Prince Frederick William II of Nassau-Siegen (11 November 1706 – 2 March 1734), , official titles: Fürst zu Nassau, Graf zu Katzenelnbogen, Vianden, Diez, Limburg und Bronkhorst, Herr zu Beilstein, Stirum, Wisch, Borculo, Lichtenvoorde und Wildenborch, Erbbannerherr des Herzogtums Geldern und der Grafschaft Zutphen, was since 1722 Fürst of Nassau-Siegen, a part of the County of Nassau. He descended from the House of Nassau-Siegen, a cadet branch of the Ottonian Line of the House of Nassau. He was the last male representative of his lineage, with him the Protestant line of the House of Nassau-Siegen became extinct.

Biography

Frederick William was born in the in SiegenMenk (2004), p. 200. on 11 November 1706All sources that mention a full date of birth, state this date. as the only son of Fürst Frederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen and his first wife Landgravine Elisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg.All sources that mention both parents, name these parents. He was baptised in Siegen on 18 November.Dek (1970), p. 99. His mother died just one year after his birth.All sources that mention the death of his mother, state that she died in 1707.

In October 1712, Frederick William Adolf and William Hyacinth, the Catholic Fürst of Nassau-Siegen, reached an agreement about their share in the city of Siegen. William Hyacinth ceded the Catholic land to Frederick William Adolf in exchange for an annual pension of 12,000 Reichsthalers. There was even an intention to marry off Frederick William, the Reformed Hereditary Prince, to Maria Anna Josepha, William Hyacinth's underage daughter. All this was done not in the least to get rid of the troublesome foreign administration.Lück (1981), p. 144. Since April 1707, the Catholic part of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen had, by order of the Aulic Council, been under the administration of the cathedral chapter in Cologne, due to the maladministration of William Hyacinth (because the Archbishop of Cologne, Joseph Clemens of Bavaria, was in imperial ban at the time, the cathedral chapter governed the Archdiocese of Cologne).Lück (1981), p. 143.

On the death of his father in 1722, Frederick William succeeded his father as the territorial lord of the Protestant part of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen and co-ruler of the city of Siegen.Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 354. He possessed the district of Siegen (with the exception of seven villages) and the districts of Hilchenbach and Freudenberg. He shared the city of Siegen with his second cousin, William Hyacinth, the Catholic Fürst of Nassau-Siegen.Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 273. Frederick William also succeeded his father as count of Bronkhorst, lord of , , and , and hereditary knight banneret of the Duchy of Guelders and the County of Zutphen.Lück (1981), p. 116. Finally, Frederick William succeeded his father in a part of the Principality of Nassau-Hadamar. Due to he was still a minor, he was under the custody and regency of his stepmother Amalie Louise of Courland until 1727.

Frederick William became a ritmeester in the Dutch States Army on 23 November 1723, and colonel of a regiment infantry on 22 July 1728. And in 1731 he became a knight of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg, Saxony, Pomerania and Wendland) in Sonnenburg.

Frederick William died in the Nassauischer Hof in Siegen on 2 March 1734,All sources that mention a full date of death, state this date. he was only 27 years old. He was buried on 17 April in the there.Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 35.

On 19 June, his widow Sophie Polyxena Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein gave birth to the fifth daughter. Thus, there were no male heirs and the Dowager Fürstin was compelled to accept that the Catholic Fürst William Hyacinth would take possession of the Reformed lands and the city of Siegen. However, the Fürsten Christian of Nassau-Dillenburg and William Charles Henry Friso of Nassau-Diez also laid claim to the inheritance. Their soldiers occupied the Nassauischer Hof in Siegen, while William Hyacinth was in Spain.Lück (1981), p. 147.

In order to drive out this occupation by Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Diez, Elector Clemens August of Cologne called in the Landesausschuß in his countries bordering the Siegerland. On 20 August 1735, peasants from Cologne crossed the borders of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen and plundered "was ihnen vorkam" ("what was in front of them"). On 23 August they were admitted to the (Catholic) castle and advanced with two to three thousand men to the (Reformed) Nassauischer Hof. But the armies of Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Diez, united with the citizens of Siegen, forced the troops from Cologne to flee. Thus, the Reformed part of Siegerland remained under the rule of Nassau-Dillenburg and Nassau-Diez, and the Catholic part remained under the imperial administration.

When, during the renovation of the Fürstengruft in 1951, the marble slabs that had been placed in front of the niches in 1893 had to be reattached, it was possible to take a look inside the graves. It was discovered that many graves had already been opened. Behind the slabs were walls of field-baked bricks, some of which were loose and allowed a view into the interior of the niches. In the light of a strong flashlight one could see that in the niche of Frederick William is a coffin apparently made of mahogany, framed by gilt bands about 4 cm wide.Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 37.

Marriage and issue

Frederick William married at Ludwigseck Hunting Lodge near on 23 September 1728Menk (2004), p. 201. to Countess Sophie Polyxena Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-HohensteinDek (1970), p. 99 mentions only the name Sayn-Wittgenstein. (Berlin, 28 May 1709 – , Siegen, 15 December 1781All but one of the sources that mention the full date of death, state this date of death. Only Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 129 mentions 15 December 1783.), the second daughter of Count August of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein and his first wife Countess Concordia of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein.

From the marriage of Frederick William and Sophie Polyxena Concordia the following children were born:Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 388.Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 130. Charlotte Sophia LouiseHuberty, et al. (1981), p. 388 names her Charlotte Sophie. The given name Charlotte Sophia Louise in Dek (1970), p. 98 and Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 130. (Siegen, 6 June 1729 – Burgsteinfurt, 2 April 1759), married in Siegen on 30 September 1748 to Count Charles Peter Ernest of Bentheim-Steinfurt (Burgsteinfurt, 30 August 1729 – Burgsteinfurt, 30 June 1780). Frederica Wilhelmine Polyxena (Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 3 April 1730 – Wittgenstein Castle, Laasphe, 18 November 1733). Mary Eleonore Concordia (Siegen, 2 March 1731 – Kamen, 20 April 1759). She died of smallpox in the house of the preacher Theodore Diederich Henrich Wever in Kamen.Genealogy of the Wever family. Frederica Augusta Sophia (Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 1 June 1732 – Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 23 March 1733). Anne Charlotte AugustaGiven name according to Menk (2004), p. 201 and Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 388. Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 406 mentions that this given name appears in the baptismal certificate. The given name Catharina Anna (Charlotte Augusta) in Dek (1970), p. 98 and Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 35. The given name Catharina Anna in Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 130, who mentions in a footnote that she also appears as Anna Charlotte Augusta. (Nassauischer Hof, Siegen, 19 June 1734 – Untere Schloss, Siegen, 9 June 1759).

Ancestors Ancestors of Frederick William II, Prince of Nassau-SiegenHuberty, et al. (1981).Huberty, et al. (1976).Dek (1970).Dek (1968).Dek (1962).Knetsch (1931).von Ehrenkrook, et al. (1928).Vorsterman van Oyen (1882).Behr (1854).Textor von Haiger (1617).Europäische Stammtafeln.Great-great-grandparentsJohn VII 'the Middle' of Nassau-Siegen(1561–1623)⚭ 1603Margaret of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg(1583–1658)George Ernest of Limburg-Stirum(1593–1661)⚭ 1603Magdalene of Bentheim-Tecklenburg(1591–1649)Louis Henry of Nassau-Dillenburg(1594–1662)⚭ 1615Catharine of Sayn-Wittgenstein(1588–1651)Peter Melander(1589–1648)⚭ 1638Agnes von Efferen genannt Hall(?–1656)George I 'the Pious' of Hesse-Darmstadt(1547–1596)⚭ 1572Magdalene of Lippe(1552–1587)Christopher of Leiningen-Westerburg(1575–1635)⚭ 1601Anna Maria Ungnad von Weißenwolff(1573–1606)William of Courland(1574–1640)⚭ 1609Sophie of Prussia(1582–1610)George William of Brandenburg(1595–1640)⚭ 1616Elisabeth Charlotte of the Palatinate(1597–1660)Great-grandparentsHenry of Nassau-Siegen(1611–1652)⚭ 1646Mary Magdalene of Limburg-Stirum(1632–1707)Adolf of Nassau-Schaumburg(1629–1676)⚭ 1653Elisabeth Charlotte Melander(1640–1707)Frederick I 'the Elder' of Hesse-Homburg(1585–1638)⚭ 1622Margaret Elisabeth of Leiningen-Westerburg(1604–1667)Jacob of Courland(1610–1682)⚭ 1645Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg(1617–1676)GrandparentsWilliam Maurice of Nassau-Siegen(1649–1691)⚭ 1678Ernestine Charlotte of Nassau-Schaumburg(1662–1732)Frederick II of Hesse-Homburg(1633–1708)⚭ 1670Louise Elisabeth of Courland(1646–1690)ParentsFrederick William Adolf of Nassau-Siegen(1680–1722)⚭ 1702Elisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg(1681–1707)

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