biography
| name: |
John of Nassau
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known as the Elder, Dutch Jan van Nassau de (Oude)
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1535–1606)
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| biography:
| Count of Nassau, Dillenburg, Katzenelnbogen, and Dietz, born in Dillenburg, WC Germany, the second son of William the Rich and Juliana of Stolberg, and the brother of William (the Silent) of Orange. He was a Lutheran, but in 1572 became a Calvinist. In 1578 he was appointed stadtholder of Gelderland by Matthias of Austria, but was unpopular with the local nobility because of his intolerant promotion of Calvinism. He supported the Union of Utrecht, but did not agree with William's pro-French policy, and in 1580 retired to Dillenburg, leaving his son William Louis in Gelderland. He asked the States-General for 1·5 million guilders to compensate for his resignation, but they cut this down to 645 000 guilders. He is the direct ancestor of the ruling house of The Netherlands. |
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