Albertine Agnes of Nassau

Albertine Agnes (The Hague, April 9 1634 — Oranjewoud, May 26 1696), was the fifth daughter of stadtholder Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange and Amalia of Solms-Braunfels.

In 1652 she married Willem Frederik of Nassau-Dietz. They had two children:

• Amalia of Nassau-Dietz, married to John William of Saxe-Eisenach
• Henry Casimir II, Count of Nassau-Dietz, married to Henriëtte Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau

After the death of her husband in 1664, she became regent for her son in Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe. When both England and the bishop of Münster declared war on the Netherlands. Because most of the money for defence had been used for the fleet, the army had been neglected. When Groningen was under siege, Albertine Agnes hastened to the city to give moral support. The forces of their enemies retreated, but six years later the Netherlands were attacked from the south, by the French under Louis XIV and from the north by the bishops of Münster and Köln. She organised defence and kept moral high.

It is through her that the Dutch queen Beatrix is descended from William the Silent.

References

• "Women in power 1640-1670" last accessed August 4, 2007