The County of Nassau was a German state within the Holy Roman Empire from the period of the formal recognition of the countly title in 1159 (though "de facto" sovereignty began in 1125) until the declaration of the Duchy of Nassau in 1806 with the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine. Through succession, it had many counts ruling parts of it, mostly or completely independent of one another. After many of these counts were promoted to princely status, the County was promoted and thus was known as a Princely County or as the Principality of Nassau.
Origins Nassau, originally a county, developed on the lower Lahn river in what is known today as Rhineland-Palatinate. The town of Nassau was founded in 915. Dudo of Laurenburg held Nassau as a fiefdom as granted by the Bishopric of Worms. His son, Rupert, built the Nassau Castle there around 1125, declaring himself "Count of Nassau". This title was not officially acknowledged by the Bishop of Worms until 1159 under the rule of Rupert's son, Walram. By 1159, the County of Nassau effectively claimed rights of taxation, toll collection, and justice, at which point it can be considered to become a state.
The Nassauers held the territory between the Taunus and the Westerwald at the lower and middle Lahn. By 1128, they acquired the bailiwick of the Bishopric of Worms, which had numerous rights in the area, and thus created a link between their heritage at the lower Lahn and their possessions near Siegen. In the middle of the 12th century, this relationship was strengthened by the acquisition of parts of the Hesse-Thüringen feudal kingdom, namely the Herborner Mark, the Kalenberger Zent and the Court of Heimau (Löhnberg). Closely linked to this was the "Lordship of Westerwald", also in Nassau's possession at the time. At the end of the 12th century, the House acquired the Reichshof Wiesbaden, an important base in the southwest.
In 1255, after the Counts of Nassau acquired the estates of Weilburg, the sons of Count Henry II divided Nassau for the first time. Walram II received the county of Nassau-Weilburg. From 1328 on, his younger brother, Otto I, held the estates north of the Lahn river, namely the County of Nassau-Siegen and Nassau-Dillenburg. The boundary line was essentially the Lahn, with Otto receiving the northern part of the county with the cities of Siegen, Dillenburg, Herborn and Haiger and Walram retaining the section south of the river, including the cities of Weilburg and Idstein.
County of Nassau-Weilburg Walram's son Adolf became King of Germany in 1292. His son Count Gerlach abdicated in 1344 and the county was divided under his sons in 1355 County of Nassau-Weilburg, again divided from 1442 to 1574 County of Nassau-Saarbrücken (Elder) County of Nassau-Weilburg County of Nassau-Wiesbaden, again divided from 1480 to 1509 County of Nassau-Idstein County of Nassau-Wiesbaden fell back to Nassau-Weilburg in 1605 County of Nassau-Sonnenberg, partitioned among Nassau-Wiesbaden and Nassau-Weilburg in 1405 In 1605, all parts of Nassau-Weilburg were again unified under Count Louis II; however, after his death in 1627, his sons divided the county again County of Nassau-Idstein, fell to Nassau-Ottweiler in 1721 County of Nassau-Saarbrücken (Younger), divided again in 1640 County of Nassau-Saarbrücken, fell to Nassau-Ottweiler in 1723 County of Nassau-Ottweiler, fell to Nassau-Usingen in 1728 County of Nassau-Usingen, Principality in 1688 County of Nassau-Weilburg (Younger) After Nassau-Usingen had inherited Nassau-Ottweiler with former Nassau-Idstein and Nassau-Saarbrücken, it was reunified with Nassau-Weilburg and raised to the Duchy of Nassau in 1806.
County of Nassau-Dillenburg After the death of Count Otto I, his county was divided between his sons in 1303: County of Nassau-Dillenburg, fell to Nassau-Siegen in 1328 County of Nassau-Hadamar (Elder), fell to Nassau-Dillenburg in 1394 County of Nassau-Siegen, called Nassau-Dillenburg from 1328 on, again got divided from 1341 to 1561: County of Nassau-Beilstein (Elder) County of Nassau-Dillenburg (Elder)–1606)
In 1504, Henry III of Nassau-Dillenburg inherited the county's estates at Breda in the Duchy of Brabant, while his younger brother William became Count of Nassau-Dillenburg in 1516. After the son of Henry III, René of Châlon died in 1544, Count William's eldest son William the Silent became Prince of Orange and Lord of Breda, Stadtholder in the Low Countries from 1559 on, leader in the Dutch Revolt for independence from the Spanish Empire and Pater Patriae of the Netherlands. His younger brother, John VI, again reunited all Nassau-Dillenburg possessions in 1561, though the county was again divided after his death in 1606.
County of Nassau-Hadamar (Younger), Principality in 1650, fell to Nassau-Diez in 1743 County of Nassau-Siegen, (1607–23), again got divided from 1623 to 1734: County of Nassau-Siegen (Protestant), Principality in 1664, became extinct in 1734 County of Nassau-Siegen (Catholic), Principality, fell to Nassau-Diez in 1743 County of Nassau-Dillenburg, fell to Nassau-Beilstein in 1620 County of Nassau-Beilstein (Younger), called Nassau-Dillenburg (Younger) from 1620 on, Principality in 1652, fell to Nassau-Dietz in 1739 County of Nassau-Dietz, fell to Joachim Murat's Grand Duchy of Berg after the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806
The Counts of Nassau-Dietz, descendants of William Frederick were stadtholders of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe and Princes of Orange from 1702 on. When they lost their Dutch possessions during the Napoleonic Wars, they were compensated with the Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda. Though they lost their German possessions in 1806, the House of Orange-Nassau, through female succession, was the reigning house of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg until 1890 and is still the royal house of the Netherlands.
Rulers
House of Nassau
+County of Laurenburg/ Nassau(1093-1255)County of Northern Nassau(Ottonian Line)(1255-1303)County of Southern Nassau(Walramian Line)(1255-1355)County ofDillenburg(1st creation)(1303-1328) County ofHadamar(1st creation)(1303-1394) County ofBeilstein(1343-1561) County ofSonnenberg(1355-1404) County ofWeilburg(1355-1806)County ofSiegen(1303-1652/64)Barony ofBreda(1403-1544)Renamed as:Principality ofOrange-Nassau(1st creation, Siegen-Breda line)(1544-1702)Renaming came with the inheritance of the Principality of Orange by René of Nassau-Breda, heir of the Barony of Breda. County ofWiesbaden-Idstein(1st creation)(1355-1605)(divided 1370-86; 1480-1509; 1554-56; 1564-66) County ofSaarbrücken(1st creation)(1429-1574) County ofHadamar(2nd creation)(1620-1650)Raised to:Principality ofHadamar(1650-1711)(In 1623 divided in Catholic and Protestant ruling lines)Both lines raised to:Catholic Principalityof Siegen(1652-1743)andProtestant Principalityof Siegen(1664-1734) County ofIdstein(2nd creation)(1627-1688)Raised to:Principality ofIdstein(1688-1721) County ofOttweiler(1659-1721) County ofDillenburg(2nd creation)(1606-1654)Raised to:Principality ofDillenburg(1654-1739) County ofDietz(1606-1654)Raised to:Principality ofDietz(1654-1702) County ofSaarbrücken (2nd creation)(1627-1728) Renamed as:Principality ofOrange-Nassau(2nd creation, Dietz line)(1702-1806)County of Usingen(1659-1688)Raised to:Principality of Usingen(1688-1806) Principality ofSaarbrücken(1741-1797) Annexed by France Principality of Orange-Nassau(2nd creation, Dietz line)(1813-1815)Duchy of Nassau(1806-1866) Annexed by Prussia
RulerBornReignRuling partConsortDeathNotesDudo?1093 – 1117County of Laurenburg/Nassau Irmgard/Demudis of Arnsteinthree childrenc.1117Founder of the family and the county.Rupert Ic.1090First son of Dudo and Irmgard/Demudis of Arnstein1117 – 1154County of Laurenburg/Nassau Beatrix of Limburgbefore 1135four childrenc.1154aged c.63/64 Sons of Dudo, ruled jointly. Arnold abdicated from the co-regency.Arnold Ic.1090Second son of Dudo and Irmgard/Demudis of Arnstein1117 – 1148/50 Unmarriedc.1148/50aged c.58-60Rupert IIc.1120First son of Rupert I and Beatrix of Limburg1154 – 1159County of Laurenburg/Nassau Beatrixat least two childrenc.1159aged c.38-39Sons of Rupert I, ruled jointly.Arnold IIc.1137Second son of Rupert I and Beatrix of Limburg Unknownat least one childc.1159aged c.21-22 Regency of Beatrix of Limburg (1159-1160) Cousins, ruled together. Rupert III, Arnold II's son, co- ruled with Henry I, Rupert II's son. In 1167, Henry I died in Rome during the August 1167 epidemic (after the Battle of Monte Porzio). His death made his brother Waleran replace him in the co-regency. In 1191, Rupert III's death made his son Herman the new co-regent, but he abdicated the next year. In 1193, Waleran I (then already sole ruler) would become the first legalized Count of Nassau.Rupert III the Bellicosec.1130/40?Son of Arnold II1159 – 23/28 December 1191County of Laurenburg/Nassau Elysa of Leiningen1169two children23/28 December 1191aged c.51-61Henry Ic.1140First son of Rupert II and Beatrix1159 – August 1167 UnmarriedAugust 1167Romeaged c.26/27Waleran I1146Second son of Rupert II and BeatrixAugust 1167 – 1 February 1198 Kunigunde of Ziegenhainbefore 1135four children1 February 1198aged 51/52Hermanc.1170Son of Rupert III and Elysa of Leiningen23/28 December 1191 – 1192 Unmarriedc.1210?aged c.39/40?Henry II the Richc.1180First son of Waleran I and Kunigunde of Ziegenhain1 February 1198 – 26 April 1250County of Nassau Matilda of Gueldersbefore 1221eleven children26 April 1250aged c.69/70 Sons of Waleran I, ruled together. From 1230 to 1240, Rupert was a Knight of the Teutonic Order.Rupert IVc.1180Second son of Waleran I and Kunigunde of Ziegenhain1 February 1198 – 1230 Gertrude of Isenburg-Cleebergc. 11 December 1215no childrenc.1239aged c.58/59Henry II's sons, Waleran II and Otto I, who were ruling together, split the Nassau possessions on 17 December 1255, by a treaty called Prima divisio, which determined the Lahn river as border of the two halves: to the south, called Southern Nassau, was ruled by Waleran and his descendants, who became known as the Walramian Line, which became important in the County of Nassau and Luxembourg; to the north, called Northern Nassau the county was ruled by Otto and his descendants, who became known as the Ottonian Line, which would inherit parts of Nassau, France and the Netherlands.Waleran IIc.1220First son of Henry II and Matilda of Guelders26 April 1250 – 16 December 1255County of Nassau Adelaide of Katzenelnbogenbefore 1250seven children24 January 1276aged c.55/56 Children of Henry II, ruled jointly until 1255, when they issued the Prima divisio, regulating their division of lands: Waleran received the land to the south of Lahn river: He was count of Nassau in Wiesbaden, Idstein, and Weilburg;