William II of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
William II (6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849) was King of the Netherlands, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
, and Duke of Limburg
from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.
. He was the eldest son of King William I of the Netherlands
and Wilhelmine of Prussia
. His maternal grandparents were King Frederick William II of Prussia
and his second wife Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt
.
When William was three he and his family fled to England after allied British-Hanoverian troops left the Republic and entering French troops joined the anti-orangist Patriots. William spent his youth in Berlin
at the Prussian court. There he followed a military education and served in the Prussian army. Afterwards he studied at the University of Oxford
.
He entered the British Army
, and in 1811, as aide-de-camp
to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
, took part in several campaigns of the Peninsular War
. He was made Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army on 11 June 1811 and Colonel on 21 October that year. On 8 September 1812 he was made an Aide-de-Camp
to the Prince Regent
and on 14 December 1813 promoted Major-General
.
He returned to the Netherlands
in 1813 when his father became king.
In 1815, William became crown prince and he took service in the army when Napoleon I of France
escaped from Elba
. He fought as commander of I Allied Corps at the Battle of Quatre Bras
(16 June 1815) and the Battle of Waterloo
(18 June 1815), where he was wounded.
and his estranged wife Caroline of Brunswick
. The engagement was arranged by the Prince Regent, but it was broken because Charlotte's mother was against the marriage and because Charlotte did not want to move to The Netherlands. On 21 February 1816 at the Chapel of the Winter Palace
in St. Petersburg, William married Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia, youngest sister to Czar Alexander I of Russia
, who arranged the marriage to seal the good relations between Imperial Russia
and the Netherlands.
On 17 February 1817 in Brussels
, his first son Willem Alexander was born, the future King William III
. Because he lived in Brussels, he became affiliated with the Southern industrials.
In 1819, he was blackmail
ed over what Minister of Justice Van Maanen
termed in a letter his "shameful and unnatural lusts": presumably bisexuality
. He may also have had a relationship with a dandy
by the name of Pereira
.
William II enjoyed considerable popularity in what is now Belgium
(then the Southern Netherlands), as well as in the Netherlands for his affability and moderation, and in 1830, on the outbreak of the Belgian revolution
, he did his utmost in Brussels as a peace broker, to bring about a settlement based on administrative autonomy for the southern provinces, under the House of Orange-Nassau
. His father then rejected the terms of accommodation that he had proposed; afterwards, relations with his father were tense.
In April 1831, William II was military leader of the Ten days campaign
in Belgium which was driven back to the North by French intervention. European intervention established Leopold of Saxe-Gotha
on the new throne of Belgium. Peace was finally established between Belgium and the Netherlands in 1839.
On 7 October 1840, on his father's abdication, he acceded the throne as William II. Like his father he was conservative and less likely to initiate changes. He intervened less in policies than his father did. There was increased agitation for broad constitutional reform and a wider electoral franchise. And though he was personally conservative and no democrat, he acted with sense and moderation.
The Revolutions of 1848
broke out all over Europe
. In Paris
the Bourbon-Orléans monarchy fell. William became afraid of revolution in Amsterdam
. One morning he woke up and said: "I changed from conservative to liberal in one night". He gave orders to Johan Rudolf Thorbecke to create a new constitution which included that the Eerste Kamer (Senate) would be elected indirectly by the Provincial States and that the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) would be elected directly. Electoral system changed into census suffrage in electoral districts (in 1917 census suffrage was replaced by common suffrage
for all men, and districts were replaced by party lists of different political parties), whereby royal power decreased sharply. That constitution is still in effect today.
He swore in the first parliamentary cabinet a few months before his sudden death in Tilburg
, North Brabant
(1849).
He was the 869th Knight
of the Order of the Golden Fleece
in Spain
.
in Sharpe's Waterloo
. In the episode (itself adapted from a novel
by Bernard Cornwell
), William suffers his wound after being shot by the fictitious hero, Richard Sharpe
(played by Sean Bean
). Whilst under William's command Sharpe becomes enraged after the Crown Prince's incompetence costs the lives of many Allied soldiers, including two of Sharpe's closest friends. Taken under the cover of battle, Sharpe's actions are not noticed by anyone who cares for the intransigent William and thus go unpunished.
Grand Duke of Luxembourg
The Grand Duke of Luxembourg is the sovereign monarch and head of state of Luxembourg. Luxembourg has been a grand duchy since 15 March 1815, when it was elevated from a duchy when placed in personal union with the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, and Duke of Limburg
Duchy of Limburg (1839-1866)
The Duchy of Limburg was created and formed from the eastern part of the Province of Limburg as a result of the Treaty of London in 1839. De jure it was a separate polity in personal union with the Kingdom of the Netherlands while at the same time a province of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Until...
from 7 October 1840 until his death in 1849.
Early life and education
Willem Frederik George Lodewijk was born on 6 December 1792 in The HagueThe 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...
. He was the eldest 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 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...
. His maternal grandparents were King Frederick William II of Prussia
Frederick 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 his second wife Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt
Frederika Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt
Frederika of Hesse-Darmstadt was Queen consort of the Kingdom of Prussia as the second wife of Frederick William II of Prussia.-Background:...
.
When William was three he and his family fled to England after allied British-Hanoverian troops left the Republic and entering French troops joined the anti-orangist Patriots. William spent his youth in Berlin
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...
at the Prussian court. There he followed a military education and served in the Prussian army. Afterwards he studied at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Military service
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, and in 1811, as aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke 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...
, took part in several campaigns of the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
. He was made Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army on 11 June 1811 and Colonel on 21 October that year. On 8 September 1812 he was made an Aide-de-Camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to the Prince Regent
George IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
and on 14 December 1813 promoted Major-General
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
.
He returned to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 1813 when his father became king.
In 1815, William became crown prince and he took service in the army when Napoleon I of France
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...
escaped 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...
. He fought as commander of I Allied Corps at the Battle of Quatre Bras
Battle of Quatre Bras
The Battle of Quatre Bras, between Wellington's Anglo-Dutch army and the left wing of the Armée du Nord under Marshal Michel Ney, was fought near the strategic crossroads of Quatre Bras on 16 June 1815.- Prelude :...
(16 June 1815) and the Battle of 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...
(18 June 1815), where he was wounded.
Marriage
In 1814, William became briefly engaged with Princess Charlotte of Wales, only daughter of the Prince Regent, later George IV of the United KingdomGeorge IV of the United Kingdom
George IV was the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and also of Hanover from the death of his father, George III, on 29 January 1820 until his own death ten years later...
and his estranged wife Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
. The engagement was arranged by the Prince Regent, but it was broken because Charlotte's mother was against the marriage and because Charlotte did not want to move to The Netherlands. On 21 February 1816 at the Chapel of the Winter Palace
Winter Palace
The Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, was, from 1732 to 1917, the official residence of the Russian monarchs. Situated between the Palace Embankment and the Palace Square, adjacent to the site of Peter the Great's original Winter Palace, the present and fourth Winter Palace was built and...
in St. Petersburg, William married Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia, youngest sister to Czar Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
, who arranged the marriage to seal the good relations between Imperial Russia
Russian history, 1796-1855
In Russian history, period from year 1796 to 1855 was time of Napoleonic wars, Government reform, political reorganization and economic growth.-War and peace in Russia, 1796-1825:...
and the Netherlands.
On 17 February 1817 in 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...
, his first son Willem Alexander was born, the future King William III
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...
. Because he lived in Brussels, he became affiliated with the Southern industrials.
In 1819, he was blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
ed over what Minister of Justice Van Maanen
Cornelis Felix van Maanen
Cornelis Felix van Maanen was a Dutch minister and jurist.Van Maanen was born in The Hague. He studied law in Leiden, and entered legal practice in The Hague, where he later became general prosecutor...
termed in a letter his "shameful and unnatural lusts": presumably bisexuality
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
. He may also have had a relationship with a dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
by the name of Pereira
Pereira (surname)
Pereira is a common surname in the Portuguese and Galician languages, namely in Portugal, Brazil, and Galicia. It was originally a noble Christian toponym of the Middle Ages, taken from the feudal possession of Pereira , which in Portuguese means 'pear tree'. The name also exists in variations such...
.
Belgian revolution activities
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
(then the Southern Netherlands), as well as in the Netherlands for his affability and moderation, and in 1830, on the outbreak of 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....
, he did his utmost in Brussels as a peace broker, to bring about a settlement based on administrative autonomy for the southern provinces, under the House of Orange-Nassau
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...
. His father then rejected the terms of accommodation that he had proposed; afterwards, relations with his father were tense.
In April 1831, William II was military leader of 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 :...
in Belgium which was driven back to the North by French intervention. European intervention established Leopold of Saxe-Gotha
Leopold I of Belgium
Leopold I was from 21 July 1831 the first King of the Belgians, following Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. He was the founder of the Belgian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
on the new throne of Belgium. Peace was finally established between Belgium and the Netherlands in 1839.
King of the Netherlands
The Revolutions of 1848
Revolutions of 1848
The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations, Springtime of the Peoples or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe in 1848. It was the first Europe-wide collapse of traditional authority, but within a year reactionary...
broke out all over Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
the Bourbon-Orléans monarchy fell. William became afraid of revolution in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. One morning he woke up and said: "I changed from conservative to liberal in one night". He gave orders to Johan Rudolf Thorbecke to create a new constitution which included that the Eerste Kamer (Senate) would be elected indirectly by the Provincial States and that the Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) would be elected directly. Electoral system changed into census suffrage in electoral districts (in 1917 census suffrage was replaced by common suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
for all men, and districts were replaced by party lists of different political parties), whereby royal power decreased sharply. That constitution is still in effect today.
He swore in the first parliamentary cabinet a few months before his sudden death in Tilburg
Tilburg
Tilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
, North Brabant
North Brabant
North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...
(1849).
He was the 869th Knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Ancestry
Children
William II and queen Anna Pavlovna had five children:- William III Alexander Paul Frederick LouisWilliam III of the NetherlandsWilliam 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...
(1817–1890) King of the Netherlands from 1849-1890. - William Alexander Frederick Constantine Nicolas MichaelPrince Alexander of the NetherlandsPrince Alexander of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau was born at Soestdijk Palace, the second son to King William II of The Netherlands and Queen Anna Paulowna,...
(1818–1848). Nicknamed Sascha. - William Frederick Henry "the Navigator"Prince Henry of the NetherlandsPrince William Frederick Henry of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau was the third son of King William II of the Netherlands and his wife, Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia...
(1820–1879). Married firstly Princess AmaliaAmalia of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachAmalia Maria da Gloria Augusta , Princess of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, was the first wife of Prince Henry of the Netherlands, son of king William II of the Netherlands.-Family:...
of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachSaxe-Weimar-EisenachThe Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach. It was raised to a Grand duchy in 1815 by resolution of the Vienna Congress. In 1877, it officially changed its name to the Grand Duchy of Saxony , but this name was...
and secondly Princess Marie of PrussiaPrincess Marie of Prussia (1855-1888)Princess Marie of Prussia, full name Marie Elisabeth Louise Frederika of Prussia , was a princess of the house of Hohenzollern. She was the daughter of Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia and later became second wife of Prince Henry of the Netherlands then the first wife of Prince Albert of...
, but had no issue. - Prince William Alexander Ernst Frederick Casimir (DutchDutch languageDutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Willem Alexander Ernst Frederik Casimir) (21 May - 22 October 1822). - Wilhelmina Marie Sophie LouisePrincess Sophie of the NetherlandsPrincess Sophie of the Netherlands was the only daughter of King William II of the Netherlands and of his wife Grand Duchess Anna Pavlovna of Russia...
(1824–1897). Married Karl Alexander, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-EisenachSaxe-Weimar-EisenachThe Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was created in 1809 by the merger of the Ernestine duchies of Saxe-Weimar and Saxe-Eisenach. It was raised to a Grand duchy in 1815 by resolution of the Vienna Congress. In 1877, it officially changed its name to the Grand Duchy of Saxony , but this name was...
.
On Screen
William II (as the Prince of Orange) was portrayed on television by Paul BettanyPaul Bettany
Paul Bettany is an English actor. He has appeared in a wide variety of films, including A Knight's Tale, A Beautiful Mind, and The Da Vinci Code...
in Sharpe's Waterloo
Sharpe's Waterloo (TV programme)
Sharpe's Waterloo is a British television drama, part of a series that follows the career of Richard Sharpe, a British soldier during the Napoleonic Wars. The adaptation is based on the novel of the same name by Bernard Cornwell.-Plot:...
. In the episode (itself adapted from a novel
Sharpe's Waterloo (novel)
Sharpe's Waterloo is a historical novel by Bernard Cornwell set during the 1815 Waterloo campaign.-Characters in Sharpe's Waterloo:*Lt. Col...
by Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell
Bernard Cornwell OBE is an English author of historical novels. He is best known for his novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe which were adapted into a series of Sharpe television films.-Biography:...
), William suffers his wound after being shot by the fictitious hero, Richard Sharpe
Richard Sharpe (fictional character)
Sharpe is a series of historical fiction stories by Bernard Cornwell centred on the character of Richard Sharpe. The stories formed the basis for an ITV television series wherein the eponymous character was played by Sean Bean....
(played by Sean Bean
Sean Bean
Shaun Mark "Sean" Bean is an English film and stage actor. Bean is best known for playing Boromir in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and, previously, British Colonel Richard Sharpe in the ITV television series Sharpe...
). Whilst under William's command Sharpe becomes enraged after the Crown Prince's incompetence costs the lives of many Allied soldiers, including two of Sharpe's closest friends. Taken under the cover of battle, Sharpe's actions are not noticed by anyone who cares for the intransigent William and thus go unpunished.
Titles and styles
- His Serene Highness The Hereditary Prince of Orange (1792–1814)
- His Royal Highness The Hereditary Prince of Orange (1814–1815)
- His Royal Highness The Prince of OrangePrince of OrangePrince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France. In French it is la Principauté d'Orange....
(1815–1840) - His Majesty The King of the Netherlands (1840–1849)
See also
- Dutch monarchs family treeDutch monarchs family treeThe following is a family tree for the Princes of Orange, a line which culminated in the Dutch monarchy with the accession of Prince William VI to the newly created throne of the Netherlands in 1815. Dates given are those of birth and death; for Princes of Orange , the intermediate date is the date...
- Place Guillaume IIPlace Guillaume IIPlace Guillaume II is a town square in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The square lies to the west of Krautmaart and to the north of Boulevard Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the heart of Luxembourg's historic Ville Haute quarter...
, a square in Luxembourg City named after him and containing a statue of his likeness. - Willem II (football club) Dutch football (soccer)club from TilburgTilburgTilburg is a landlocked municipality and a city in the Netherlands, located in the southern province of Noord-Brabant.Tilburg municipality also includes the villages of Berkel-Enschot and Udenhout....
named after the King.