John Louis, Count of Nassau-Ottweiler
Encyclopedia
John Louis, Count of Nassau-Ottweiler (23 May 1625, Saarbrücken
– 9 February 1690, Reichelsheim
), was first Count of Nassau-Ottweiler. At times, he was Major General, Regent of the other Nassau territories and chief of the House of Nassau
.
and his wife Anna Amalia of Baden-Durlach
. At the age of ten years he had to flee to Metz
with his parents. His father died in 1640. John Louis and his mother were able to return to Saarbrücken
three years later. Before his return, he had studied at the University of Saumur
. Between 1644 and 1645 he completed his Grand Tour
to Paris. The Peace of Westphalia
restored all the Nassau territories in 1648.
John Louis took up the government of Nassau-Saarbrücken
and Nassau-Usingen
. After the death of his mother in 1651 he also became guardian of his younger brothers. In 1653, he founded the Ironworks
in Neunkirchen
. In 1659 John Louis and his brothers split their father's inheritance. John Louis received the area around Ottweiler
.
This made him the founder of the Nassau-Ottweiler branch, which existed until 1728.
He entered French military service in 1656 and was Colonel of the Royal-Alsace Regiment. He was taken prisoner during the Franco-Spanish War.
Even when he was still a minor, John Louis sought the return of Homburg
, which had been taken by Lorraine. He was assisted by Louis XIV and it came to negotiations before the Reichstag
. John Louis was granted sovereign rights over the Homburg district, but the fortress remained in the hands of Lorraine until the Empire had paid its war debts to Lorraine. When another war broke out between France and Lorraine, John Louis surrendered Homburg to the Electorate of Trier.
During the Franco-Dutch war
, John Louis's territories were devastated. Later, the Nassau territories were threatened by Louis XIV's Reunion Policy
. John Louis refused to pay homage to the French king as count of Homburg and Ottweiler. Instead, he resigned from the government and in 1680 handed over the reign to his son Frederick Louis. John Louis then went to the Nassau territories East of the Rhine.
When in 1675, Frederick of Nassau-Weilburg died, John Louis took up guardianship of his children and the regency of Nassau-Weilburg. When in 1677 Gustav Adolph
died, John Louis became the senior member of the House of Nassau
.
John Louis was in the service of the Upper Rhenish Circle
and founded a new imperial army. He was apponted General Sergeant and in 1682, he was promoted to General Major. He led his own infantry regiment against the French into the War of the Palatine Succession.
He died in 1690 and was buried in the Protestant Church of Ottweiler. His remains were destroyed in the looting of the church during the French Revolution
.
(1634-1715) a daughter of the Count Palatine Christian I
of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler. This had the following children:
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
– 9 February 1690, Reichelsheim
Reichelsheim
Reichelsheim is the name of two communes in Hesse, Germany*Reichelsheim *Reichelsheim...
), was first Count of Nassau-Ottweiler. At times, he was Major General, Regent of the other Nassau territories and chief of the House of Nassau
House of Nassau
The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled Count of Nassau, then elevated to the princely class as...
.
Life
He was the second son of William Louis of Nassau-SaarbrückenWilliam Louis, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken
William Louis of Nassau-Saarbrücken , was a Count of Saarbrücken.- Life :His parents were Louis II of Nassau-Weilburg and Landgravine Anna Maria of Hesse-Kassel...
and his wife Anna Amalia of Baden-Durlach
Anna Amalia of Baden-Durlach
Anna Amalia of Baden-Durlach was a daughter of Margrave George Frederick of Baden-Durlach and his first wife, Countess Juliana Ursula of Salm-Neuville...
. At the age of ten years he had to flee to Metz
Metz
Metz is a city in the northeast of France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers.Metz is the capital of the Lorraine region and prefecture of the Moselle department. Located near the tripoint along the junction of France, Germany, and Luxembourg, Metz forms a central place...
with his parents. His father died in 1640. John Louis and his mother were able to return to Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken
Saarbrücken is the capital of the state of Saarland in Germany. The city is situated at the heart of a metropolitan area that borders on the west on Dillingen and to the north-east on Neunkirchen, where most of the people of the Saarland live....
three years later. Before his return, he had studied at the University of Saumur
Saumur
Saumur is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.The historic town is located between the Loire and Thouet rivers, and is surrounded by the vineyards of Saumur itself, Chinon, Bourgueil, Coteaux du Layon, etc...
. Between 1644 and 1645 he completed his Grand Tour
Grand Tour
The Grand Tour was the traditional trip of Europe undertaken by mainly upper-class European young men of means. The custom flourished from about 1660 until the advent of large-scale rail transit in the 1840s, and was associated with a standard itinerary. It served as an educational rite of passage...
to Paris. 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...
restored all the Nassau territories in 1648.
John Louis took up the government of Nassau-Saarbrücken
Nassau-Saarbrücken
Nassau-Saarbrücken was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in the Upper Rhenish Circle. It belonged to the Walram branch of the House of Nassau.-County of Saarbrücken:...
and Nassau-Usingen
Nassau-Usingen
Nassau-Usingen was a county of the Holy Roman Empire in the Upper Rhenish Circle that became a principality in 1688.The origin of the county lies in the medieval county of Weilnau that was acquired by the counts of Nassau-Weilburg in 1602....
. After the death of his mother in 1651 he also became guardian of his younger brothers. In 1653, he founded the Ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
in Neunkirchen
Neunkirchen
Neunkirchen is a name common to multiple locales:-In Austria:*Neunkirchen, Austria, the capital of the district Neunkirchen in Lower Austria*Neunkirchen District, Austria-Bavaria:*Neunkirchen am Brand, in Forchheim district...
. In 1659 John Louis and his brothers split their father's inheritance. John Louis received the area around Ottweiler
Ottweiler
Ottweiler is a municipality, former seat of the district of Neunkirchen, in Saarland, Germany. It is situated on the river Blies, approx. 7 km north of Neunkirchen, and 25 km northeast of Saarbrücken.The town is notable for the Ottweiler porcelain....
.
This made him the founder of the Nassau-Ottweiler branch, which existed until 1728.
He entered French military service in 1656 and was Colonel of the Royal-Alsace Regiment. He was taken prisoner during the Franco-Spanish War.
Even when he was still a minor, John Louis sought the return of Homburg
Homburg, Saarland
Homburg is a town in Saarland, Germany, the administrative seat of the Saarpfalz district. With a population of c. 44,000 inhabitants, is the third city in its federal state. The medical department of the University of Saarland is situated here. The city is also home to the Karlsberg beer brewery...
, which had been taken by Lorraine. He was assisted by Louis XIV and it came to negotiations before the Reichstag
Reichstag (Holy Roman Empire)
The Imperial Diet was the Diet, or general assembly, of the Imperial Estates of the Holy Roman Empire.During the period of the Empire, which lasted formally until 1806, the Diet was not a parliament in today's sense; instead, it was an assembly of the various estates of the realm...
. John Louis was granted sovereign rights over the Homburg district, but the fortress remained in the hands of Lorraine until the Empire had paid its war debts to Lorraine. When another war broke out between France and Lorraine, John Louis surrendered Homburg to the Electorate of Trier.
During the Franco-Dutch war
Franco-Dutch War
The Franco-Dutch War, often called simply the Dutch War was a war fought by France, Sweden, the Bishopric of Münster, the Archbishopric of Cologne and England against the United Netherlands, which were later joined by the Austrian Habsburg lands, Brandenburg and Spain to form a quadruple alliance...
, John Louis's territories were devastated. Later, the Nassau territories were threatened by Louis XIV's Reunion Policy
Chambers of Reunion
The Chambers of Reunion were French courts established by King Louis XIV in the early 1680s. The purpose of these courts was to increase French territory. Louis had been expanding the borders of France in a series of wars. Territory was gained in the Treaty of Nijmegen in 1679 and the Treaty of...
. John Louis refused to pay homage to the French king as count of Homburg and Ottweiler. Instead, he resigned from the government and in 1680 handed over the reign to his son Frederick Louis. John Louis then went to the Nassau territories East of the Rhine.
When in 1675, Frederick of Nassau-Weilburg died, John Louis took up guardianship of his children and the regency of Nassau-Weilburg. When in 1677 Gustav Adolph
Gustav Adolph, Count of Nassau-Saarbrücken
Gustav Adolf of Nassau-Saarbrücken was Count of Saarbrücken and Major General at the Rhine of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation....
died, John Louis became the senior member of the House of Nassau
House of Nassau
The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. The lords of Nassau were originally titled Count of Nassau, then elevated to the princely class as...
.
John Louis was in the service of the Upper Rhenish Circle
Upper Rhenish Circle
The Upper Rhenish Circle was an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1500 on the territory of the former Duchy of Upper Lorraine and large parts of Rhenish Franconia including the Swabian Alsace region and the Burgundian duchy of Savoy....
and founded a new imperial army. He was apponted General Sergeant and in 1682, he was promoted to General Major. He led his own infantry regiment against the French into the War of the Palatine Succession.
He died in 1690 and was buried in the Protestant Church of Ottweiler. His remains were destroyed in the looting of the church during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Family
In 1649, he married Dorothea CatherineCountess Palatine Dorothea Catherine of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler
Countess Palatine Dorothea Catherine of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler was a Countess Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld-Bischweiler by birth and, by marriage, Countess of Nassau-Ottweiler....
(1634-1715) a daughter of the Count Palatine Christian I
Christian I, Count Palatine of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler
Christian I was the Duke of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler from 1600 until 1654.- Life :Christian was born in Birkenfeld in 1598 as the youngest son of Charles I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld. His father's lands were partitioned after his death and Christian received the territory around...
of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler. This had the following children:
- Christian Louis (1650-1650)
- Frederick LouisFrederick Louis, Count of Nassau-OttweilerFrederick Louis of Nassau-Ottweiler was a member of the House of Nassau. He was the son of John Louis, Count of Nassau-Ottweiler and Countess Palatine Dorothea Catherine of Birkenfeld-Bischweiler. He was count of Nassau-Ottweiler from 1680 until his death...
(1651-1728)
- married firstly on 28 July 1680 Countess Christiane of Ahlefeld (1659-1695)
- married secondly on 27 September 1697 Countess Louise Sophie of Hanau-Lichtenberg (1662-1751)
- Anna Catherine (1653-1731)
- married in 1671 to John Philip Wild- and Rhinegrave of Salm-Dhaun (1645-1693)
- Wolrad (1656-1705)
- Charles Siegfried (1659-1679)
- Louis (1661-1699)
- married on 9 April 1694 Countess Louise Amalie of Horne (1665-1728)
- Louise (1662-1741)
- Maurice (1664-1666)