House of Nassau-Weilburg

The House of Nassau-Weilburg ruled a division of Nassau, which was a state in current Germany, a state that existed from 1344 to 1806.

On July 17, 1806 the counties of Nassau-Usingen and Nassau-Weilburg joined the Confederation of the Rhine. Under pressure from Napoleon both counties merged to become the Duchy of Nassau on August 30, 1806 under joint rule of Prince Frederick August of Nassau-Usingen and his younger cousin Prince Frederick William of Nassau-Weilburg. As Frederick August had no heirs he agreed that Frederick William should become sole ruler after his death. However Frederick William died from a fall on the stairs at Weilburg Castle on 9 January 1816 and it was his son William who became duke of a unified Nassau.

The sovereigns of this house afterwards governed the Duchy of Nassau until 1866, and since 1890 they have governed the nation of Luxembourg. The House of Nassau-Weilburg became extinct in the male line with the death of Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg in 1985. However, the name has been carried on in the bilineal line, with the official name of the reigning house of Luxembourg remaining Nassau-Weilburg. Since the death of the Grand Duchess, members of the reigning house are cognatically members of the House of Nassau-Weilburg and agnatically members of the House of Bourbon-Parma.

Religion

Grand Dukes of Luxembourg, Guillaume IV and Adolphe, were Protestants; the religion of the House of Nassau, changed after Guillaume's marriage to Marie Anne of Portugal, who was Roman Catholic.

Sovereigns from the House of Nassau-Weilburg

Nassau

Counts of Nassau-Weilburg

• 1344–71: John I
• 1371–1429: Philip I
• 1429–42: Philip II and John II
• 1442–92: Philip II
• 1492–1523: Louis I
• 1523–59: Philip III
• 1559–93: Albrecht
• 1559–1602: Philip IV
• 1593–1625: Louis II
• 1625–29: William Louis, John IV and Ernst Casimir
• 1629–55: Ernst Casimir
• 1655–75: Frederick
• 1675–88: John Ernst

Princely counts of Nassau-Weilburg

• 1688–1719: John Ernst
• 1719–53: Charles August
• 1753–88: Charles Christian
• 1788–1816: Frederick William
• 1816: William

Dukes of Nassau

• 1816–39: William
• 1839–66: Adolphe

Grand Dukes of Luxembourg

• 1890–1905: Adolphe
• 1905–12: William IV
• 1912–19: Marie-Adélaïde
• 1919–64: Charlotte
• 1964–2000: Jean
• 2000–present: Henri