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County of Nassau-Usingen

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(Redirected from Nassau-Usingen) State of the Holy Roman Empire (1659–1806)
County of Nassau-Usingen
1659–1806
Flag of Nassau-Usingen Flag
Status
CapitalUsingen
GovernmentCounty/Principality
Count/Prince 
• 1659-1702 Walrad (first)
History 
• Established 1659
• Became principality 1688
• Joined the Confederation of the Rhine July 17, 1806
• Inherited by Nassau-Weilberg to form the Duchy of Nassau August 30, 1806
CurrencyGuilder
Succeeded by
Duchy of Nassau
Today part ofGermany
Arms of Nassau-Usingen.

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

Further information: County of Nassau § Rulers
Ruler Born Reign Ruling part Consort Death Notes
Walrad 25 February 1635
Roermond
Seventh son of William Louis, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken and Anna Amalia of Baden-Durlach 		1659 – 17 October 1702 County of Usingen
(1659–88)

Principality of Usingen
(1688–1702)		 Catherine Françoise of Croÿ-Roeulx
16 June 1678
Mechelen
three children

Magdalena Elizabeth of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Rochefort
1686
no children 		17 October 1702
Usingen
aged 66
William Henry 2 May 1684
's-Hertogenbosch
Son of Walrad and Catherine Françoise of Croÿ-Roeulx 		17 October 1702 – 14 February 1718 Principality of Usingen Charlotte Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg
15 April 1706
Dillenburg
nine children 		14 February 1718
Usingen
aged 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.
Charles 31 December 1712
Usingen
First son of William Henry, Prince of Nassau-Usingen and Charlotte Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg 		14 February 1718 – 21 June 1775 Principality of Usingen Christine Wilhelmine of Saxe-Eisenach
26 December 1734
four children

Magdalene Gross of Wiesbaden
after 1740
(morganatic)
four children 		21 June 1775
Biebrich
aged 62
Charles William 9 November 1735
Usingen
First son of Charles and Christina Wilhelmina of Saxe-Eisenach 		21 June 1775 – 17 May 1803 Principality of Usingen Caroline Felizitas of Leiningen-Dagsburg
16 April 1760
one child 		17 May 1803
Biebrich
aged 67 		Left 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 (Erbverein) 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 Augustus 23 April 1738
Usingen
Second son of Charles and Christine Wilhelmine of Saxe-Eisenach 		17 May 1803 – 24 March 1816 Principality of Usingen Louise of Waldeck
9 June 1775
seven children 		24 March 1816
Wiesbaden
aged 77
30 August 1806 – 24 March 1816 Duchy of Nassau
Nassau-Usingen united with Nassau-Weilburg to form the Duchy of Nassau

See also

References

  1. Hay, Mark Edward (1 June 2016). "The House of Nassau between France and Independence, 1795–1814: Lesser Powers, Strategies of Conflict Resolution, Dynastic Networks". The International History Review. 38 (3): 482–504. doi:10.1080/07075332.2015.1046387. S2CID 155502574.

Sources

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