House of Nassau (en), Haus Nassau (de), Maison de Nassau (fr), Casato di Nassau (it), Casa de Nassau (es)
Definitions
en
The House of Nassau is a diversified aristocratic dynasty in Europe. It is named after the lordship associated with Nassau
Castle, located in present-day Nassau, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With the fall of the Hohenstaufen in the first half
of the 13th century royal power within Franconia evaporated and the former stem duchy fragmented into separate independent
states. Nassau emerged as one of those independent states as part of the Holy Roman Empire. The lords of Nassau were originally
titled "Count of Nassau", subject only to the Emperor, and then elevated to the princely class as "Princely Counts". Early
on they divided into two main branches: the elder (Walramian) branch, that gave rise to the German king Adolf, and the younger
(Ottonian) branch, that gave rise to the Princes of Orange and the monarchs of the Netherlands.
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