The Tree of Europe · Person

William IV of Orange-Nassau

Prince of Nassau, 1711–1751, of a Nassau branch, and Prince of Orange.

1711 – 1751Prince of Orange / StadtholderNassau · ES

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This complete profile is available in English. Bibliographic titles retain their original language. Links marked ES open the Spanish edition.

Historical profile

Key details

Birth: 1711 Documented

Death: 1751 Documented

Role: Prince of Orange / Stadtholder

Dynasty: Nassau · ES

Territories: Low Countries (ES) · Nassau (ES)

Recorded governments and reigns

Prince · Nassau · Principality Documented1711–1751Branch rule

Stadtholder · Low Countries · Stadtholdership Documented1747–1751Delegated governmentProvincial office delegated by the States, with individually documented dates and jurisdictions. Its scope excludes hereditary sovereignty over the whole Republic and the Spanish provinces.

Family network

Recorded relationships

Parents

John William Friso of Orange-NassauPending reviewMarie Louise of Hesse-Kassel · ESPending review

Partners

Anne of Great Britain · ESPending review

Children

William V of Orange-Nassau

Crowns and unions

Their titles over time

Follow the changing territories and offices of William IV of Orange-Nassau. Each title retains its own status.

Period

Governments in 1747

NassauPrince
View titles and jurisdictions
- Nassau · ESPrince · Branch rule · Nassau-Dietz1711–1751
United ProvincesStadtholder
View titles and jurisdictions
- Low Countries · ESStadtholder · Delegated government · Provinces with dated commissions: Drenthe, Friesland, Groningen, Guelders, Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland1747–1751 · Provincial office delegated by the States, with individually documented dates and jurisdictions. Its scope excludes hereditary sovereignty over the whole Republic and the Spanish provinces.

Annual dates: overlap within one year does not prove that two offices were held on the same day. Regencies and co-rulerships retain their labels.

Documentation

Sources for this profile

Biographical and contextual references in their original language. Sources and methodology.

Evidence for this profile

7 recorded claims · 3 without a claim-specific source. Context references do not by themselves verify every fact.

Dates (2/2 with a precise source)

BirthDocumented
1711
The authority record gives the birth as 1711.
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek · GND · Oranje-Nassau, Willem van · Vital data: birth date
Reviewed on 2026-10-17 by El Árbol de Europa ·
DeathDocumented
1751
The authority record gives the death as 1751.
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek · GND · Oranje-Nassau, Willem van · Vital data: death date
Reviewed on 2026-10-17 by El Árbol de Europa ·

Family and relationships (0/3 with a precise source)

FatherPending review
John William Friso of Orange-Nassau
A precise source has not yet been added.
No individual review recorded ·
MotherPending review
Marie Louise of Hesse-Kassel
A precise source has not yet been added.
No individual review recorded ·
Marriage or partnershipPending review
Anne of Great Britain
A precise source has not yet been added.
No individual review recorded ·

Governments (2/2 with a precise source)

GovernmentDocumented
Prince · Nassau · 1711–1751
Documented tenure; the regional extent is checked separately.
Hessisches Hauptstaatsarchiv · Nassau otoniano · HHStAW170III: division in 1255, branches in 1303/1343, partition in 1607 and extinctions in 1711, 1734, 1739 and 1743.
Reviewed on 2026-10-08 by El Árbol de Europa ·
GovernmentDocumented
Stadtholder · Low Countries · 1747–1751
Provincial office delegated by the States, with individually documented dates and jurisdictions. Its scope excludes hereditary sovereignty over the whole Republic and the Spanish provinces.
Koninklijk Huis · Stadhouders · William IV became the first stadtholder of all seven provinces in 1747; William V remained under regencies until 1766. These were provincial offices within the Republic.Royal House · Maurits and Frederik Hendrik · Maurice's provincial commissions: Holland/Zeeland, Utrecht/Guelders/Overijssel in 1590, Groningen/Drenthe in 1620; the commissions accumulated after 1585.Drents Archief · Stadhouder · Drenthe successions: Ernest Casimir 1625, Henry Casimir 1632, Frederick Henry 1640, William II 1647; suspension in 1664–1674, William III from 1696; William IV effectively from 1729 and regencies until 1766.
Reviewed on 2026-10-13 by El Árbol de Europa ·

Biographical and contextual references (2)

Editorial history

2026-10-12 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-10-08 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-10-03 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
2026-09-30 · The duchy is limited to Dijon and Autun; each other fief now enters the map only under its dated ruler. John III of Namur and the Nevers/Rethel branch were added. The previous shape combined later counties and unrelated lands as if all belonged to the duchy from 1363.
2026-09-28 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.

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