Stadholder Johan-Willem-Friso (1687-1711), Princess Marie-Louise (1688-1765) & Family

**Marengo** · #1 09-01-2007, 11:54 AM

John William Friso (4 August 1687 – 14 July 1711), Prince of Nassau-Dietz became the Prince of Orange in 1702, Stadholder of Friesland and Grongingen (1696-1711); m. April 26, 1709, he married Marie Luise of Hessen-Kassel (Kassel, Feb. 07 1688 - Leeuwarden, Apr. 09 1765)

Parents of Johan-Willem-Friso: Prince Hendrik-Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz, Stadholder of Friesland and Groningen and Princess Henriette-Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau

Parents of Marie-Louise: Landgrave Charles of Hessen-Kassen and Princess Marie Amalie of Kurland

Children of Johan-Willem-Friso and Marie-Louise: Duchess Amalia of Baden-Durlach and Stadholder Willem IV of the United Provinces

Siblings of Johan-Willem-Friso: Princess Henriette-Albertine and Princess Maria-Amalia of Nassau-Dietz, Duchess Sophia-Hedwig of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Princess Isabella-Charlotte of Nassau-Dillenburg and Princesses Johanna-Agnes, Louise-Leopoldina and Henriette-Casimira of Nassau-Dietz

Siblings Marie-Louise: Landgrave Friedrich I of Hessen-Kassel, King of Sweden, Duchess Sophie Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Landgrave Wilhelm VIII of Hessen-Kassel, Prince Maximilian and Prince Georg-Karl of Hessen-Kassel

**Marengo** · #2 09-01-2007, 04:45 PM

John William Friso (4 August 1687 – 14 July 1711), Prince of Nassau-Dietz became the Prince of Orange in 1702. He was stadholder of Friesland until his untimely death by drowning in the Hollands Diep in 1711. He was the son of Prince Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Diez 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.
After the death of William III of Orange the legitimate direct male line of William the Silent (the 2nd House of Orange) was extinct and John William Friso, senior descendant in male line from William the Silent's brother and a descendant in female line from Frederick Henry, grandfather of William III, claimed the succession as stadtholder in all provinces held by Willem 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 commenced the 3rd House of Orange, which continues also today in person of Beatrix of the Netherlands. His son William IV of Orange, however, later became stadtholder of all seven provinces.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

**Marengo** · #3 09-01-2007, 04:45 PM

On April 26, 1709, he married Marie Luise (1688-1765), daughter of Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and granddaughter of Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland. Her husband Johan Willem Friso van Oranje-Nassau,, had been non hereditary Stadtholder of the Netherlands, and she ruled for son, Willem IV, Price of Oranje and Nassau and for Grandson Willem V, after the death of his mother, Princess Anne. Known as Marijke Meu, she was the sister of Friedrich, who became king of Sweden in 1720 after the abdication of his wife, Queen Ulrika Eleonora, and she lived (1688-1765)

**Marengo** · #4 09-01-2007, 04:50 PM

Anna Charlotte Amalia (1710-1777), married in 1727 to Prince Friedrich of Baden-Durlach (1703-1732) Amalia had a tragic life. Like her mother she lost her husband when she was 5 months pregnant of their son. But unlike Marie-Louise she didn´t have the strengh to overcome this. Shortly after the birth of her son she was diagnosed to be ´insane´, lost her memory and she didn´t recognize anything or anyone. Her death in 1777 relieved her from her suffering of 40 years. Her son Karl-Friedrich would become an enlightened despots who joined the lands of Baden together. The present Grand Ducal hosue of Baden descends from him.

**Marengo** · #5 09-02-2007, 04:50 PM

When Johan-Willem-Friso drowned in the ´Hollands Diep´ his wife was pregnant of their son. Willem IV was born a few months of his fathers death. Read more about Willem IV in his thread at TRF, which can be found here.

**Marengo** · #6 09-02-2007, 04:51 PM

A painting of Princess Marie-Louise aka Marijke Meu:

**Marengo** · #7 09-02-2007, 04:59 PM

A large painting of Johan-Willem-Friso:

**Marengo** · #8 09-02-2007, 05:01 PM

Johan Willem Friso was 14 when he inherited the Dutch pocessions of his uncle and cousin Willem III:

**Marengo** · #9 09-02-2007, 05:07 PM

Princes Marie-Louise and her two children, the ill-fated Princess Amalia and Prince Willem V:

**Marengo** · #10 09-02-2007, 05:13 PM

A gravure of the drowning of Johan-Willem-Friso:

**Marengo** · #11 09-02-2007, 05:14 PM

Two images of Johan-Willem-Friso:

**Marengo** · #12 09-02-2007, 05:15 PM

Johan-Willem-Friso as a toddler (on the left) with his father Hendrik-Casimir II, his mother Henriette-Amalia of Anhalt and a couple of his sisters.

**Marengo** · #13 09-02-2007, 05:33 PM

An image of Marie-Louise´s father Landgrave Karl I of Hessen-Kassel:

**Marengo** · #14 09-02-2007, 05:37 PM

Marie-Louise lived in the Princessehof in Leeuwarden. The Prinsenhof in now a museum, HM The Queen visited it with the Grand Dukes of Luxembourg during their state visit to the Netherlands, see a picture here. The webstite of the Prinsenhof can be found here.

Londena · #15 02-09-2015, 10:08 AM

This year is the 250th anniversary of Marie-Louise's death and the city of Leeuwarden is planning a 'Marie-Louise Year' with a ton of activities.

I received an invitation for the opening on 9th april (the day of her death), so I'm really hoping I can go.

**Marengo** · #16 02-09-2015, 10:18 AM

Thanks Londena, it is quite an extensive list of activities. I wonder if a member of the Royal Family will attend the opening in the Great Church of Leeuwarden.

A nice tribute to the princess.

Londena · #17 02-09-2015, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

Thanks Londena, it is quite an extensive list of activities. I wonder if a member of the Royal Family will attend the opening in the Great Church of Leeuwarden.

A nice tribute to the princess.

Would be fun if a royal came!

Londena · #18 04-19-2015, 03:08 PM

My blogpost about the opening: Opening of the Marie Louise Year & Two Exhibtions - History of Royal Women

No royals unfortunately! It was opened by two Mayors (one of the city and one who is also the president of the commission who organised it all).

It was fun but the exhibitions are terribly small!

Duc_et_Pair · #19 04-19-2015, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Londena

[...]

It was fun but the exhibitions are terribly small!

Thanks, I will read your post later. The fact that the exhibition is small, is probably also the answer why no royal came...

**An Ard Ri** · #20 04-26-2015, 06:07 PM

In 1795 the crypt containing the remains of Prince Johan-Willem-Friso ,his wife and ancestors at the Jacobijner in Leeuwarden was desecrated .The tombs were smashed and the contents were dumped into a water logged basement where they remained until 1841.King William II paid a visit and ordered the remains of his ancestors to be gathered up and reburied.