[November 6] William II, prince of Orange

Parents: Frederick Henry, prince of Orange, and Amalia of Solms-Braunfels
Born: 27 May 1626
House: Nassau-Orange
Spouse(s): Mary Henrietta, daughter of Charles I, king of England & Scotland, and Henrietta Maria of France
Predecessor: Frederick Henry

Reign: 1647 – 1650
Brief: The shortest-lived of the Dutch princes of Orange, William II served as the fourth stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in hereditary succession from his father. Although the position of stadtholder, issued by the various States-Generals of the United Provinces of the Netherlands, was formally a military title, it had been granted increasing royal prerogatives since William the Silent began the Dutch revolt in the 1580s. William II oversaw the signing of the Treaty of Münster, which recognized an end to the Eighty Years' War and Spanish recognition of the Dutch Republic. Working against his government, William conspired with the French to expand Dutch territory at the expense of democracy in the nascent republic. He actively campaigned for a restoration of his brother-in-law, Charles II, to the throne of England and Scotland. William also fought against any move by the States-General that would reduce the size of his standing army, fearing a loss of power. In 1649, he arrested eight members of a local assembly and sent his cousin with an army to conquer Amsterdam, but weather defeated him. He died soon after of smallpox in 1650. His son, William III, was born a week after his death and the States-General elected not to operate with a stadtholder for two decades until William III came of age.

Date of Death: 6 November 1650
Successor: William III

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Tsuchimikado, emperor of Japan (1231)
• Innocent VII, pope of Rome (1406)
• Ulrich, duke of Württemberg (1550)
• Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden (1632)
• João IV, king of Portugal (1656)
• Catherine II, empress of Russia (1796)
• Charles X, king of France (1836)
• Khai Dinh, emperor of Vietnam (1925)

[March 14] Frederick Henry, stadtholder of Holland & Zeeland

Parents: William the Silent, stadtholder of Holland, and Louise de Coligny

Date of Birth: 29 January 1584

House: Orange

Spouse: Amalia, daughter of John Albert I, duke of Solms-Braunfels, and Agnes of Sayn-Wittgenstein

Reign: 1625 – 1647

Predecessor: Maurice

Summary: The history of the Dutch Republic goes back to Frederick Henry's father, William the Silent, who led the rebellion of the Dutch from their Spanish overlord, Philip II. Enter Frederick Henry, the youngest child of William. His mother was the daughter of a Protestant Huguenot leader in France. He was born posthumously, his father having died over six months earlier in an assassination. His elder half-brother, Maurice, trained him in the military arts and he also forced Frederick Henry to marry against his will in 1625. Frederick Henry had an illegitimate son, Frederick Nassau de Zuylenstein, in addition to his many surviving legitimate children. Maurice died in 1625, the same year of Frederick Henry's marriage, and Frederick Henry became the hereditary prince of Orange and was granted the stadtholderships of Holland & Zeeland, Utrecht & Overijssel, and Guelders. He was also made captain- and admiral-general of the United Provinces.

The entirety of Frederick William's term in office was during the Eighty Years' War with Spain. While Maurice had been a military genius, Frederick William was that and a statesman. As stadtholder, his power was unsurpassed and it is during his term that the position gained truly regal status within European circles. In modern Dutch history, his term was considered the Golden Age of the Dutch Republic, due to its military and naval triumphs and worldwide commercial expansion. It was during this time that the Netherlands reached its post-Renaissance height in art and literature. Frederick Henry's success was aided by a long alliance with France which ended only because Frederick Henry sought a separate peace with Spain. Frederick Henry died before the treaty was signed and it was not until early 1648 that the Treaty of Munster ended the Eighty Years' War. He was succeeded by his only legitimate surviving son, William II.

Date of Death: 14 March 1647

Successor: William II

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Jin Huidi, emperor of China (313)
• Jingtai, emperor of China (1457)