View source for Prince Frederick of the Netherlands

{{Short description|Dutch prince (1797–1881)}}
{{refimprove|date=November 2018}}
{{For|his uncle|Prince Frederick of Orange-Nassau}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name = Prince Frederick
| image = Willem Frederik Karel van Oranje-Nassau (1797-1881), by Maurits Verveer.jpg
| caption = Photograph of Prince Frederick 
| birth_date = {{birth date|1797|2|28|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Berlin]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1881|9|8|1797|2|28|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Wassenaar]]
| house = [[House of Orange-Nassau|Orange-Nassau]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Princess Louise of Prussia (1808–1870)|Princess Louise of Prussia]]|1825|1870|end=d}}
| issue = {{Plainlist|
* [[Louise of the Netherlands|Louise, Queen of Sweden and Norway]]
* Prince Willem
* Prince Frederick
* [[Princess Marie of the Netherlands|Marie, Princess of Wied]]
}}
| father = [[William I of the Netherlands]]
| mother = [[Wilhelmine of Prussia (1774–1837)|Wilhelmine of Prussia]]
}}

'''Prince Frederick of the Netherlands, Prince of Orange-Nassau''' (full names: Willem Frederik Karel; 28 February 1797, in [[Berlin]] – 8 September 1881, in [[Wassenaar]]), was the second son of [[William I of the Netherlands]] and his wife, [[Wilhelmine of Prussia (1774–1837)|Wilhelmine of Prussia]].

Frederick was active in the military and political life of the Netherlands. He served as Commissary-general of the Department of War and as Chief Director of War and Navy, where he modernized the army according to the Prussian model. Frederick also led the Dutch troops during the [[Belgian Revolution]] in 1830. Additionally, he was a prominent Freemason and Grand Master of the Order of Freemasons. After his active career, he withdrew to his estate and played a mediating role within the royal family.

==Early life==
The prince grew up at the court of his grandfather [[Frederick William II of Prussia]] and uncle [[Frederick William III of Prussia]]. One of his tutors was [[Carl von Clausewitz]]. Aged 16, the prince fought in the [[Battle of Leipzig]].

The prince first entered the Netherlands in December 1813. As he spoke no Dutch, the prince was sent to [[Leiden University]] to get a further education. He was also educated by [[Karl Ludwig von Phull]] in [[The Hague]]. When [[Napoleon I of France|Napoleon]] returned from [[Elba]], during the [[Hundred Days]] the prince was given command of a detachment of [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Wellington]]'s army which was posted in a fall back position near [[Braine-le-Comte]] should the battle taking place at [[battle of Waterloo|Waterloo]] be lost.

==Prince of the Netherlands==
Based on a house treaty, Frederick was to inherit the family's German possessions upon his father's death. After the treaty of Vienna these were no longer in the possession of the family. He instead was made heir to the [[Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg|Grand Duchy of Luxemburg]]. In 1816, Frederick relinquished this claim in exchange for land in the Netherlands and the title of ''Prince of the Netherlands''. As a further compensation he received a yearly amount of 190,000 [[Dutch guilder]]s.<ref name=nos>{{cite web|author=Lambert Teuwissen |url=http://nos.nl/artikel/2035010-prins-frederik-was-beter-dan-onze-eerste-koningen.html |title=Prins Frederik was beter dan onze eerste koningen |language=nl |publisher=[[Nederlandse Omroep Stichting]] |date=10 May 2015 |access-date=12 May 2015}}</ref> This made him the wealthiest member of the [[House of Orange-Nassau]].<ref name=nos/> With the money he bought a large estate in [[German Confederation|Germany]], which made him the largest land owner from the Netherlands.<ref name=nos/>

Aged 18, Frederick was made a major-general by his father and given nominal command of the Dutch-Belgian [[Order of Battle at Waterloo#Anglo-allied Army order of battle|1st Division]] (lt.-gen. [[John Andrew Stedman|Stedman]]) that was tasked with guarding [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Wellington]]'s escape route to the sea in case things had gone awry for the Anglo-Dutch army at the [[Battle of Waterloo]]. [[Napoleon]] was, however, defeated, also thanks to the other two Dutch-Belgian divisions that did fight at that battle. Fredrick then took part in the invasion of northern France that followed Napoleon's defeat<ref name=hamilton-williams>
{{cite book|author=Hamilton-Williams, David|year=1993|title= Waterloo. New Perspectives. The Great Battle Reappraised|place=London|publisher= Arms & Armour Press|isbn=978-0-471-05225-8| pages=239–240}}</ref>
[[File:WLM - roel1943 - Prins Frederik.jpg|thumb|left|200px|{{center|Prince Frederick in his Grand Master's regalia}}]]
In 1816 Frederick was appointed Grand Master of the [[Grand Orient of the Netherlands]] a function he would hold until 1881.<ref name=caransa>{{cite book|author=Caransa, A.|title=Vrijmetselarij en Jodendom: de wereld een tempel|place=Hilversum|publisher=Verloren|year=2001|language=nl|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o2K-EK3LvTwC&q=Vrijmetselarij+en+Jodendom|page=80|isbn=9065501835 |access-date=30 April 2023}}</ref>

In 1826 Frederick was appointed Commissary-general of the Department of War. In this office, Frederick reorganized the army on a [[Prussian Reform Movement (1806–1815)#Military|Prussian model]]. Frederick founded the [[Koninklijke Militaire Academie|Royal military academy]] in [[Breda]] and reequipped the army with modern weapons.

In 1829 Frederick was [[london Protocol (1830)#After the Protocol of Independence – Final regulation of the borders – Greece as a Kingdom|a candidate]] for the [[London Conference of 1832|Greek throne]], but he declined because he did not want to be king of a country whose language and traditions were foreign to him.<ref name=isgeschiedenis>{{cite web|url=https://isgeschiedenis.nl/nieuws/1-juni-jarig-otto-i-van-griekenland|title=1 juni jarig:Otto I van Griekenland|website=IsGeschiedenis|language=nl|access-date=1 May 2023}}</ref>

When the [[Belgian Revolution]] broke out in 1830, Frederick commanded the troops sent to [[Brussels]] to suppress the rebellion there. Frederick led these troops in several days of fighting in Brussels, but could not retake the city. Frederick also took part in the campaign of [[William II of the Netherlands|his brother's]] 1831 [[Ten Days' Campaign]] in Belgium.

[[File:Bad Muskau Neues Schloss-02.jpg|thumb|[[Schloss Muskau]]]]
[[File:Fürst-Pückler-Park in Bad Muskau 74.JPG|thumb|[[Muskau Park]]]]
When his father abdicated in 1840, Frederick withdrew from public life to his estates at Wassenaar. In 1846 he acquired [[Schloss Muskau]] in Prussia where he completed [[Muskau Park]], the largest and one of the most famous English gardens in Central Europe, stretching along both sides of the present German–Polish border on the [[Lusatian Neisse]]. The park had been laid out from 1815 onwards at the behest of [[Hermann, Fürst von Pückler-Muskau|Prince Hermann von Pückler-Muskau]] (1785–1871). In July 2004, Muskau Park was added to the list of [[World Heritage Site|UNESCO World Heritage Sites]].

Upon the death of his elder brother in 1849, the country was left with a large debt. Frederick managed to pay off a million guilder to Tsar [[Nicholas I of Russia]], who was brother-in-law to William II.<ref name=nos/> The new [[William III of the Netherlands|King William III of the Netherlands]] (Frederick's nephew) did not want to inherit the kingship from his father, but Frederick managed to convince him to take up the position, offering to assist him.<ref name=nos/> William III recalled Frederick and made him Inspector-General of the army. Frederick held that office until 1868, when he resigned because of the lack of support for his plans to modernize the army. Frederick managed to prevent a divorce between King William III and Queen [[Sophie of Württemberg]] by establishing a legal separation.<ref name=nos/> He retired to Muskau Castle which was remodeled in [[Renaissance Revival architecture|Renaissance revival style]] between 1863 and 1866.

==Marriage==
Prince Frederick married in [[Berlin]] on 21 May 1825 his first cousin [[Princess Louise of Prussia (1808–1870)|Louise]], daughter of [[Frederick William III of Prussia]]. They had four children:
* [[Louise of the Netherlands|Wilhelmina Frederika Alexandrine Anna ''Louise'']] (5 August 1828 in [[The Hague]] – 30 March 1871 in [[Stockholm]]), married in [[Stockholm]] on 19 June 1850 to [[Charles XV of Sweden]] (3 May 1826 in [[Stockholm]] – 18 September 1872 in [[Malmö]])
* ''Willem'' Frederik Nicolaas Karel (6 July 1833 in [[The Hague]] – 1 November 1834 in [[The Hague]]) died in infancy.
* Willem ''Frederik'' Nicolaas Albert (22 August 1836 in [[The Hague]] – 23 January 1846 in [[The Hague]]) died young at age 9.
* [[Princess Marie of the Netherlands|Wilhelmina Frederika Anna Elisabeth ''Marie'']] (5 June 1841 in Huize De Paauw, [[Wassenaar]] – 22 June 1910 in [[Neuwied]]), married in [[Wassenaar]] on 18 July 1871 to [[William, Prince of Wied]] (22 August 1845 in [[Neuwied]] – 22 October 1907 in [[Neuwied]]). They were parents of [[William, Prince of Albania]].

==Honours==
{{columns-list|colwidth=25em|
* {{flag|Netherlands}}: Commander of the [[Military William Order]], ''8 July 1815'';<ref name="Military William Order01">{{cite web|url=https://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/onderscheidingen/dapperheidsonderscheidingen/databank-dapperheidsonderscheidingen/1815/07/08/oranje-nassau-willem-frederik-karel-prins-van |title=Militaire Willems-Orde: Oranje-Nassau, Willem Frederik Karel, Prins van|trans-title=Military William Order: Orange-Nassau, William Frederick Charles, Prince of|website=Ministerie van Defensie|language=nl|access-date=3 May 2020|date=8 July 1815}}</ref> Grand Cross, ''18 August 1831''<ref name="Military William Order02">{{cite web|url=https://www.defensie.nl/onderwerpen/onderscheidingen/dapperheidsonderscheidingen/databank-dapperheidsonderscheidingen/1831/08/18/oranje-nassau-willem-frederik-karel-prins-van |title=Militaire Willems-Orde: Oranje-Nassau, Willem Frederik Karel, Prins van|trans-title=Military William Order: Orange-Nassau, William Frederick Charles, Prince of|website=Ministerie van Defensie|language=nl|access-date=3 May 2020|date=18 August 1831}}</ref>
* {{flag|Nassau}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Adolphe of Nassau]], with Swords, ''June 1858''<ref>''Staats- und Adreß-Handbuch des Herzogthums Nassau'' (1866), "Herzogliche Orden" [https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb10021632?page=28 p. 12]</ref>
* {{flag|Austrian Empire}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary|Royal Hungarian Order of St. Stephen]], ''1835''<ref>[http://tornai.com/rendtagok.htm "A Szent István Rend tagjai"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101222022855/http://tornai.com/rendtagok.htm|date=22 December 2010}}</ref>
* {{flag|Kingdom of Hanover}}: Grand Cross of the [[Royal Guelphic Order]], ''1821''<ref>{{cite book|title=Hof- und Staatshandbuch für das Königreich Hannover: 1837|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F_pSAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA19|year=1837|publisher=Berenberg|page=19}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Hesse}} [[Electorate of Hesse]]: Knight of the [[House Order of the Golden Lion (Hesse-Kassel)|Order of the Golden Lion]], ''5 June 1851''<ref name="Hessen-Kassel1862">{{cite book|author=Hessen-Kassel|title=Kurfürstlich Hessisches Hof- und Staatshandbuch: 1862|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_e_VSAAAAcAAJ|year=1862|publisher=Waisenhaus|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_e_VSAAAAcAAJ/page/n33 16]}}</ref>
* {{flag|Oldenburg}}: Grand Cross of the [[House and Merit Order of Peter Frederick Louis]], with Golden Crown, ''26 July 1853''<ref>''[https://books.google.com/books?id=NpBYAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA30  Hof- und Staatshandbuch des Großherzogtums Oldenburg: für das Jahr 1872/73]'', "Der Großherzogliche Haus-und Verdienst Orden" p. 30</ref>
* {{flagicon image|Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg}} [[Kingdom of Prussia]]:<ref name="prus">{{citation|title=Königlich Preussische Ordensliste|volume=1|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878864&view=1up&seq=5&skin=2021|pages=[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878864&view=1up&seq=12&skin=2021 8], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878864&view=1up&seq=921&skin=2021 909], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878864&view=1up&seq=934&skin=2021 922], [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015049878864&view=1up&seq=976&skin=2021 964]|lang=German|location=Berlin|year=1877|via=hathitrust.org}}</ref>
** [[Iron Cross]] (1813) "Honour Senior", 2nd Class, ''21 October 1813''
** Knight of the [[Order of the Black Eagle]], ''10 October 1815''; with Collar, ''1854''
** Commander of Honour of the [[Johanniter Order]], ''1855''
** Grand Commander's Cross of the Royal [[House Order of Hohenzollern]], ''1861''; with Star, ''16 July 1876''
* {{flag|Russian Empire}}:<ref>{{cite book|title=Almanach de la cour: pour l'année ... 1817|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8ZpKAAAAcAAJ|year=1817|publisher=l'Académie Imp. des Sciences|pages=63, 78}}</ref>
** Knight of the [[Order of St. George]], 4th Class, ''September 1813''
** Knight of the [[Order of St. Andrew]], ''22 June 1814''
** Knight of the [[Order of St. Alexander Nevsky]], ''22 June 1814''
* {{flag|Spain|1785}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of Charles III]], ''8 November 1817''<ref>{{citation |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=ucm.5325545198&view=1up&seq=91|title=Caballeros Grandes Cruces existentes en la Real y distinguida Orden Española de Carlos Tercero|date=1834|journal=Calendario Manual y Guía de Forasteros en Madrid|access-date=23 May 2020|page=81|language=es}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Sweden|1844}} {{flagicon|Norway|1844}} [[Sweden-Norway]]:
** Knight of the [[Order of the Seraphim]], ''10 February 1850''<ref>{{citation|title=Sveriges Statskalender |year=1877|page=368|url=https://runeberg.org/statskal/1877/0392.html|via=runeberg.org|access-date=3 May 2020|language=sv}}</ref>
** Grand Cross of the [[Order of St. Olav]], ''19 June 1850''<ref>{{cite book|title=Sveriges och Norges statskalender|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9JhaAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA703|year=1874|publisher=Liberförlag|page=703}}</ref>
** Knight of the [[Order of Charles XIII]], ''19 July 1852''<ref>{{cite book|author=Anton Anjou|year=1900|title=Riddare af Konung Carl XIII:s orden: 1811–1900: biografiska anteckningar|chapter-url=http://www.archive.org/stream/riddareafkonung00anjogoog#page/n10/mode/1up|chapter=Utländske Riddare|page=[http://www.archive.org/stream/riddareafkonung00anjogoog#page/n182/mode/2up 175]|lang=sv}}</ref>
* {{Flag|Württemberg}}: Grand Cross of the [[Order of the Crown (Württemberg)|Order of the Württemberg Crown]], ''1849''<ref name="Württemberg1873">{{cite book|author=Württemberg|title=Hof- und Staats-Handbuch des Königreichs Württemberg: 1873|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NJRYAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA31|year=1873|page=31}}</ref>
}}

==Ancestry==
{{ahnentafel
|collapsed=yes |align=center
|boxstyle_1=background-color: #fcc;
|boxstyle_2=background-color: #fb9;
|boxstyle_3=background-color: #ffc;
|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
|1= 1. '''Prince Frederick of the Netherlands'''
|2= 2. [[William I of the Netherlands]]
|3= 3. [[Wilhelmine of Prussia, Queen of the Netherlands|Princess Wilhelmine of Prussia]]
|4= 4. [[William V, Prince of Orange]]
|5= 5. [[Wilhelmina of Prussia, Princess of Orange|Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia]]
|6= 6. [[Frederick William II of Prussia]]
|7= 7. [[Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt|Princess Frederica Louisa of Hesse-Darmstadt]]
|8= 8. [[William IV, Prince of Orange]]
|9= 9. [[Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange|Anne, Princess Royal]]
|10= 10. [[Prince Augustus William of Prussia]]
|11= 11. [[Duchess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]]
|12= 12. [[Prince Augustus William of Prussia]] (= 10)
|13= 13. [[Duchess Luise of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel]] (= 11)
|14= 14. [[Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt]]
|15= 15. [[Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken]]
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{commons category|Prince Frederik of the Netherlands}}

{{Dutch princes}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Frederik of the Netherlands}}
[[Category:1797 births]]
[[Category:1881 deaths]]
[[Category:Dutch members of the Dutch Reformed Church]]
[[Category:Members of the Council of State (Netherlands)]]
[[Category:Inspectors general]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Berlin]]
[[Category:House of Orange-Nassau]]
[[Category:Royal Netherlands Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Royal Netherlands Navy officers]]
[[Category:Royal Netherlands Army generals]]
[[Category:Royal Netherlands Army officers]]
[[Category:Ministers of war of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:People from the Margraviate of Brandenburg]]
[[Category:Burials in the Royal Crypt at Nieuwe Kerk, Delft]]
[[Category:Dutch military personnel of the Napoleonic Wars]]
[[Category:Colonel generals of Prussia]]
[[Category:William I of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:People from Bad Muskau]]
[[Category:Princes of Orange-Nassau]]
[[Category:19th-century Prussian military personnel]]
[[Category:19th-century Dutch military personnel]]
[[Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Military Order of William]]
[[Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Iron Cross (1813)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Iron Cross, 2nd class]]
[[Category:Knights of the Order of Charles XIII]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Fourth Degree]]
[[Category:Sons of kings]]
[[Category:Dutch Freemasons]]
[[Category:Sons of dukes]]