Orangist

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An Orangist was a person who supported the election of William III, Prince of Orange, the posthumously-born son of William II, Prince of Orange, to the office of stadtholder of the Netherlands. The office had been vacant since the death of William II in 1650. William III was ultimately elected stadtholder 28 June 1672.

The Orangists were often at odds with the anti-stadtholder Republicans. Members of the Orangist faction included Dutch Vice-Admiral Johan Evertsen.

The Principality of Orange existed within the Kingdom of France as an autonomous and independent state from 1431 until 1703. It came to be when in 1431 the Count of Provence waived taxation duties for Orange’s rulers (Marie de Baux and Jean de Châlons of Burgundy) in exchange for liquid assets to be used for a ransom. As an independent enclave within France, it became an attractive destination for Protestants throughout the mid-1500s and ended in 1703 when Louis XIV ordered this Huguenot stronghold be eliminated.

William of Nassau-Dillenburg, also known as “William the Silent,” was the 11 year old cousin of René von Nassau who died without an heir when shot at St. Dizier in 1544 during the Frano-Imperial wars. René, it turned out, willed his entire fortune to this very young relative. Among those titles was the Principality of Orange. René’s mother, Claudia, had held the title prior to it being passed to young William since Philibert de Châlons was her brother.

William’s great-grandson was King William III of England, also William of Orange, after whom the Orange Order was founded in 1795.