William Wirich, Count of Daun-Falkenstein
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Agnes Catherine of Limburg-Styrum
William Wirich, Count of Daun-Falkenstein | |
|---|---|
 William Wirich, Count of Daun-Falkenstein | |
| Born | 1 June 1613 |
| Died | 26 August 1682 (aged 69) |
| Noble family | Counts of Falkenstein |
| Spouses | Elizabeth of Waldeck-Wildungen Agnes Catherine of Limburg-Styrum |
| Father | John Adolph, Count of Daun-Falkenstein |
| Mother | Anna Maria of Nassau-Siegen |
Count William Wirich of Daun-Falkenstein (1 June 1613 – 26 August 1682) was a German nobleman. By descent, he was a Count of Falkenstein; by inheritance, he was Lord of Broich and Bürgel.
Born into an old German nobility, which ruled the County of Falkenstein, William Wirich was a third child and second son of Count John Adolph (1582–1623) and Countess Anna Maria of Nassau-Siegen (1589–1620), a daughter of Count John VII of Nassau-Siegen and Countess Magdalene of Waldeck-Wildungen (1558-1599).
On 28 October 1634, he married at Waldeck Castle to his cousin Elisabeth of Waldeck-Wildungen (1610-1647), the daughter of Christian, Count of Waldeck-Wildungen (1585.-1637) and Countess Elisabeth of Nassau-Siegen (1584-1661).
In 1636, he inherited the County of Falkenstein from his third cousin once removed, Count Francis Christopher of Daun-Falkenstein-Oberstein (1603-1636), who was killed during the Thirty Years' War.[1]
Charles Alexander was his only son who survived into adulthood. However, he was shot by Count Moritz of Limburg-Stirum during a fight on 7 October 1659.
William Wirich remarried to Countess Agnes Catherine of Limburg-Styrum (1629-1686), the daughter of Count Bernhard Albrech of Limburg-Bronckhorst (1597-1637) and Countess Anna Maria of Berg (d. 1653).
However, this marriage remained childless, so when he died, the Daun-Falkenstein branch died out in the male line.
The impoverished count sold the county of Falkenstein to the Duke Charles IV of Lorraine in 1667. The Lordships of Broich and Bürgel were inherited by his third cousin once removed, Count Emich Christian of Leiningen-Dagsburg.
