Carolina of Orange-Nassau
Encyclopedia
Princess Carolina of Orange and Nassau-Dietz, Princess of Nassau-Weilburg (Karolina; 28 February 1743, Leeuwarden – 6 May 1787, Kirchheimbolanden
) was the daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange
, Stadtholder
of the Netherlands
, and Anne, Princess Royal
.
Her maternal grandparents were King George II of Great Britain
and Queen Caroline
.
to the position of Stadtholder. However, in 1748, a male heir, Willem
, was born to her parents, thus displacing her and putting her second in line to the position.
Princess Carolina's father died in 1751, making her three-year-old brother Willem V of Orange. At that point, her mother was appointed Princess-Regent
. However, in 1759, her mother died, and Willem V was still just ten years old. Then, Princess Carolina's paternal grandmother, Princess Marie-Luise, was made Princess-Regent. Princess Marie-Luise was regent until 1765, when she died. Willem V was now seventeen, but that was still not old enough to rule on his own. So, Princess Carolina was made regent. She ruled until 1766, when Willem V turned eighteen.
, during the regency of her grandmother Princess Marie Luise, Princess Carolina married HSH Duke Karl Christian of Nassau-Weilburg. They had fifteen children:
Kirchheimbolanden
Kirchheimbolanden, the capital of Donnersbergkreis, is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, south-western Germany. It is situated approx. 25 km west of Worms, and 30 km north-east of Kaiserslautern. The first part of the name, Kirchheim, dates back to 774. It became a town in 1368, and the...
) was the daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange
William IV, Prince of Orange
William IV, Prince of Orange-Nassau , born Willem Karel Hendrik Friso, was the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands.-Early life:...
, Stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and Anne, Princess Royal
Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange was the second child and eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain and his consort, Caroline of Ansbach. She was the spouse of William IV, Prince of Orange, the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands...
.
Her maternal grandparents were King George II of Great Britain
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
and Queen Caroline
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
.
Regent
Princess Carolina was born in Leeuwarden. In 1747, it was declared that the position of Stadtholder could be inherited by females, thus making the young Princess Carolina the heiress presumptiveHeir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the position of Stadtholder. However, in 1748, a male heir, Willem
William V, Prince of Orange
William V , Prince of Orange-Nassau was the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, and between 1795 and 1806 he led the Government of the Dutch Republic in Exile in London. He was succeeded by his son William I...
, was born to her parents, thus displacing her and putting her second in line to the position.
Princess Carolina's father died in 1751, making her three-year-old brother Willem V of Orange. At that point, her mother was appointed Princess-Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
. However, in 1759, her mother died, and Willem V was still just ten years old. Then, Princess Carolina's paternal grandmother, Princess Marie-Luise, was made Princess-Regent. Princess Marie-Luise was regent until 1765, when she died. Willem V was now seventeen, but that was still not old enough to rule on his own. So, Princess Carolina was made regent. She ruled until 1766, when Willem V turned eighteen.
Marriage and children
On 5 March 1760 in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, during the regency of her grandmother Princess Marie Luise, Princess Carolina married HSH Duke Karl Christian of Nassau-Weilburg. They had fifteen children:
- Georg Wilhelm Belgicus of Nassau-Weilburg (The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, 18 December 1760 - Honselaarsdijk, 27 May 1762) - Wilhelm Ludwig Karl Flamand of Nassau-Weilburg (The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, 12 December 1761 - KirchheimKirchheimKirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
, 16 April/26 April 1770) - Augusta Carolina Maria of Nassau-Weilburg (The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, 5 February 1764 - WeilburgWeilburgWeilburg is, with just under 14,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg.- Location :...
, 25 January 1802). A NunNunA nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
in QuedlinburgQuedlinburgQuedlinburg is a town located north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1994 the medieval court and the old town was set on the UNESCO world heritage list....
and HerfordHerfordHerford is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, located in the lowlands between the hill chains of the Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. It is the capital of the district of Herford.- Geographic location :...
. - Wilhelmine Luise of Nassau-Weilburg, then of Nassau (The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, 28 September 1765 - GreizGreizGreiz is a town in Thuringia, and it is the capital of the district of Greiz. Greiz is situated in eastern Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster....
, 10 October 1837), married in KirchheimKirchheimKirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
on 9 January 1786 Heinrich XIII Fürst Reuss zu Greiz (GreizGreizGreiz is a town in Thuringia, and it is the capital of the district of Greiz. Greiz is situated in eastern Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster....
, 16 February 1747 - GreizGreizGreiz is a town in Thuringia, and it is the capital of the district of Greiz. Greiz is situated in eastern Thuringia on the river Weiße Elster....
, 29 January 1817), and had issue - Stillborn Daughter (21 October 1767-21 October 1767)
- Frederick William, Duke of NassauFrederick William, Duke of NassauFrederick William, Prince of Nassau-Weilburg was a ruler of Nassau-Weilburg. In 1806 he was given the title of Prince of Nassau, while his cousin, Prince Frederick Augustus of Nassau-Usingen, became the Duke of Nassau. Frederick William died in January 1816, only two months before his cousin...
(25 October 1768, The HagueThe HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
- 9 January 1816). - Karoline Luise Friederike of Nassau-Weilburg, then of Nassau (KirchheimKirchheimKirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
, 14 February 1770 - WiesbadenWiesbadenWiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
, 8 July 1828), married in KirchheimKirchheimKirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
on 4 September 1787 Karl Ludwig Fürst zu Wied (DierdorfDierdorfDierdorf is a municipality in the district of Neuwied, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Westerwald, approx. 20 km northeast of Neuwied, and 20 km north of Koblenz....
, 9 September 1763 - DierdorfDierdorfDierdorf is a municipality in the district of Neuwied, in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated in the Westerwald, approx. 20 km northeast of Neuwied, and 20 km north of Koblenz....
, 9 March 1824), without issue - Karl Ludwig of Nassau-Weilburg (KirchheimKirchheimKirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
, 19 July 1772 - KirchheimKirchheimKirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
, 27 July 1772) - Karl Wilhelm Friedrich of Nassau-Weilburg, then of Nassau (KirchheimKirchheimKirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
, 1 May 1775 - WeilburgWeilburgWeilburg is, with just under 14,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg.- Location :...
, 11 May 1807), unmarried and without issue - Amalie Charlotte Wilhelmine Louise of Nassau-Weilburg, then of Nassau (KirchheimKirchheimKirchheim may refer to several places:*in Austria**Kirchheim, Austria*in France* Kirchheim, Bas-Rhin, a municipality in the Bas-Rhin department*in Germany* Heidelberg-Kirchheim, a district of the city of Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg...
, 7 August 1776 - SchaumburgSchaumburgSchaumburg is a district of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Nienburg, Hanover and Hamelin-Pyrmont, and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia .-History:...
, 19 February 1841), married firstly in WeilburgWeilburgWeilburg is, with just under 14,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg.- Location :...
on 29 October 1793 Victor II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-HoymVictor II, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-HoymVictor II Karl Frederick of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym , was a German prince of the House of Ascania from the Anhalt-Bernburg branch and a ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym.He was the eldest son of Karl Louis, Prince of Anhalt-Bernburg-Schaumburg-Hoym, by his second...
, and had issue, and married secondly in SchaumburgSchaumburgSchaumburg is a district of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Nienburg, Hanover and Hamelin-Pyrmont, and the state of North Rhine-Westphalia .-History:...
on 15 February 1813 Friedrich Freiherr von Stein-Liebenstein zu Barchfeld (14 February 1777 - 4 December 1849), and had issue - Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg, then of NassauPrincess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg (1780-1857)Princess Henriëtte van Nassau-Weilburg, then van Nassau was a daughter of Prince Charles Christian, Duke of Nassau-Weilburg and Carolina of Orange-Nassau, daughter of William IV, Prince of Orange.-Marriage and children:She married in Hermitage, near Bayreuth, on 28 January 1797 Duke Louis of...
(22 April 1780 - 2 January 1857). Married Duke Louis of WürttembergDuke Louis of WürttembergDuke Louis of Württemberg was the second son of Friedrich II Eugen, Duke of Württemberg and Margravine Sophia Dorothea of Brandenburg-Schwedt...
, second son of Friedrich II Eugen, Duke of WürttembergFriedrich II Eugen, Duke of WürttembergFriedrich Eugen of Württemberg , the fourth son of Duke Karl Alexander and Princess Maria Augusta of Thurn and Taxis .-Royal duke:...
. - Karl of Nassau-Weilburg (1784 - shortly thereafter)
- Three nameless, stillborn, children (1778, 1779, 1785)
Ancestors
| Carolina of Orange-Nassau | Father: William IV, Prince of Orange William IV, Prince of Orange William IV, Prince of Orange-Nassau , born Willem Karel Hendrik Friso, was the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands.-Early life:... |
Paternal Grandfather: John William Friso, Prince of Orange |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Henry Casimir II, Count of Nassau-Dietz |
| Paternal Great-grandmother: Henriëtte Amalia van Anhalt-Dessau Henriëtte Amalia van Anhalt-Dessau Henriëtte Amalia Maria van Anhalt-Dessau was the daughter of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and Henriëtte Catharina of Nassau and the granddaughter of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange.... |
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| Paternal Grandmother: Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel |
Paternal Great-grandfather: Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel Karl I was Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1670 till his death.Born at Kassel, he was the son of Wilhelm VI of Hesse-Kassel and Hedwig Sophia of Brandenburg, daughter of Georg Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg. After the early death of his father, his mother ruled as regent until 1675... |
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| Paternal Great-grandmother: Amalia von Kurland Maria Amalia of Courland Maria Anna Amalia of Courland was a German noblewoman. A princess of Courland from the Ketteler family, she was also Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel via her marriage on 21 May 1673 to her first cousin Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel... |
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| Mother: Anne, Princess Royal Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange was the second child and eldest daughter of King George II of Great Britain and his consort, Caroline of Ansbach. She was the spouse of William IV, Prince of Orange, the first hereditary stadtholder of the Netherlands... |
Maternal Grandfather: George II of Great Britain George II of Great Britain George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany... |
Maternal Great-grandfather: George I of Great Britain George I of Great Britain George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698.... |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Sophia Dorothea of Celle Sophia Dorothea of Celle Sophia Dorothea of Brunswick and Lunenburg was the wife and cousin of George Louis, Elector of Hanover, later George I of Great Britain, and mother of George II through an arranged marriage of state, instigated by the machinations of Duchess Sophia of Hanover... |
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| Maternal Grandmother: Caroline of Ansbach Caroline of Ansbach Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state... |
Maternal Great-grandfather: Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach succeeded his father Albrecht V as margrave in 1667. He married his second wife Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach on 4 November 1681. Their daughter Wilhelmine Charlotte Caroline, Margravine of Brandenburg-Ansbach married George II of Great... |
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| Maternal Great-grandmother: Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe Louise of Saxe-Eisenach was the mother of Caroline of Ansbach, queen consort of King George II of Great Britain... |