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William V Batavus, stadtholder of The Netherlands (March 8, 1748 – April 9, 1806), also known as William V of Orange, was the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic. He was the leader of the conservative faction.

Contents 1 Life account 2 Ancestors 3 Children 4 See also

William V was born at The Hague, the son of William IV of Nassau and Anne, Princess Royal.

He was only 3 years old when his father died in 1751, and a long regency began. His regents were:

• Anne, his mother, from 1751 to her death in 1759
• Marie Louise, his grandmother, from 1759 to her death in 1765
• Ludwig Ernst von Brunswick-Lüneburg-Bevern, from 1759 to 1766, and kept on as a privy counsellor
• Carolina, his sister (who at the time was an adult 22, while he was still a minor at 17), from 1765 to William's majority in 1766

William V finally assumed the position of stadtholder (chief executive and military commander) in 1766. In October 1767 Prince William married Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia, sister of King Frederick William II of Prussia.

The position of the Dutch during the American Revolution was one of neutrality. William V, leading the pro-English faction within the government, blocked attempts by pro-revolutionary, and later pro-French, elements to drag the government to war. However, things came to a head with the Dutch attempt to join the Russian-led League of Armed Neutrality, leading to the outbreak of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War in 1780. The United Provinces only recognized the United States in 1782, after much political debate and pressure from American and French diplomats.

After four years, the Dutch were defeated, and an impoverished nation grew restless under William's rule. A band of young revolutionaries, called Patriots, was challenging his authority. William removed his court to Guelders, a province remote from the political centre, but took no further action. This was against the wishes of his energetic wife Wilhelmina who tried to travel to the Hague. At Goejanverwellesluis, she was stopped by opponents and made to return to Guelders.

To Wilhelmina and her brother, this was an insult. Frederick sent in an army to attack the dissidents. The patriots fled to France in time to see the overthrow of King Louis XVI of France and the rise of "people power."

The year 1795 was a disastrous one for the monarchy of the Netherlands. Supported by the French Army, the revolutionaries returned from Paris to fight in the Netherlands, and in 1795 William V fled to the safety of his former enemy, England. The last of the Dutch stadtholders, he died in exile at Brunswick, now in Germany.

In 1813, his son, King William I returned to the Netherlands and became the first Dutch monarch from the House of Orange; the first king was Louis Bonaparte (1778-1846).

William's ancestors in three generations

William V, Prince of Orange	Father: William IV, Prince of Orange	Paternal Grandfather: John William Friso, Prince of Orange	Paternal Great-grandfather: Henry Casimir II, Count of Nassau-Dietz
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Henriëtte Amalia van Anhalt-Dessau
		Paternal Grandmother: Marie Luise of Hesse-Cassel	Paternal Great-grandfather: Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Amalia von Kurland
	Mother: Anne, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange	Maternal Grandfather: George II of Great Britain	Maternal Great-grandfather: George I of Great Britain
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Sophia Dorothea of Celle
		Maternal Grandmother: Caroline of Ansbach	Maternal Great-grandfather: Johann Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
			Maternal Great-grandmother: Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach

William V fathered a natural son:

• Charles of Nassau, also known as Batave (3 September 1767 - 11 June 1808).

William V and Wilhelmina of Prussia were parents to five children:

• An unnamed son (23 March - 24 March 1769).
• Frederica Louise Wilhelmina, Princess of Orange-Nassau (28 November 1770 - 15 October 1819). Married Karl Georg August, Prince of Brunswick-Luneburg, a son of Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick-Luneburg and Princess Augusta Charlotte of Wales.
• An unnamed son (born and deceased on 6 August 1771).
• William I of the Netherlands (25 August 1772 - December 12, 1843).
• William George Frederick, Prince of Orange-Nassau (15 February 1774 - 6 January 1799).

• House of Orange-Nassau

Preceded by William IV of Orange	Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, Overijssel, Groningen and Friesland 1751–1795	Succeeded by Last to hold function - followed by Batavian Republic
Preceded by William IV of Orange	Baron of Breda 1751–1795	Succeeded by Lordship dissolved

v • d • e Stadtholders of Guelders

Willem van Egmond · Willem van Egmond jr. · Filips van Croy · Willem van Egmond jr. · Adolf III of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein  · Jan V of Nassau-Vianden-Diez · Philip of Burgundy · Floris van Egmond · René of Châlon · Filips van Lalaing · Philip de Montmorency, Count of Hoorn · Karel van Brimeu · Gillis van Berlaymont · John VI of Nassau-Dillenburg · Willem IV van den Bergh · Adolf van Nieuwenaar · Maurice of Nassau · Frederick Henry of Orange · William II of Orange · interregnum · William III of Orange · interregnum · William IV of Orange · William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Holland, Zeeland and (from 1528) Utrecht

Hugo van Lannoy · Willem van Lalaing · Gozewijn de Wilde · Jan van Lannoy · Lewis de Bruges · Wolfert VI van Borselen · Joost van Lalaing · Jan III van Egmond · Henry III of Nassau-Breda · Antoon van Lalaing · René of Châlon · Louis of Flanders · Maximilian II of Burgundy · William of Orange · Maximilian of Hennin · Philip of Noircarmes · William of Orange · Adolf van Nieuwenaar (Utrecht only) · Maurice of Nassau · Frederick Henry of Orange · William II of Orange · interregnum · William III of Orange · interregnum · William IV of Orange · William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Friesland

Floris van Egmond • Willem van Roggendorff • Jancko Douwama • Georg Schenck van Tautenburg • Maximiliaan van Egmond • Jean de Ligne • Charles de Brimeu • Gillis van Berlaymont • Caspar de Robles • George van Rennenberg • Francisco Verdugo • William of Orange • Willem Lodewijk • Ernst Casimir • Hendrik Casimir I • Willem Frederik • Hendrik Casimir II • Johan Willem Friso of Orange • William IV of Orange • William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Groningen

Cristoffel van Meurs • Jasper van Marwijck • Karel van Gelre • Ludolf Coenders • Georg Schenck van Toutenburg • Maximiliaan van Egmond • Jan van Ligne • Karel van Brimeu • Gillis van Berlaymont • Caspar van Robles • Georges van Lalaing • Francisco Verdugo • Willem Lodewijk • Maurice of Nassau • Ernst Casimir • Hendrik Casimir I • Willem Frederik • Hendrik Casimir II • Johan Willem Friso of Orange • William IV of Orange • William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Overijssel
Georg Schenck van Toutenburg · Maximiliaan van Egmond · Jan van Ligne · Karel van Brimeu · Gillis van Berlaymont · Caspar van Robles · Georges van Lalaing · Francisco Verdugo · Adolf van Nieuwenaar · Maurice of Nassau · Frederick Henry of Orange · William II of Orange · William III of Orange · William IV of Orange · William V of Orange

v • d • e Stadtholders of Drenthe

Christoph van Moers • Jasper van Marwijck • Charles, Duke of Guelders • Ludolf Coenders • Georg Schenck van Toutenburg • Maximiliaan van Egmond • Jan van Ligne • Karel van Brimeu • Gillis van Berlaymont • Caspar van Robles • Georges van Lalaing • Francisco Verdugo • Willem Lodewijk of Nassau-Dietz • Maurice of Nassau • Ernst Casimir • Hendrik Casimir I • Willem Frederik • Hendrik Casimir II • William II of Orange • William III of Orange • William IV of Orange • William V of Orange