House of Orange-Nassau

The House of Orange-Nassau is a European dynasty whose members served as stadtholders of the Dutch Republic and later became monarchs of the Netherlands.

Principality of Orange: A historic principality in southern France whose title passed to the Nassau family in the sixteenth century. Its name and title entered the dynasty through William the Silent’s inheritance.
Stadtholder: A chief provincial executive in the Dutch Republic, often drawn from the House of Orange-Nassau. The office gave Orange princes major authority without making them sovereign monarchs.
Maurice, Prince of Orange: A Dutch military commander and stadtholder who helped develop effective siege and field tactics. His campaigns strengthened Orange leadership during the Dutch revolt.
Dutch Revolt: The revolt of the Low Countries against Habsburg Spanish rule, beginning in the sixteenth century. William the Silent’s leadership tied the dynasty to the struggle for Dutch independence.
Nassau: A historic German territory and ruling house whose branches spread across central Europe. The Nassau lineage supplied the dynasty’s inherited name and political connections.
Dutch Republic: A federal republic of seven provinces that existed from 1588 until 1795. The dynasty’s early political power operated within this republican system.
William II, Prince of Orange: A Dutch stadtholder whose death in 1650 triggered a period without a central stadtholder. His death exposed tensions between the Orange family and republican provincial leaders.
Eighty Years' War: The conflict from 1568 to 1648 that culminated in the Dutch Republic’s independence from Spain. Orange princes commanded Dutch forces through much of the war.
William the Silent: The prince of Orange who led the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule during its early decades. His inheritance and leadership established the dynasty’s Dutch branch.
William IV, Prince of Orange: The first hereditary stadtholder of all the Dutch provinces, serving from 1747 to 1751. His appointment made the stadtholderate hereditary across the Republic.

Linked from 14 pages