William, Count of Nassau-Siegen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Field Marshall
William, Count of Nassau-Siegen
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Count William of Nassau-Siegen (1592–1642); studio of Jan Antonisz. van Ravesteyn, ca. 1620–1630. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.
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| Count of Nassau-Siegen | |
| In office 1624–1642 |
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| Preceded by | John VIII, Count of Nassau-Siegen |
| Succeeded by | John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen |
| Governor of Emmerich | |
| In office 1625–1626 |
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| Governor of Heusden | |
| In office 1626–1637 |
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| Governor of Sluis | |
| In office 1637–1642 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Wilhelm Graf zu Nassau, Nassau, Katzenelnbogen, Vianden und Diez, Herr zu Beilstein
13 August 1592 Dillenburg, Germany |
| Died | 17 July 1642 (aged 49) Orsoy, Germany |
| Cause of death | Died of wounds |
| Resting place | Heusden |
| Spouse | Christiane of Erbach (1619–his death) |
| Children | John William (1619–1623); Maurice Frederick (1621-1638); Mary Magdalene (1622–1647); Ernestine Juliane (1624–1634); Hollandine (1628–1629); Elisabeth Charlotte (1626–1694); Hollandine (1628–1629); Wilhelmine Christine (1629–1700) |
| Parents | John VII, Count of Nassau-Siegen; Magdalene of Waldeck-Wildungen |
| Alma mater | Heidelberg University |
| Occupation | Soldier and statesman |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Hanseatic League; Republic of Venice; Dutch Republic |
| Years of service | 1610–1642 |
| Rank | Field Marshall |
| Battles/wars | |
William, Count of Nassau-Siegen (born August 13, 1592 – died July 17, 1642), was an important soldier and leader from a noble family in Germany. He was a Count of Nassau-Siegen from 1624 until his death. William was a professional soldier who fought in many wars, including the Eighty Years War, which was a big conflict in the Netherlands. He became a high-ranking officer, a field marshal, in 1633 and served as a governor in several important towns.
Contents
William's Early Life
William was born in Dillenburg, Germany, on August 13, 1592. He was the fifth son of Count John VII 'the Middle' and his first wife, Countess Magdalene of Waldeck-Wildungen. He went to Heidelberg University to study. Later, he visited England with Otto of Hesse-Kassel.
William's Military Career
William started his military journey in 1610, fighting in his father's army.
Early Battles
- In 1615, he became a captain in the army of the Hanseatic League. This army helped end the siege of Brunswick.
- In 1617, he joined his older brother, John Ernest, who was a general for the Republic of Venice in the Uskok War.
Serving the Dutch Republic
After a 12-year peace period ended in 1621, William joined the Dutch States Army. He became a colonel in the infantry in 1622.
- In 1625, he became the governor of Emmerich.
- From 1626 to 1637, he was the governor of Heusden.
During the Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch in 1629, William led his troops. They started shelling the city on May 15. He also helped stop an invasion by another commander, Hendrik Graaf van den Bergh.
In 1629-1630, William and his troops were sent east of the Rhine river. Their presence forced Spanish troops to leave several towns, which then came under Dutch control.
Later Campaigns and Promotions
- In 1632, William helped during the Siege of Maastricht. He captured several forts near Antwerp and Orsoy.
- In April 1633, he became a Field marshal, taking over from his uncle, Count Ernest Casimir.
In 1636, William and his brother John Maurice captured the strong Schenkenschanz fort from the Spanish. The next year, in 1637, William became governor of Sluis. He also took part in the Siege of Breda.
Battle of Kallo and Final Years
In 1638, William was given an important task by Prince Frederick Henry of Orange. He was to take a levee (a raised bank) at Calloo to help with an attack on Antwerp. William captured some forts, but then he waited for more soldiers. He got some wrong information that a larger Spanish army was coming, so he quickly retreated. This led to the Battle of Kallo on June 17, where his forces were defeated. He lost over 2,000 men, including his son Maurice Frederick. This defeat caused Frederick Henry's entire plan to fail.
In 1641, during the Siege of Gennep, William was shot in the stomach. He later died from these wounds.
Count of Nassau-Siegen
William became the Count of Nassau-Siegen in 1624. This region was quite small.
Family Disputes and Inheritance
William's father, John VII, wanted to make sure the small county of Nassau-Siegen stayed together. He made a will in 1607 saying that only the oldest son would rule. Other children would get money or jobs instead.
However, William's second oldest brother, John 'the Younger', became Catholic in 1613. This was a problem because their family was Protestant. Their father changed his will to make sure the land stayed Protestant.
When John 'the Younger' joined the Spanish army (who were enemies of the Dutch Republic and the House of Nassau), and his older brother John Ernest died, their father had to decide if John 'the Younger' could still inherit.
John VII made a new will in 1621. He decided to split the small county into three parts for his three oldest sons: John 'the Younger', William, and John Maurice. The city of Siegen would be shared.
After their father died in 1623, there was a big argument about the will. John 'the Younger' had an order from the Emperor saying he should get everything. He even brought soldiers into Siegen secretly to make sure he was accepted as the ruler.
In the end, John 'the Younger' got most of the inheritance. However, he gave William the Hilchenbach district, which included Ginsburg Castle. So, from then on, Nassau-Siegen had two governments: one in Siegen and one in Hilchenbach.
During the Thirty Years' War, William and his brother John Maurice, who were fighting on the Protestant side, briefly took control of Siegen in 1632 with the help of Swedish soldiers. They divided the land as their father had originally planned. But by 1636, John 'the Younger' was back in charge of most of the county, except for Hilchenbach, which William kept.
Death and Succession
William died in Orsoy on July 17, 1642, from his wounds. He was buried in Heusden. He left his part of Nassau-Siegen to his half-brother, John Maurice.
William's Family
William married Countess Christiane of Erbach on January 17, 1619, at Siegen Castle. They had several children:
- John William (1619–1623)
- Maurice Frederick (1621–1638), who was a captain in the Dutch States Army and died in the Battle of Kallo.
- Mary Magdalene (1622–1647), who married Count Philip Theodore of Waldeck-Eisenberg.
- Ernestine Juliane (1624–1634)
- Elisabeth Charlotte (1626–1694), who married George Frederick of Waldeck-Eisenberg.
- Hollandine (1628–1629)
- Wilhelmine Christine (1629–1700), who married Count Josias II of Waldeck-Wildungen.
Known Descendants
William has many famous descendants, including:
- German Emperors like Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II.
- British monarchs like Victoria and Charles III.
- Kings of Belgium like Leopold I and Philippe I.
- Tsars of Bulgaria like Ferdinand I.
- Kings of Portugal like Pedro V.
- Grand Dukes of Luxembourg like Adolph I and Henri I.
Images for kids
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The Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch (1629). Engraving by Joan Blaeu.
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The Siege of Maastricht (1632).
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The Siege of Breda (1637). Engraving by Joan Blaeu.
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The Battle of Calloo (1638).
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The Siege of Gennep (1641). Engraving by Claes Jansz. Visscher.
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Maurice Frederick of Nassau-Siegen (1621–1638).
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Mary Magdalene of Nassau-Siegen (1622–1647). Portrait by Gerard van Honthorst.
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Wilhelmine Christine of Nassau-Siegen (1629–1700). Portrait by Gerard van Honthorst.
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