John William Friso, Prince of Orange

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John William Friso, Prince of Orange
Born	August 4, 1687 Dessau, Anhalt
Died	July 14, 1711[aged 23] Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Title	Prince of Orange
Spouse(s)	Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel
Parents	Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz and Henriëtte Amalia van Anhalt-Dessau

John William Friso, Prince of Orange, Prince of Nassau-Dietz became the titular Prince of Orange in 1702. He was stadtholder of Friesland until his death by drowning in the Hollands Diep in 1711. He was the son of Prince Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz and Henriëtte Amalia van Anhalt-Dessau and a member of the House of Nassau and through the testamentary dispositions of William III became the progenitor of the new line of the House of Orange-Nassau.

With the death of William III, Prince of Orange, the legitimate direct male line of William the Silent (the 2nd House of Orange) became extinct. John William Friso, the senior descendant in the male line from William the Silent's brother and a descendant in the female line from Frederick Henry, grandfather of William III, claimed the succession as stadtholder in all provinces held by William III. This was denied to him by the republican faction in the Netherlands.

The five provinces over which William III ruled — Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Gelderland and Overijssel — all suspended the office of Stadtholder after William III's death. The remaining two provinces — Friesland and Groningen — were never governed by William III, and continued to retain a separate Stadtholder, John William Friso. He established the 3rd House of Orange, which continues today in person of Beatrix of the Netherlands. His son William IV, Prince of Orange, however, later became stadtholder of all seven provinces.

Because William III's most senior heir in the female line was Frederick I of Prussia, the latter also claimed part of the inheritance (for example Lingen). Under William III's will, Friso stood to inherit the Principality of Orange. However, the Prussian King Frederick I also claimed the Principality of Orange in Rhone Valley, which he later ceded to France.

On coming of age, John William Friso became a general of the Dutch troops during the War of Spanish Succession, under the command of the Duke of Marlborough, and turned out to be a competent officer. His prestige could have favoured his eventual election as a stadtholder in the 5 other provinces. However, in 1711, when traveling from the Belgian front to The Hague in connection with the law suit about the Principality of Orange, in his haste he insisted in crossing the Hollands Diep during a heavy storm. The ferry boat sank and John William Friso drowned. His son was born six weeks after his death.

On April 26, 1709, he married Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1688-1765), daughter of Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel) and granddaughter of Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland. They had two children.

• Anna Charlotte Amalia (1710-1777), married in 1727 to Prince Friedrich of Baden-Durlach (1703-1732) and had issue.
• Willem IV Karel Hendrik Friso (1711-1751), married in 1734 to Anne, Princess Royal of Great Britain (1709-1759) and had issue.

John William Friso holds the position of being the most recent common ancestor to all currently reigning European royal families.^[1]

[edit] See also

Familypedia has a page on Johan_Willem_Friso_van_Nassau-Dietz_(1687-1711).

• Royal descendants of John William Friso, Prince of Orange

[edit] References

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1. ^ http://www.royal.gov.uk/files/pdf/European%20monarchs%20family%20tree.pdf

John William Friso, Prince of Orange House of Orange-Nassau (second creation) Cadet branch of the House of Nassau Born: 4 August 1687 Died: 14 July 1711
Dutch nobility
Preceded by William III	Prince of Orange 1702–1711	Succeeded by William IV
Regnal titles
Preceded by Henry Casimir II	Prince of Nassau-Dietz 1696–1702	Title obsolete merged into German principality of Orange-Nassau
New title	Prince of Orange-Nassau 1702–1711	Succeeded by William IV
Preceded by William III	Baron of Breda 1702–1711
Political offices
Preceded by Henry Casimir II	Stadtholder of Friesland and Groningen 1696–1711	Succeeded by William IV

v • d • e Stadtholders of Friesland Floris van Egmond • Willem van Roggendorff • Jancko Douwama • Georg Schenck van Tautenburg • Maximiliaan van Egmond • Jean de Ligne • Charles de Brimeu • Gillis van Berlaymont • Caspar de Robles • George van Rennenberg • Francisco Verdugo • William of Orange • Willem Lodewijk • Ernst Casimir • Hendrik Casimir I • Willem Frederik • Hendrik Casimir II • Johan Willem Friso of Orange • William IV of Orange • William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Groningen Cristoffel van Meurs • Jasper van Marwijck • Karel van Gelre • Ludolf Coenders • Georg Schenck van Toutenburg • Maximiliaan van Egmond • Jan van Ligne • Karel van Brimeu • Gillis van Berlaymont • Caspar van Robles • Georges van Lalaing • Francisco Verdugo • Willem Lodewijk • Maurice of Nassau • Ernst Casimir • Hendrik Casimir I • Frederick Henry of Orange • William II of Orange • Willem Frederik • Hendrik Casimir II • Johan Willem Friso of Orange • William IV of Orange • William V of Orange