On This Day: Dutch Royal Family

[An Ard Ri]

On this day December 8th,1962: The Funeral of Wilhelmina of the Netherlands




The former Queen who died on November 28th at the Paleis Het Loo was buried at the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft, traditional resting place of the House of Orange.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, December 12, 1843 ~ Demise of King Willem I of The Netherlands in exile in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia

 

[Lee-Z]

On this day, December 12, 1843 ~ Demise of King Willem I of The Netherlands in exile in Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia

Was he really in exile? I mean, I know he abdicated and moved to Berlin and married but wasn't that by choice?

 

[An Ard Ri]

His morganatic second marriage to the Catholic Henrietta d'Oultremont must have aroused a lot of controversy

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, December 23, 1544 ~ Birth of Anna of Saxony, Princess of Orange, wife of Prince Willem I of Orange

 

[An Ard Ri]

10th of January 1480 : Birth of The Archduchess Margaret of Austria, future Princess of Asturias, Duchess of Savoy and Imperial Regent of the Low Countries

Margaret was the daughter Archduke Maximilian of Austria (later Holy Roman Emperor) and Maria of Burgundy and the younger sister of Philip the Handsome. The Archduchess was also an aunt to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Margaret was married twice
Firstly in 1496 to Juan, Prince of Asturias who died in 1497.
Secondly in 1501 to Philibert II, Duc de Savoie who died in 1504.

In 1507 the Emperor appointed Margaret as Regent of the Low Countries a position she held until her death in December 1530.One of her final acts prior to her death was the signing of a Franco-Imperial Peace treaty known as the Treaty of Cambrai or the Peace of the Ladies which was signed by Margaret and her sister in law Louise de Savoie mother of the king François I

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_of_Austria,_Duchess_of_Savoy

 

[Countessmeout]

January 18, 1795 birth of Anna Pavlovna of Russia, wife of William II.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8548474/anna-paulowna#view-photo=56666740

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_...тный_автор._Холст,_масло._Копия_XIX_века..jpg

She was born in Gatchina Palace in St Petersburg. Her father was Paul I of Russia. Her mother was Paul's second wife Maria Feodorovna who was born Sophie Dorothea of Württemberg. Her maternal aunts and uncles included Frederick I (1st king of Wurttemberg) and Archduchess Elizabeth the first wife of Holy Roman emperor Francis II (died before he became emperor).

Her father's first marriage to Natalia Alexeievna had produced only a stillborn child. Her mother bore her father ten children, 9 of whom reached adulthood. Anna was the 8th born child, with four brothers and 5 sisters. Her brothers included Alexander I and Nicholas I of Russia.

She spent her childhood at their summer residence Tsarskoye Selo where she was raised by her mother with her two younger brothers Nicholas and Michael. She received a good education including foreign languages and math.


Napoleon sought her hand after failing to marry her sister Catherine (Catherine would marry George, Duke of Oldenberg and later their maternal cousin William I of Wurtemberg). Her mother delayed the marriage talk long enough that Napoleon lost interest and married Marie Louise instead.


Instead she was married to Prince Willem Frederick of the Netherlands, the heir of William I. He had been originally meant to marry Princess Charlotte of Wales but it fell through do to Charlotte's mother's opposition. Anna and William were married at the winter palace February 21, 1816. The bride was 21 and the groom was 24. The union was the suggestion of her brother Alexander as a symbol of alliance created at the Congress of Vienna. As Anna had the right of her other siblings to not be forced into marriage, William had been invited to Russia to meet her before hand and for Anna to get to know him.

Anna would remain Russian Orthodox. The agreement was that their children would be raised in their father's protestant faith, though she could retain hers. The couple remained in Russia for a year after their marriage.


The couple originally lived in Brussels until forced to leave in 1830 by the Belgian revolution. Anna was quite fond of Belgium as it reminded her the most of her home. She had a hard time adjusting to life in her new home. She helped found a school though for poor women and girls to be educated in sewing. And during the revolution she created a hospital for wounded soldiers.

The marriage was a rocky one. Her husband was below her rank in her mind, and he mixed with commoners and other people below them which would not have happened at the imperial court. When many of her jewels were stolen she suspected either her husband sold them to pay debts, or some of his questionable friends had taken them.


Anna though seemed to be in love with her husband despite the issues. And she served as a mediator between her husband and his father who had a rocky relationship. She never involved herself in politics though said to be quite intelligent. She studied the Dutch language as well as history and culture.

October 7, 1840 her father in law abdicated from the throne. Her and her husband became the new king and queen of the Netherlands.


Anna was described as a bit cold and distant as a queen. Having grown up in the imperial court, she was accustomed to a sheer distance between royals and the common public. And despite years in the Netherlands, she never fuilly adjusted to the closer relationship to the common public. She did speak better Dutch then her husband who had been raised speaking French. She continued to love the etiquette, ceremony and pomp of royal life that she knew so well back home in Russia. She kept in contact with her mother and brothers at home.


Her husband suddenly died in 1849. She retired from court after her husband's death as she didn't get along well with her daughter in law Sophie. Sophie was her niece, the daughter of her sister Catherine. She considered moving home to Russia at one point after problems with her son but she remained.

Anna died March 1, 1865 in the Hague at the age of 70 (16 days before the 16th anniversary of her husband's death).

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8548474/anna-paulowna#view-photo=27078067


She and her husband had five children. Though 4 children made it to adulthood, they would only have grandchildren from the eldest and youngest.


-William: succeeded his father as William III. His first wife was Sophie of Wurttemberg (daughter of Anna's sister Catherine by her second husband) and then Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont. He had 3 sons with Sophie but they all died before him (the last 6 years before him). He was succeeded by his only child with Emma, his daughter Wilhemina though Emma served as regent. He was the last king of the Netherlands until Willem Alexander (his great-great grandson) took the throne in 2013, 123 years after his death.

-Alexander: died at age 29. He never married. There was talk of him marrying Queen Victoria but she had found him too plain, and a marriage to Isabella II of Spain was vetoed due to her religion. He suffered declining health for years before his death.

-Henry: He married twice but had no children. His first wife was Amalia Maria da Gloria Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and his second was Marie Elisabeth Louise Frederica of Prussia. He was nicknamed the navigator as he had a long naval career and even spent months with the Dutch East India company. He died at 58.

-Ernest Casimir: He died at 5 months old when the family was still in Belgium.

-Sophie: She married her first cousin Charles Alexander, Hereditary Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (his mother was Anna's sister Maria). They had four children.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, January 29, 1584 ~ Birth of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange in Delft, Holland

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, January 29, 1584 ~ Birth of Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange in Delft, Holland

His mother, Louise de Coligny was a French Huguenot exile and the daughter of the murdered Gaspard de Coligny. Louise along with her siblings and step mother Jacqueline de Montbel fled to Switzerland.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, February 7, 1688 ~ Birth of Marie Luise of Hesse-Kassel, Princess of Orange, wife of Johan Willem Friso, Prince of Orange

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, February 7, 1688 ~ Birth of Marie Luise of Hesse-Kassel, Princess of Orange, wife of Johan Willem Friso, Prince of Orange

Marie Louise ,Princess of Orange had a really long widowhood following the accidental drowning of her husband Prince Johan Willem Friso in 1711.The Princess outlived him by 54 years!

 

[Countessmeout]

Her and her husband are the most recent common ancestors of the modern royal families.

February 7, 1901 the 120th anniversary of the wedding of Queen Wilhemina and Duke Henry of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.

https://www.historyofroyalwomen.com...lhelmina-the-wedding-of-wilhelmina-and-henry/

 

[An Ard Ri]

Its a shame that the name was Marie Louise was not used as a name for future Dutch Princesses in her honour ,perhaps it sounded too Catholic?

 

[Countessmeout]

Its a shame that the name was Marie Louise was not used as a name for future Dutch Princesses in her honour ,perhaps it sounded too Catholic?

Marie X or Maria X is certainly more common among Catholic royals (and non royals). May certainly have been a consideration. You see a lot of the Marie/Maria X or X Maria among the Catholic royal houses like Belgium and Austria.

 

[Marengo]

I suppose more important people had to be named first. Her granddaughters were named for the Princess of Wales (Caroline) and the Princess Royal (Anne) respectively. Of all the wives of the stadholders she had the least impressive background, being the daughter of a mere landgrave and married to a stadholder of just Frisia and Groningen.

Her grandson Willem V, to whom she served as a regent for several years, did name his daughter -the later H Pss of Brunswick- 'Louiza'. I am not sure if this was for Marie-Louise but it might have been. It does not seem to be a name that came from the Prussian family.

Note that in Frisia she was referred to as 'Marijke' or 'Maaike', a name later used for the 4th daughter of Queen Juliana. Later on Pss Marijke preferred to be known by her 2nd name, Christina.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

Its a shame that the name was Marie Louise was not used as a name for future Dutch Princesses in her honour ,perhaps it sounded too Catholic?

Descendants of Marie-Luise von Hessen-Kassel whom were princesses in the Dutch royal family:


Anna Charlotte Amalia
Erbprinzessin von Baden-Durlach - prinses van Oranje-Nassau (1710-1777)

Wilhelmina Carolina
Fürstin von Nassau-Weilburg - prinses van Oranje-Nassau (1743-1787)

Frederika Louise Wilhelmina
Herzogin von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel - prinses van Oranje-Nassau (1770-1819)

Wilhelmina Frederika Louise Paulina Charlotte
prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau (1800-1806)

Wilhelmina Frederika Louise Charlotte Marianne
Prinzessin von Preuẞen - prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau (1810–1883)

Wilhelmina Frederika Alexandrina Anna Louise
Drottning av Sverige och Norge - prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau (1828-1871)

Wilhelmina Frederika Anna Elisabeth Maria
Fürstin zu Wied - prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau (1841-1910)

Wilhelmina Maria Sophie Louise
Herzogin von Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach - prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau (1824-1897)

Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria
Koningin der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, Herzogin von Mecklenburg-Schwerin (1880-1962)

Juliana Louise Emma Maria Wilhelmina
Koningin der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, Herzogin von Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prinzessin zu Lippe-Biesterfeld (1909-2004)

Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard
Koningin der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, prinses van Lippe-Biesterfeld, mevrouw Von Amsberg (1938)

Irene Emma Elisabeth
prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, prinses van Lippe-Biesterfeld formerly princesse de Bourbon de Parme (1939)

Margriet Francisca
prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, prinses van Lippe-Biesterfeld, mevrouw Van Vollenhoven (1943)

Maria Christina
prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, prinses van Lippe-Biesterfeld formerly mevrouw Guillermo (1943-2019)

Catharina-Amalia Beatrix Carmen Victoria
prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, jonkvrouw van Amsberg (2003)

Alexia Juliana Marcela Laurentien
prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, jonkvrouw van Amsberg (2005)

Ariane Wilhelmina Máxima Ines
prinses der Nederlanden, prinses van Oranje-Nassau, jonkvrouw van Amsberg (2007)

 

[An Ard Ri]

Marie X or Maria X is certainly more common among Catholic royals (and non royals). May certainly have been a consideration. You see a lot of the Marie/Maria X or X Maria among the Catholic royal houses like Belgium and Austria.

That's what I was thinking there were quite a few Catholic Princess Marie X over the years!

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, February 19, 1817 ~ Birth of king Willem III of The Netherlands in Brussels

 

[Countessmeout]

March 10, 1966 wedding of Princess Beatrix and Clause.

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Wedding Wednesday: Queen Beatrix's Gown

Beatrix was the 28 year old eldest daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. Claus Felix von Amsberg was a 40 year old diplomat from Germany.

The couple had met on New Years eve 1962 at a dinner hosted by Count von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpff (a distant relative of them both). And in 1964 at the wedding of Princess Tatjana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse.

There was opposition to their union as Claus had been a member of the Hitler Youth Movement. Juliana reluctantly agreed to the marriage, and the couple were granted state approval in 1965. Claus was given Dutch citizenship.

The day before the wedding there was a river cruise in Amsterdam and later a ball hosted for 400 guests. The day time event included a concert performed by children who came from each of the provinces.

The wedding was performed by the Mayor of Amsterdam, Gijsbert van Hall in the city hall. They had a blessing though in the Westekerkerk to follow.

There were protests and smoke bombs thrown during the wedding, with 1000 young protestors out. 8000 police and soldiers had to be sent out to bring it under control.

Beatrix wore the Wurtemberg pearl tiara, and a brooch on her gown, both that had belonged to Queen Sophie.


Her bridesmaids:

-Princess Christina: her younger sister
-Princess Christina of Sweden
-Christina von Amsberg: Claus' sister
-Lady Elizabeth Anson: cousin of Elizabeth II
-Joanna Roell: a daughter of one of Juliana's former ladies in waiting
-Eugenie Loudon: a good friend of Beatrix, Dutch noblewoman

Their witnesses for their civil wedding:

-Prince Aschwin of Lippe-Biesterfeld: the bride's paternal Uncle
-Baron Julius von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen: Claus' maternal Uncle
-William Drees: he was a former premier, and he served as leader of the Dutch resistance during WWII
-Princess Alexandra of Kent
-Count Ferdinand von Bismark:he would later serve as godfather to Willem Alexander


1600 guests attended. Of the crowned heads who attended, they were mainly younger monarchs. Older monarchs mainly sent their younger heirs.

some of the guests:
-Princess Marina with her son Michael (her daughter Alexandra was a witness in the civil ceremony). They were sent to represent Elizabeth II.
-CP Harald of Norway
-Jean and Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg (and Prince Charles)
-Baudouin and Fabiola of Belgium
-Constantine II and Anne-Marie
-Princess Juan Carlos and Princess Sofia of Spain
-Benedikte of Denmark
-Albert and Paola
-Infanta Pilar
-Prince Karim Aga Khan
-Princess Margaretha of Sweden (Christina as well but she was bridesmaid)
-Princess Irene of Greece



One important guest was Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. Richard was a friend of Claus and seemed to have acted as a decoy for the couple when they were courting to give them privacy. And in a sweet twist he would meet Princess Benedikte at the wedding and they would marry.


The couple honeymooned in Mexico.


The couple were married for 36 years before Claus died in 2002. They had 3 sons, and now have 8 grandchildren. Claus was only alive for the birth of one grandchild, Eloise who was born months before his death. His only grandson is named for him.

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, March 14, 1647 ~ Demise of Prince Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day, March 14, 1647 ~ Demise of Prince Frederik Hendrik, Prince of Orange

The Funeral of Frederik Hendrik,Prince of Orange ,Count of Nassau enroute to the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft.

 

[lucien]

March 10, 1966 wedding of Princess Beatrix and Clause.

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Wedding Wednesday: Queen Beatrix's Gown

Beatrix was the 28 year old eldest daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. Claus Felix von Amsberg was a 40 year old diplomat from Germany.

The couple had met on New Years eve 1962 at a dinner hosted by Count von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpff (a distant relative of them both). And in 1964 at the wedding of Princess Tatjana of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse.

There was opposition to their union as Claus had been a member of the Hitler Youth Movement. Juliana reluctantly agreed to the marriage, and the couple were granted state approval in 1965. Claus was given Dutch citizenship.

The day before the wedding there was a river cruise in Amsterdam and later a ball hosted for 400 guests. The day time event included a concert performed by children who came from each of the provinces.

The wedding was performed by the Mayor of Amsterdam, Gijsbert van Hall in the city hall. They had a blessing though in the Westekerkerk to follow.

There were protests and smoke bombs thrown during the wedding, with 1000 young protestors out. 8000 police and soldiers had to be sent out to bring it under control.

Beatrix wore the Wurtemberg pearl tiara, and a brooch on her gown, both that had belonged to Queen Sophie.


Her bridesmaids:

-Princess Christina: her younger sister
-Princess Christina of Sweden
-Christina von Amsberg: Claus' sister
-Lady Elizabeth Anson: cousin of Elizabeth II
-Joanna Roell: a daughter of one of Juliana's former ladies in waiting
-Eugenie Loudon: a good friend of Beatrix, Dutch noblewoman

Their witnesses for their civil wedding:

-Prince Aschwin of Lippe-Biesterfeld: the bride's paternal Uncle
-Baron Julius von dem Bussche-Haddenhausen: Claus' maternal Uncle
-William Drees: he was a former premier, and he served as leader of the Dutch resistance during WWII
-Princess Alexandra of Kent
-Count Ferdinand von Bismark:he would later serve as godfather to Willem Alexander


1600 guests attended. Of the crowned heads who attended, they were mainly younger monarchs. Older monarchs mainly sent their younger heirs.

some of the guests:
-Princess Marina with her son Michael (her daughter Alexandra was a witness in the civil ceremony). They were sent to represent Elizabeth II.
-CP Harald of Norway
-Jean and Josephine-Charlotte of Luxembourg (and Prince Charles)
-Baudouin and Fabiola of Belgium
-Constantine II and Anne-Marie
-Princess Juan Carlos and Princess Sofia of Spain
-Benedikte of Denmark
-Albert and Paola
-Infanta Pilar
-Prince Karim Aga Khan
-Princess Margaretha of Sweden (Christina as well but she was bridesmaid)
-Princess Irene of Greece



One important guest was Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. Richard was a friend of Claus and seemed to have acted as a decoy for the couple when they were courting to give them privacy. And in a sweet twist he would meet Princess Benedikte at the wedding and they would marry.


The couple honeymooned in Mexico.


The couple were married for 36 years before Claus died in 2002. They had 3 sons, and now have 8 grandchildren. Claus was only alive for the birth of one grandchild, Eloise who was born months before his death. His only grandson is named for him.

If there ever was a Royal lovematch,it was between Beatrix and Claus.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Weren't there Wedding Day protests in Dam Square?

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, March 23, 1897 ~ Demise of Sophie of The Netherlands, Grand Duchess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. At one point after Queen Wilhelmina, Sophie was first in line to the Dutch throne.

 

[lucien]

Weren't there Wedding Day protests in Dam Square?

No,not at Dam Square but at the Paleisstraat leading from the back of the Palace to the Westerkerk,a smoke bomb thrown by hippies & provo s iow,scumbags,created shock and strong disapproval by all around the country.
I recall that very well!!

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, April 19, 1876 ~ Birth of Prince Heinrich of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, who became Prince Hendrik of The Netherlands, the husband of Queen Wilhelmina of The Netherlands

 

[An Ard Ri]

On this day 22nd of April 1355 : Death of Eleanor of Woodstock ,Duchess of Guelders.

Eleanor was born in 1318 the daughter of Edward II and Isabella of France.
In 1332 she was married to Reginald II, Duke of Guelders. The marriage was unhappy and the duke attempted to have it annulled but he died in October 1343.
Eleanor acted as Regent of Guelders for her son, Reginald III, Duke of Guelders and died at Deventer Abbey in the Netherlands where her burial has was rediscovered at the Broederenkerk.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_of_Woodstock

 

[Marengo]

The Duchy is often over-looked in Dutch history books due to more obvious counties and duchies such as Brabant-Limbourg, Flanders and Holland-Zeeland-Hainaut, which all were inherited by the Valois-Burgundy dynasty and later by the Habsburgs.

Both of her sons died in 1371 without any descendants. This started the first war of succession for the Duchy with the Heeckerens and the Bronckhorsts in opposing factions, namely of the two steph-daughters of Eleanor: Css Marie of Blois and Dss Machteld of Jülich. In the end the war was won by the youngest daughter and her son Duke William of Jülich.

It was the last territory in the low countries to resist the rising power of the Bourgundians/Habsburgs (save perhaps the archbishopric of Liège). Two generations later there was another war of succession and the Habsburgs (Emp. Charles Quint) took the Duchy by force. There were plans to attach the Duchies of Berg and Jülich to the Bourgundian circle in the low countries too but they did not materialize.

 

[An Ard Ri]

I'd omitted to mention that Reginald/Reinald II was married twice and had 2 surviving daughters from his first marriage to Sophia Berthout ,his 1st wife died in 1329 and is buried at Gravendaal Abbey.

Mathilde who married Jean de Chatillon, Count of Blois
Maria who married Willem II Duke of of Jülich

 

[CyrilVladisla]

On this day, April 30, 1909 ~ Birth of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands at Noordeinde Palace