Albertine Agnes van Oranje-Nassau to Johan de Witt
Detail of a painting of Albertine Agnes van Oranje-Nassau by Abraham van den Tempel, 1668
Albertine Agnes van Oranje-Nassau to Johan de Witt, 8 November 1664
Portrait of Johan de Witt, by Caspar Netscher, c. 1660–1700
Further information
- Letter Details (including transcript)
Background
On 31 October 1664 Willem Frederik van Nassau-Dietz, stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen, and Drenthe, and husband of Albertine Agnes, died of the injuries sustained when his own gun went off accidentally and destroyed the lower part of his face.
Willem Frederik accidenticaly injured by his own gun, by Jan Luyken, 1698
Willem Frederik lived for several days after the accident and in this period wrote several letters, mainly to secure the position of his seven-year old son and successor, Hendrik Casimir. One of these letters was addressed to Grandpensionary Johan de Witt (1625–1672). Apparently De Witt responded by expressing his sympathies, because Albertine Agnes referred to this in the letter we showcase here, which was written very shortly after her husband's death. Five letters survive from Albertine Agnes to Johan de Witt, each concerned with securing her son's position.
Albertine Agnes became the first female ruler to assume the stadtholdership as regent, and her extensive correspondence throughout this period is testament to her work in this role.