Amalia of Solms-Braunfels
Encyclopedia
Amalia of Solms-Braunfels (31 August 1602, Braunfels
– 8 September 1675), was a regent of Orange. She was the wife of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
. She was the daughter of John Albert I of Solms-Braunfels and Agnes of Sayn-Wittgenstein.
. She became part of the train of Elizabeth
, wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine
, the "Winter King" of Bohemia. After imperial forces defeated Frederick V, she fled with the pregnant queen to the west. Shelter was denied to them because the emperor forbade it. Elizabeth went into labour during their flight and Amalia helped her with her delivery.
The end of their journey was The Hague
, where stadtholder
Maurice of Nassau
gave them asylum in 1621. They often appeared at his court, where Maurice's younger half-brother Frederick Henry
became infatuated with Amalia in 1622. She refused to become his lover
and held out for marriage.
Their marriage produced five children who lived to adulthood, and four who died young:
. Amalia was a great art collector, and was described as intelligent, arrogant and ambitious, not beautiful but with a fresh and appealing appearance.
Amalia was the prime mover of several royal marriages, including that of her son William II to Mary, Princess Royal of England and Scotland (daughter of King Charles I of England
) and of their daughters with several German princes.
She had a large influence upon policy; she acted as the political advisor of Frederick, and after he became sick in 1640, she openly participated in politics and received foreign diplomats. Her influence is regarded to have contributed to the Peace of Westphalia
in 1648. As a recngnition, King Philip IV of Spain
granted her the area around Turnhout in 1649.
(Prince William III of Orange and later also King William III of England).
Braunfels
Braunfels is a town in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis in Hesse, Germany. It is located on the German Framework Road.- Location :The climatic spa of Braunfels lies at a height of some 100 m above the Lahn valley...
– 8 September 1675), was a regent of Orange. She was the wife of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
Frederick Henry, or Frederik Hendrik in Dutch , was the sovereign Prince of Orange and stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel from 1625 to 1647.-Early life:...
. She was the daughter of John Albert I of Solms-Braunfels and Agnes of Sayn-Wittgenstein.
Childhood
Amalia spent her childhood at the parental castle at BraunfelsBraunfels
Braunfels is a town in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis in Hesse, Germany. It is located on the German Framework Road.- Location :The climatic spa of Braunfels lies at a height of some 100 m above the Lahn valley...
. She became part of the train of Elizabeth
Elizabeth of Bohemia
Elizabeth of Bohemia was the eldest daughter of King James VI and I, King of Scotland, England, Ireland, and Anne of Denmark. As the wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, she was Electress Palatine and briefly Queen of Bohemia...
, wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Frederick V, Elector Palatine
Frederick V was Elector Palatine , and, as Frederick I , King of Bohemia ....
, the "Winter King" of Bohemia. After imperial forces defeated Frederick V, she fled with the pregnant queen to the west. Shelter was denied to them because the emperor forbade it. Elizabeth went into labour during their flight and Amalia helped her with her delivery.
The end of their journey was The Hague
The 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...
, where 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...
Maurice of Nassau
Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange
Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange was sovereign Prince of Orange from 1618, on the death of his eldest half brother, Philip William, Prince of Orange,...
gave them asylum in 1621. They often appeared at his court, where Maurice's younger half-brother Frederick Henry
Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
Frederick Henry, or Frederik Hendrik in Dutch , was the sovereign Prince of Orange and stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel from 1625 to 1647.-Early life:...
became infatuated with Amalia in 1622. She refused to become his lover
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
and held out for marriage.
Marriage and Children
When Maurice of Nassau died, he made his half-brother Frederick Henry promise to wed. Frederick married Amalia on 4 April 1625.Their marriage produced five children who lived to adulthood, and four who died young:
- Stadtholder William II (1626–1650), married Mary of EnglandMary, Princess Royal and Princess of OrangeMary, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange and Countess of Nassau was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland and his queen, Henrietta Maria of France...
- Luise Henriette of Nassau (1627–1667), married Frederick William, Elector of BrandenburgFrederick William, Elector of Brandenburg|align=right|Frederick William was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia – and thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia – from 1640 until his death. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he is popularly known as the "Great Elector" because of his military and political prowess...
- Henriette Amalia of Nassau (1628)
- Elisabeth of Nassau (1630)
- Isabella Charlotte of Nassau (1632–1642)
- Albertine Agnes of NassauAlbertine Agnes of NassauAlbertine Agnes , was a regent of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe. She was the fifth daughter of stadtholder Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and Amalia of Solms-Braunfels.-Family:...
(1634–1696), married William Frederick, Count of Nassau-DietzWillem Frederik of Nassau-DietzWillem Frederik , Count of Nassau-Dietz, Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe.-Family Life:... - Henriette Catherine of NassauHenriette Catherine of NassauHenriette Catherine of Nassau was a daughter of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and his wife Amalia of Solms-Braunfels. Henriette was a member of the House of Orange-Nassau .- Family :...
(1637–1708), married John George II, Prince of Anhalt-DessauJohn George II, Prince of Anhalt-DessauJohn George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau... - Henry Louis of Nassau (1639)
- Maria of Nassau (1642–1688), married Prince Maurice of the Palatine-Simmern, son of Louis Philip of Palatine-Simmern-Kaiserslautern
Wife to the Stadtholder
When Frederick Henry became stadtholder after the death of his half-brother Prince Maurice, his influence grew substantially, as did Amalia's. Together Frederick Henry and Amalia succeeded in expanding court life in The Hague. They had several palaces built, including Huis ten BoschHuis ten Bosch
Huis ten Bosch is one of the three official residences of the Dutch Royal Family, located in The Hague in the Netherlands. It has been home to Queen Beatrix since 1981. The other Royal palace in The Hague, Noordeinde Palace, is used for work-related purposes...
. Amalia was a great art collector, and was described as intelligent, arrogant and ambitious, not beautiful but with a fresh and appealing appearance.
Amalia was the prime mover of several royal marriages, including that of her son William II to Mary, Princess Royal of England and Scotland (daughter of King Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
) and of their daughters with several German princes.
She had a large influence upon policy; she acted as the political advisor of Frederick, and after he became sick in 1640, she openly participated in politics and received foreign diplomats. Her influence is regarded to have contributed to the Peace of Westphalia
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
in 1648. As a recngnition, King Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
granted her the area around Turnhout in 1649.
Regency
After the death of her son William II she became the main guardian of her grandson William IIIWilliam III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
(Prince William III of Orange and later also King William III of England).
Ancestry
External links
- County of Solms in German Wikipedia