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John William Friso

John William Friso (Dutch: Johan Willem Friso; 14 August 1687 – 14 July 1711) became the (titular) Prince of Orange in 1702. He was the Stadtholder of Friesland and Groningen in the Dutch Republic until his death by accidental drowning in the Hollands Diep in 1711.[1] From the end of World War II in 1945 until 2022, Friso and his wife, Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel, were the most recent common ancestors of all reigning hereditary European monarchs.

John William Friso

8 March 1702 – 14 July 1711

25 March 1696 – ca. 1702

ca. 1702 – 14 July 1711

25 March 1696 – 14 July 1711

14 August 1687
Dessau, Anhalt

14 July 1711(1711-07-14) (aged 23)
Hollands Diep, between Dordrecht and Moerdijk

25 February 1712

Background[edit]

Friso was the son of Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz, and Princess Henriëtte Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau who were both first cousins of William III. As such, he was a member of the House of Nassau (the branch of Nassau-Dietz), and through the testamentary dispositions of William III became the progenitor of the new line of the House of Orange-Nassau.[2] He was educated under Jean Lemonon, professor at the University of Franeker.[3]

Monuments in and Strijensas, on both sides of the historic ferry crossing across the Hollands Diep, commemorate the drowning of Johan Willem Friso.[8]

Moerdijk

The (RI PJWF) is named in his honour.

Regiment Infantry Prins Johan Willem Friso

is named in his honour.

Central Royal Military Band of the Netherlands Army "Johan Willem Friso"

and Countess Palatine Caroline of Zweibrücken – Became the most recent common ancestors of all reigning hereditary European monarchs in 2022 when Elizabeth II died and her son, Charles III became king.

Louis IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt

Christian IX of Denmark

Descendants of Christian IX of Denmark

(1881), "Johann Wilhelm Friso", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 14, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 275–276

Pieter Lodewijk Muller