Nassau-Usingen was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in the Upper Rhenish Circle that became a principality in 1688.
The origin of the county lies in the medieval county of Weilnau that was acquired by the counts of Nassau-Weilburg in 1602. That county was divided in 1629 into the lines of Nassau-Weilburg, Nassau-Idstein and Nassau-Saarbrücken. However, the division became effective only thirty years later, in 1659.
The emerging counties were Nassau-Saarbrücken, Nassau-Ottweiler and Nassau-Usingen. At the beginning of the 18th century, three of the Nassau lines died out and Nassau-Usingen became their successor (1721 Nassau-Idstein, 1723 Nassau-Ottweiler und 1728 Nassau-Saarbrücken). In 1735, Nassau-Usingen was divided again into Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Saarbrücken. In 1797, Nassau-Usingen inherited Nassau-Saarbrücken.
On July 17, 1806, the counties of Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg joined the Confederation of the Rhine. Under pressure from Napoleon, both counties merged to become the Duchy of Nassau on August 30, 1806, under joint rule of Prince Frederick August of Nassau-Usingen and his younger cousin Prince Frederick William of Nassau-Weilburg. As Frederick August had no heirs, he agreed that Frederick William should become sole ruler after his death. However, Frederick William died from a fall on the stairs at Schloss Weilburg on 9 January 1816, and it was his son William who became duke of a unified Nassau.
The title has been carried in pretense by Prince Frederick August's half-brother Karl Philip's line.
List of rulers
RulerBornReignRuling partConsortDeathNotesWalrad25 February 1635RoermondSeventh son of William Louis, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken and Anna Amalia of Baden-Durlach1659 – 17 October 1702County of Usingen(1659–88)Principality of Usingen(1688–1702) Catherine Françoise of Croÿ-Roeulx16 June 1678Mechelenthree childrenMagdalena Elizabeth of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort1686no children17 October 1702Usingenaged 66 William Henry2 May 1684's-HertogenboschSon of Walrad and Catherine Françoise of Croÿ-Roeulx17 October 1702 – 14 February 1718Principality of Usingen Charlotte Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg15 April 1706Dillenburgnine children14 February 1718Usingenaged 33 Regency of Charlotte Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg (1718–1734)Charles was the only heir, but in 1741 he divided the inheritance, and gave Saarbrücken to his brother (raised as a principality), and retained Usingen.Charles31 December 1712UsingenFirst son of William Henry, Prince of Nassau-Usingen and Charlotte Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg14 February 1718 – 21 June 1775Principality of Usingen Christine Wilhelmine of Saxe-Eisenach 26 December 1734four childrenMagdalene Gross of Wiesbadenafter 1740(morganatic)four children21 June 1775Biebrichaged 62Charles William9 November 1735UsingenFirst son of Charles and Christina Wilhelmina of Saxe-Eisenach21 June 1775 – 17 May 1803Principality of Usingen Caroline Felizitas of Leiningen-Dagsburg16 April 1760one child17 May 1803Biebrichaged 67Left no descendants. He was succeeded by his brother. In 1783, the heads of various branches of the House of Nassau sealed the Nassau Family Pact () to regulate future succession in their states, and to establish a dynastic hierarchy whereby the Prince of Orange-Nassau-Dietz was recognised as President of the House of Nassau.Frederick Augustus23 April 1738UsingenSecond son of Charles and Christine Wilhelmine of Saxe-Eisenach17 May 1803 – 24 March 1816Principality of Usingen Louise of Waldeck9 June 1775seven children24 March 1816Wiesbadenaged 7730 August 1806 – 24 March 1816Duchy of NassauNassau-Usingen united with Nassau-Weilburg to form the Duchy of Nassau
See also House of Nassau Duchy of Nassau House of Nassau-Weilburg
References
Sources The Dutch Nassau-Usingen and the German Nassau-Usingen Wikipedia articles The German webpage Fürstentum Nassau-Usingen The divisions of the House of Nassau