Wilhelm Heinrich of Nassau-Saarbrücken
| William Henry, Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken | |
|---|---|
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| Spouse(s) | Sophie of Erbach-Erbach |
| Noble family | House of Nassau |
| Father | William Henry, Prince of Nassau-Usingen |
| Mother | Charlotte Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg |
| Born |
6 March 1718 Usingen |
| Died | 24 July 1768 (aged 50) Saarbrücken |
William Henry, Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken (6 March 1718 in Usingen – 24 July 1768 in Saarbrücken), was Prince of Nassau-Saarbrücken from 1741 until his death.
William Henry was the fifth son of William Henry of Nassau-Usingen Born and Princess Charlotte Amalia of Nassau-Dillenburg. His father died just weeks before his birth. His mother then acted as guardian and regest until her death in 1738. She provided a comprehensive education and raised her sons in the Calvinist faith. In 1730 and 1731, he and his brother were enrolled at the University of Strasbourg and was taught by various tutors. He probably also studied for a while at the University of Geneva, which was popular among reformed students. His Grand Tour took William Henry to the court of Louis XV in France, among other places.
After his mother's death, his brother Charles acted as regent until William Henry came of age in 1741. In 1741, the brothers decided to divide their inheritance. Charles received Nassau-Usingen on the right bank of the Rhine; William Henry received Nassau-Saarbrücken on the left bank. At the time, Nassau-Saarbrücken measured about 12 square miles and it had 22000inhabitants. This made it one of the smallest principalities in the Holy Roman Empire.
Shortly after his accession to power, he participated with his Royal-Allemand regiment in the War of the Austrian Succession. In 1742 he sold his regiment to the Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt, during his stay in Frankfurt on the occasion of the coronation of Charles VII. During this visit, he also met Princess Sophie of Erbach, his future wife.
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