Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau (full names: Willem Frederik Karel; Berlin
, 28 February 1797 – Wassenaar
, 8 September 1881), was the second son of king William I of the Netherlands
and his wife, Wilhelmine of Prussia
.
and uncle Frederick William III of Prussia
. One of his tutors was Karl von Clausewitz. Aged 16, the prince fought in the battle of Leipzig
.
The prince first entered the Netherlands in December 1813. As he spoke no Dutch, the prince was sent to Leiden University
to get a further education. He was also educated by Karl Ludwig von Phull
in The Hague
. When Napoleon
returned from Elba
, during the Hundred Days
the prince was given command of a detachment of Wellington
's army which was posted in a fall back position near Braine should the battle taking place at Waterloo
be lost.
. In 1816, Frederick relinquished this claim for land in the Netherlands and for the title of Prince of the Netherlands.
In 1826 Frederick was appointed commissary-general of the department of war. In this function Frederick reorganized the army on a Prussian model. Frederick founded the military academy in Breda
and reequipped the army with modern weaponry.
In 1829 Frederick was a candidate for the Greek throne but he declined because he did not want to be king of a country whose language and traditions were foreign to him.
During the Belgian Revolution
of 1830, Frederik commanded the troops sent to Brussels
to suppress the rebellion. After the independence of Belgium he took part in the Ten days campaign
of 1831.
When his father abdicated in 1840, Frederick retreated from public life to his estates at Wassenaar but upon the death of his elder brother in 1849, the new King William III of the Netherlands
recalled him to public life and in 1849 made him Inspector-General of the army, a function he held until 1868 when he resigned because of the lack of support for his modernization plans of the army.
on 21 May 1825 his first cousin Louise, daughter of Frederick William III of Prussia
. They had four children:
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, 28 February 1797 – Wassenaar
Wassenaar
Wassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
, 8 September 1881), was the second son of king William I of the Netherlands
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
and his wife, Wilhelmine of Prussia
Wilhelmine of Prussia (1774-1837)
Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia was the first wife of King William I of the Netherlands and so the first Queen of the Netherlands.-Biography:Princess Wilhelmine was born in Potsdam...
.
Early life
The prince grew up at the court of his grandfather Frederick William II of PrussiaFrederick William II of Prussia
Frederick William II was the King of Prussia, reigning from 1786 until his death. He was in personal union the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg and the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel.-Early life:...
and uncle Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
. One of his tutors was Karl von Clausewitz. Aged 16, the prince fought in the battle of Leipzig
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16–19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine...
.
The prince first entered the Netherlands in December 1813. As he spoke no Dutch, the prince was sent to Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
to get a further education. He was also educated by Karl Ludwig von Phull
Karl Ludwig von Phull
Karl Ludwig von Phull was a German general in the service of the Kingdom of Prussia and the Russian Empire. Phull served as Chief of the General Staff of King Frederick William III of Prussia in the Battle of Jena-Auerstedt...
in 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...
. When Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
returned from Elba
Elba
Elba is a Mediterranean island in Tuscany, Italy, from the coastal town of Piombino. The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is also part of the National Park of the Tuscan Archipelago and the third largest island in Italy after Sicily and Sardinia...
, during the Hundred Days
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
the prince was given command of a detachment of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
's army which was posted in a fall back position near Braine should the battle taking place at Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
be lost.
Prince of the Netherlands
Based on a house treaty, the prince would inherit the family's German possessions upon his father's death. As these were no longer in the possession of the family, this would be exchanged for the Grand Duchy of LuxemburgGrand Ducal Family of Luxembourg
The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg consists of the extended family of the sovereign Grand Duke....
. In 1816, Frederick relinquished this claim for land in the Netherlands and for the title of Prince of the Netherlands.
In 1826 Frederick was appointed commissary-general of the department of war. In this function Frederick reorganized the army on a Prussian model. Frederick founded the military academy in Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
and reequipped the army with modern weaponry.
In 1829 Frederick was a candidate for the Greek throne but he declined because he did not want to be king of a country whose language and traditions were foreign to him.
During the Belgian Revolution
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
of 1830, Frederik commanded the troops sent to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
to suppress the rebellion. After the independence of Belgium he took part in the Ten days campaign
Ten days campaign
The Ten Days' Campaign was a failed attempt to suppress the Belgian revolution by the Dutch king William I.- Prelude :...
of 1831.
When his father abdicated in 1840, Frederick retreated from public life to his estates at Wassenaar but upon the death of his elder brother in 1849, the new King William III of the Netherlands
William III of the Netherlands
William III was from 1849 King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg until his death and the Duke of Limburg until the abolition of the Duchy in 1866.-Early life:William was born in Brussels as son of William II of the Netherlands and...
recalled him to public life and in 1849 made him Inspector-General of the army, a function he held until 1868 when he resigned because of the lack of support for his modernization plans of the army.
Marriage
Prince Frederick married in BerlinBerlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
on 21 May 1825 his first cousin Louise, daughter of Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
. They had four children:
- Wilhelmina Frederika Alexandrine Anna LouiseLouise of the NetherlandsLouise of the Netherlands was the Queen of Sweden and Norway as spouse of King Charles XV of Sweden and IV of Norway.-Birth:...
(1828–1871), married to Charles XV of SwedenCharles XV of SwedenCharles XV & IV also Carl ; Swedish and Norwegian: Karl was King of Sweden and Norway from 1859 until his death.... - Willem Frederik Nicolaas Karel (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...
, 6 July 1833 - 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...
, 1 November 1834) - Willem Frederik Nicolaas Albert (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...
, 22 August 1836 - 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...
, 23 January 1846) - Wilhelmina Frederika Anna Elisabeth Maria MariePrincess Marie of the NetherlandsPrincess Marie of the Netherlands was the fourth child and younger daughter of Prince Frederick of the Netherlands and wife of William, 5th Prince of Wied...
(Huize De Paauw, WassenaarWassenaarWassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
, 5 July 1841 - NeuwiedNeuwiedNeuwied is a town in the north of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, capital of the District of Neuwied. Neuwied lies on the right bank of the Rhine, 12 km northwest of Koblenz, on the railway from Frankfurt am Main to Cologne...
, 22 June 1910), married in WassenaarWassenaarWassenaar is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. A fairly affluent suburb of The Hague, Wassenaar lies 10 km north of that city on the N44 highway near the North Sea coast. It is part of the Haaglanden region...
on 18 July 1871 to William, Prince of WiedWilliam, Prince of WiedWilliam V, Prince of Wied was a German officer and politician, elder son of Hermann, Prince of Wied. He was the father of William, Prince of Albania and brother of Queen Elisabeth of Romania.-Early life:...
(NeuwiedNeuwiedNeuwied is a town in the north of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, capital of the District of Neuwied. Neuwied lies on the right bank of the Rhine, 12 km northwest of Koblenz, on the railway from Frankfurt am Main to Cologne...
, 22 August 1845 - NeuwiedNeuwiedNeuwied is a town in the north of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, capital of the District of Neuwied. Neuwied lies on the right bank of the Rhine, 12 km northwest of Koblenz, on the railway from Frankfurt am Main to Cologne...
, 22 October 1907). They were parents of William, Prince of Albania.
Titles
- His Royal Highness Prince Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau (1797–1881)