Maurice Frederick of Nassau-Siegen
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19 January 1621
Siegen Castle
Calloo
Maurice Frederick of Nassau-Siegen | |
|---|---|
 Count Maurice Frederick of Nassau-Siegen. Detail from a painting attributed to Wybrand de Geest, 1635–1640. Foundation Historical Collections of the House of Orange-Nassau, The Hague. | |
| Coat of arms |  |
| Full name | Maurice Frederick Count of Nassau-Siegen |
| Native name | Moritz Friedrich Graf von Nassau-Siegen |
| Born | Moritz Friedrich Graf zu Nassau, Katzenelnbogen, Vianden und Diez, Herr zu Beilstein 19 January 1621 Siegen Castle |
| Died | 17 June 1638 (aged 17) Calloo |
| Buried | Heusden |
| Noble family | House of Nassau-Siegen |
| Spouse(s) | – |
| Issue | – |
| Father | William of Nassau-Siegen |
| Mother | Christiane of Erbach |
| Occupation | Captain in the Dutch States Army |
Count Maurice Frederick of Nassau-Siegen (19 January 1621 – 17 June 1638), German: Moritz Friedrich Graf von Nassau-Siegen, official titles: Graf zu Nassau, Katzenelnbogen, Vianden und Diez, Herr zu Beilstein, was a count from the House of Nassau-Siegen, a cadet branch of the Ottonian Line of the House of Nassau. He served as an officer in the Dutch States Army. In the propaganda for the House of Orange, he is regarded as one of the twelve heroes of the House of Nassau who gave their lives in the Eighty Years' War for the freedom of the Dutch people.
Maurice Frederick was born at Siegen Castle[1] on 19 January 1621[2][note 1] as the second son of Count William of Nassau-Siegen and Countess Christiane of Erbach.[4]
Maurice Frederick became a student at Leiden University on 3 September 1633,[5][6] and on 27 May 1636 he was appointed captain of a infantry company in the Dutch States Army,[5] where his father was field marshal.
Prince Frederick Henry of Orange, who intended to lay siege to Antwerp, entrusted Maurice Frederick's father with an important undertaking in 1638, the occupation of the levee at Calloo. William conquered the sconces of Stabroek and Calloo and chased off the Spaniards, but instead of continuing his march, he reinforced himself on the spot. When he heard the false rumour that the Spaniards were approaching with a greater force than his own, he fled in confusion. On 17 June he suffered a considerable loss of 2,000 men.[7][8][9] Maurice Frederick was one of those who fell in this Battle of Calloo.[2][5][6][10] He was buried at Heusden.[5]
Siegen in 1617. From Braun & Hogenberg, Civitates orbis terrarum Band 6, Cologne, 1617. On the left Siegen Castle.
Group portrait of Count William of Nassau-Siegen with his son Maurice Frederick and his halfbrothers William Otto and Christian.
The Battle of Calloo. Anonymous etching, 1638.
