John William Friso (<!--Please note that Friso is a third forename, not a surname -->; 14 August 1687 – 14 July 1711) became the (titular) Prince of Orange in 1702. He was the Stadtholder of Friesland and Groningen in the Dutch Republic. He also served in the Dutch States Army during the War of the Spanish Succession and played a major part in battles such as Oudenaarde and Malplaquet. His career came to an abrupt end when he died by accidental drowning, while crossing the Hollands Diep, in 1711.

Background

Born on 14 August 1687 in Dessau, Anhalt, John William Friso was the son of Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz, and Princess Henriëtte Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau who were both first cousins of William III. He was also a member of the House of Nassau (the branch of Nassau-Dietz), and through the testamentary dispositions of William III became the progenitor of the new line of the House of Orange-Nassau. He was educated under Jean Lemonon, professor at the University of Franeker.

Succession

With the death of William III of England and Orange, the legitimate male line of William the Silent (the second House of Orange) became extinct. John William Friso, the senior agnatic descendant of William the Silent's brother and a cognatic descendant of Frederick Henry, grandfather of William III, claimed the succession as stadtholder in all provinces held by William 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 established the third House of Orange, which became extinct in the male line in 1890. His son, William IV, Prince of Orange, later became stadtholder of all seven provinces.

  • Commemorated in a praise poem by Jetske Reinou van der Malen
  • The Regiment Infantry Prins Johan Willem Friso (RI PJWF) is named in his honour.
  • Central Royal Military Band of the Netherlands Army "Johan Willem Friso" is named in his honour.
  • He along with his wife, Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel, were the most recent ancestors of all reigning European monarchs from the end of World War II until 2022. This is when Charles III of the United Kingdom became monarch, and the most recent ancestors became Louis IX of Hesse-Darmstadt and Caroline of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken.

Ancestry

See also

  • Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken – Became the most recent common ancestors of all reigning hereditary European monarchs in 2022 when Elizabeth II died and her son, Charles, became king.
  • Christian IX of Denmark and Louise of Hesse-Kassel – Common ancestors of many reigning hereditary European monarchs
  • Descendants of Christian IX of Denmark

References

Sources