Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz

Henry Casimir I
Portrait by Wybrand de Geest, c. 1632
Count of Nassau-Dietz
Period	2 June 1631 – 13 July 1640
Predecessor	Ernst Casimir I
Successor	Willem Frederik
Stadtholder of Friesland
Reign	2 June 1632 – 13 July 1640
Predecessor	Ernst Casimir I
Successor	Willem Frederik
Stadtholder of Drenthe and Groningen
Reign	2 June 1632 – 13 July 1640
Predecessor	Ernest Casimir I
Successor	Frederick Henry
Born	(1612-01-21)21 January 1612 Arnhem, Dutch Republic
Died	13 July 1640(1640-07-13) (aged 28) Hulst, Dutch Republic
Burial	Grote of Jacobijnerkerk
Father	Ernst Casimir of Nassau-Dietz
Mother	Sophia Hedwig of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz (21 January 1612 – 13 July 1640) was count of Nassau-Dietz and Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe.

Life

He was born in Arnhem, the eldest son of Ernst Casimir of Nassau-Dietz and Sophia Hedwig of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and, like his father, died in battle.

Henry Casimir was christened at Arnhem. The English representative, Sophia Hedwig being the niece of the queen Anne of Denmark, was Sir Edward Cecil. He brought gifts of a cupboard of gilt plate, a diamond necklace with a locket, horses, and an embroidered petticoat for Sophia Hedwig.^[1]

He became count of Nassau-Dietz and stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe upon the death of his father, Count Ernst Casimir of Nassau-Dietz, at the Siege of Roermond in June 1632. A week later, he was involved in the Capture of Maastricht, along with his cousin, Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange.

Henry Casimir was wounded in Sint Jansteen at the battle of Hulst on 12 July 1640. He died the next day and was buried in Leeuwarden. He was succeeded by William Frederick, Prince of Nassau-Dietz. His death in at the Battle of Hulst, aged 28, prompted the creation of several memorials to him and the battle. The Rijksmuseum collection contains a blood-stained shirt he is purported to have been wearing when he was wounded. The same collection also contains his father's hat, which has a bullet hole in it.^[2]

Ancestors

Ancestors of Henry Casimir I 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, Landgrave of Upper Hesse 9. Elisabeth of Hesse-Marburg 19. Anna of Katzenelnbogen 2. John VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg 20. Henry IX of Stolberg 10. Bodo III, Count 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. Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz 24. Frederick V of Leuchtenberg 12. John IV, Landgrave of Leuchtenberg 25. Dorothea of Rieneck 6. George III, Landgrave of Leuchtenberg 26. Günther XXXVIII, Count of Schwarzburg 13. Margaret of Schwarzburg 27. Catherine of Querfurt 3. Countess Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg 28. Albert III, Margrave of Brandenburg 14. Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach 29. Anna of Saxony 7. Barbara of Brandenburg-Ansbach-Kulmbach 30. Casimir IV Jagiellon 15. Sophia Jagiellon 31. Elizabeth of Austria

References

1. A. B. Hinds, HMC Downshire, vol. 3 (London, 1938), p. 275.
2. bullet-hole hat Archived 8 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine in Rijksmuseum

External links

• Blood-stained shirt in collection Rijksmuseum of Amsterdam
• https://web.archive.org/web/20070927215051/http://www.iec.nhl.nl/socvak/grotekerk/prinsenstallen/hencas.htm
• https://web.archive.org/web/20090301235747/http://www.dodenakkers.nl/artikelen/oranje-nassau/grafkelderleeuwarden.html

Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz House of Nassau Born: 21 January 1612  Died: 13 July 1640
Political offices
Preceded by Ernest Casimir I	Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe 1632–1640	Succeeded by William Frederick
Regnal titles
Preceded by Ernest Casimir I	Count of Nassau-Dietz 1632–1640	Succeeded by William Frederick