Ernest Casimir I, Count of Nassau-Dietz

Ernest Casimir I (22 December 1573^[1] – 2 June 1632) was a Count of Nassau-Dietz and Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe.

Ernest Casimir I
Portrait by Wybrand de Geest, c. 1630–1635
Count of Nassau-Dietz
Reign	8 October 1606 – 2 June 1632 (1606-10-08 – 1632-06-02)
Successor	Henry Casimir I
Stadtholder of Friesland
Reign	13 July 1620 – 2 June 1632 (1620-07-13 – 1632-06-02)
Predecessor	William Louis
Successor	Henry Casimir I
Stadtholder of Groningen and Drenthe
Reign	23 April 1625 – 2 June 1632 (1625-04-23 – 1632-06-02)
Predecessor	Maurice of Orange
Successor	Henry Casimir I
Born	Ernst Casimir (1573-12-22)22 December 1573 Dillenburg, Nassau-Dillenburg
Died	2 June 1632(1632-06-02) (aged 58) Roermond, Duchy of Guelders
Burial	Grote of Jacobijnerkerk
Spouse	Sophia of Brunswick-Lüneburg ​ ​ (m. 1607)​
Issue	Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz William Frederick of Nassau-Dietz
House	House of Nassau-Dietz
Father	Johann VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
Mother	Countess Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg

Biography

He was the 11th child of John VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, and Countess Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg. After the death of his father, his counties Nassau-Dillenburg, Nassau-Siegen, Nassau-Dietz, and Vianden were divided among his five living sons. Ernest Casimir followed him as Count of Nassau-Dietz. In 1631, he inherited the small county of Spiegelberg near Lauenstein.^[2]

Ernest Casimir was primarily known as an outstanding military leader during the Eighty Years' War. He served under Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange, in the siege of the cities of Steenwijk and Oldenzaal, and Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange, during the Siege of Groenlo and the Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch. As Stadtholder of Groningen, he founded the Nieuweschans fortress in 1628.^[3] Although he owned little in Friesland, he was popular there, and people granted his heir the right to rule after his death.

He was killed by a bullet at the siege of Roermond while he was inspecting the trenches in June 1632.^[4] His son, Henry Casimir I, succeeded him as count of Nassau-Dietz and as Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe.^[5]

Family

In 1607, Ernest Casimir married Sophia Hedwig of Brunswick-Lüneburg, daughter of Henry Julius of Brunswick-Lüneburg. They had nine children:

1. stillborn daughter (1608)
2. stillborn son (1609)
3. unnamed son (1610)
4. Henry Casimir I, Count of Nassau-Dietz (21 January 1612 – 13 July 1640)
5. William Frederick, Prince of Nassau-Dietz (7 August 1613 – 31 October 1664), married Albertine Agnes of Nassau
6. Elizabeth (25 July – 18 September 1614)
7. John Ernest (29 March – May 1617)
8. Maurice (21 February 1619 – 18 September 1628)
9. Elizabeth Friso (25 November 1620 – 20 September 1628)

Ancestors

Ancestors of Ernest Casimir I, Count of Nassau-Dietz

16. John IV, Count of Nassau-Siegen 8. John V, Count of Nassau-Siegen 17. Mary of Looz-Heinsberg 4. William I, Count of Nassau-Siegen 18. Henry III of Upper Hesse 9. Elisabeth of Hesse-Marburg 19. Anna of Katzenelnbogen 2. John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg 20. Henry IX of Stolberg 10. Bodo III of Stolberg-Wernigerode 21. Matilda of Mansfeld 5. Juliana of Stolberg 22. Philip I of Eppstein-Königstein 11. Anna of Eppstein-Königstein 23. Louise de la Marck 1. Ernest Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz 24. Frederick V of Leuchtenberg 12. John IV of Leuchtenberg 25. Dorothea of Rieneck 6. George III of Leuchtenberg 26. Günther XXXVIII of Schwarzburg 13. Margaret of Schwarzburg 27. Catherine of Querfurt 3. Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg 28. Albert III Achilles 14. Frederick I of Brandenburg-Ansbach 29. Anna of Saxony 7. Barbara of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach 30. Casimir IV of Poland 15. Sophia Jagiellon of Brandenburg-Ansbach 31. Elizabeth of Austria

References

1. KELLER, E. F. (1864). Geschichte Nassau's von der Reformation bis zum Anfang des 30jährigen Krieges (in German). Limbarth. p. 524. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
2. Jacobi, Adam Friedrich Ernst (1785). Die alte Geschichte der Grafschaft Spiegelberg: nebst verschiedenen Anekdoten von den Prinzen Oranien-Nassau die zugleich Grafen von Spiegelberg gewesen (in German). Cröker. pp. 33–34. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
3. Witkamp, Pieter Harme (1877). Aaardrijkskundig woordenboek van Nederland (in Dutch). D. Mijs. p. 861. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
4. Molhuysen, Philip Christiaan (1911). Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek (in Dutch). A. W. Sijthoff's uitgevers-maatschappij. p. 834. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
5. Fuldauer, G. (1880). De Navorscher: Een middel tot gedachtenwisseling en letterkundig verkeer tuschen allen, die iets weten, iets te vragen hebben of iets kunnen oplossen (in Dutch). J.C. Loman Jr. p. 594. Retrieved 28 July 2024.

External links

Ernest Casimir I, Count of Nassau-Dietz House of Nassau-Dietz Born: 22 December 1573 Died: 2 June 1632
Regnal titles
New creation	Count of Nassau-Dietz 1606–1632	Succeeded by Henry Casimir I
Political offices
Preceded by William Louis	Stadtholder of Friesland 1620–1632	Succeeded by Henry Casimir I
Preceded by Maurice of Orange	Stadtholder of Groningen and Drenthe 1625–1632