14 March 1647	Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Bentheim-Lingen, Moers, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Willemstad, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Amalia of Solms-Braunfels
Prince William II	27 May 1626	14 March 1647	6 November 1650	Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders and Overijssel; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Bentheim-Lingen, Moers, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Turnhout, Willemstad, Zevenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Mary, Princess Royal
William III	14 November 1650	6 November 1650	8 March 1702	King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Bentheim-Lingen, Moers, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Lord of Baarn, Bredevoort, Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, 't Loo, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Soest, Ter Eem, Turnhout, Willemstad, Zevenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Queen Mary II of England

As a personal title or as heir apparent

House of Orange-Nassau (second creation)

As personal title of nobility:

Name	Heir of	Birth	Became Prince of Orange	Stopped to be Prince of Orange	Death	Other titles while Prince of Orange	Princess of Orange
Prince John William Friso	William III	4 August 1687	8 March 1702	14 July 1711		Stadtholder of Friesland and Groningen; Fürst of Nassau-Dietz → Fürst of Orange-Nassau; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Buren, Leerdam, Katzenelnbogen, Spiegelberg, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Beilstein, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Hereditary Lord of Ameland; Lord of Baarn, Bredevoort, Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Liesveld, 't Loo, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Soest, Ter Eem, Turnhout, Willemstad, Zevenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Landgravine Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel
Prince William IV	Prince John William Friso	1 September 1711		22 October 1751		General Stadtholder of the United Provinces; Fürst of Orange-Nassau; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Buren, Culemborg, Leerdam, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Hereditary Lord of Ameland; Lord of Baarn, Bredevoort, Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Liesveld, 't Loo, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Soest, Ter Eem, Turnhout, Willemstad, Zevenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Anne, Princess Royal
Prince William V	Prince William IV	8 March 1748	22 October 1751	9 April 1806		General Stadtholder of the United Provinces; Fürst of Orange-Nassau; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Buren, Culemborg, Leerdam, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Hereditary Lord of Ameland; Lord of Baarn, Bredevoort, Borculo, Dasburg, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Lichtenvoorde, Liesveld, 't Loo, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Soest, Ter Eem, Turnhout, Willemstad, Zevenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia
Prince William VI later William I	Prince William V	24 August 1772	9 April 1806	16 March 1815 title dropped when invested as first King of the Netherlands	7 October 1840	Fürst of Orange-Nassau; Marquis of Veere and Vlissingen; Count of Buren, Culemborg, Leerdam, and Vianden; Viscount of Antwerp; Baron of Aggeris, Breda, Cranendonck, Lands of Cuijk, Daesburg, Eindhoven, City of Grave, Lek, IJsselstein, Diest, Grimbergen, Herstal, Warneton, Arlay, and Nozeroy; Hereditary Lord of Ameland; Lord of Baarn, Bredevoort, Borculo, Geertruidenberg, Hooge en Lage Zwaluwe, Klundert, Lichtenvoorde, Liesveld, 't Loo, Montfort, Naaldwijk, Niervaart, Polanen, Steenbergen, Sint-Maartensdijk, Soest, Ter Eem, Turnhout, Willemstad, Zevenbergen, Bütgenbach, Sankt Vith, and Besançon.	Wilhelmine of Prussia

As royal title for the heir apparent:

Name	Heir of	Birth	Became Heir to the Crown	Stopped to be Prince of Orange	Death	Other titles while Prince of Orange	Princess of Orange
Prince William later William II	William I	6 December 1792	16 March 1815 father's accession as King	7 October 1840 became King	17 March 1849	Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau	Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia
Prince William later William III	William II	19 February 1817	7 October 1840 father's accession as King	17 March 1849 became King	23 November 1890	Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau	Princess Sophie of Württemberg
Prince William	William III	4 September 1840	17 March 1849 father's accession as King	11 June 1879		Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau	no wife
Prince Alexander	William III	25 August 1851	11 June 1879 brother's death	21 June 1884		Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau	no wife
Prince Willem-Alexander	Beatrix	27 April 1967	30 April 1980 mother's accession as Queen regnant	Incumbent		Prince of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau, Jonkheer van Amsberg	Máxima Zorreguieta

House of Hohenzollern

Frederick I of Prussia (1702–1713), a senior descendant in female line from William the Silent, who ceded his claims to the lands of Orange to France in 1713, and his descendants, currently Georg Friedrich, Prince of Prussia, Prinz von Oranje (1976-)

House of Mailly

Louis de Mailly, Marquis de Nesle et de Mailly, appointed by the French king, and his descendants, currently Guy, Marquis de Nesle and of Mailly, Prince d'Orange.

House of Bourbon

Louis Armand de Bourbon, appointed by the French king, and his descendants. Louis Armand was also the Prince of Conti.

Related pages

Prince of Wales

Images for kids

Map of the principality of Orange in the 16th century.
A detailed map of the principality in the first half of the 17th century reproduced from the famous 1627 Atlas of Willem Janszoon Blaeu. The area of the principality was approximately 12 miles long by 9 miles wide, or 108 sq. miles.
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An alternate coat of arms sometimes used by Frederick Henry, William II, and William III as Prince of Orange showing the county of Moers in the top center rather than Veere.