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Arms of the Duchy of Nassau
'Nassau' was a
German state within the
Holy Roman Empire and later in the
German Confederation. Its ruling dynasty, now extinct in male line, has been the
House of Nassau.
Nassau, originally a county, emerged on the lower
Lahn river in what is today
Rhineland-Palatinate. The town of
Nassau was founded in
915. The
castle of Nassau was built in
1125, and since
1160 the
county was named after the town where the castle was located. In
1255 Nassau was divided for the first time. During the next centuries several states named Nassau emerged. One of those counties was Nassau-
Dillenburg, from where the
House of Orange-Nassau originated. Another was Nassau-Weilburg, whose reigning house now reigns in
Luxembourg.
Through the extinction of most lines, Nassau became a united duchy again in
1806. In
1866 it was annexed by
Prussia and incorporated into the
Province of Hesse-Nassau. Today, all legitimate Houses of Nassau are extinct in their original male line.
See also
★
List of rulers of Nassau
★
House of Nassau
★
House of Orange-Nassau
★
House of Nassau-Weilburg
★
House of Nassau-Siegen
★
Nassau Family Pact
External links
★
History of Nassau-Siegen
★
Map of Nassau in 1789