Amalia van Solms
| Amalia of Solms-Braunfels | |
|---|---|
Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, portrait by Anthony Van Dyck
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| Princess consort of Orange | |
| Tenure | 1625-1647 |
| Born |
31 August 1602 Braunfels Castle in Braunfels |
| Died | 8 September 1675 (aged 73) the Hague |
| Spouse | Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange |
| Issue |
William II, Prince of Orange Louise Henriette, Duchess of Prussia Henriette Amalia of Nassau Elisabeth of Nassau Isabella Charlotte of Nassau Albertine Agnes, Countess of Nassau-Dietz Henriette Catherine, Princess of Anhalt-Dessau Henry Louis of Nassau Maria, Countess Palatine of Simmern-Kaiserslautern |
| Father | John Albert I, Count of Solms-Braunfels |
| Mother | Countess Agnes of Sayn-Wittgenstein |
Amalia of Solms-Braunfels (31 August 1602, Braunfels – 8 September 1675, The Hague), was Princess consort of Orange by marriage to Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange. She served as chair of the regency council during the minority of her grandson William III, Prince of Orange from 1650 until 1672. She was the daughter of count John Albert I of Solms-Braunfels and countess Agnes of Sayn-Wittgenstein.
Amalia of Solms-Braunfels, born into the House of Solms, a ruling family with Imperial immediacy, spent her childhood at the parental castle at Braunfels.
She became part of the court of Elizabeth, wife of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, the "Winter King" of Bohemia. After imperial forces defeated Frederick V, she fled from Prague with the pregnant queen to the west. Shelter was denied to them along the way because the emperor forbade it as Frederick had been placed under an Imperial ban. Elizabeth went into labour during their flight and Amalia helped her with her delivery of Prince Maurice at Küstrin castle.
The end of their journey was The Hague, where stadtholder Maurice of Nassau, uncle of the elector gave them asylum in 1621. They often appeared at his court, where Maurice's younger half-brother Frederick Henry became infatuated with Amalia in 1622. She refused to become his lover and held out for marriage.
When Maurice of Nassau died, he made his half-brother Frederick Henry promise to wed. Frederick married Amalia on 4 April 1625.
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Wikipedia