Birth of Emilia van Nassau
Born in Cologne on 10th April 1569, Emilia of Nassau was the fifth but child of William the Silent and his second wife, Anna of Saxony.
Shortly after Emilia was born, her mother Anna began an affair with Jan Rubens.
This did not go unnoticed, and Anna gave birth to an illegitimate daughter in 1571.
Emilia would never see her mother again – Anna died imprisoned by her relatives in 1577.
Emilia saw very little of her father, and spent her youth in Dillenburg – living with her Uncle John, his wife Elisabeth, and her grandmother Juliana.
When Emilia’s father was assassinated on 10th July 1584, she received a stipend of 100 guilders per month from her father’s legacy.
In October 1587, Emilia went to live with her father’s fourth wife Louise de Coligny, in the Netherlands.
Manuel of Portugal was the illegitimate son of António, Prior of Crato, and pretender to the Portuguese throne.
While visiting Delft, he met Emilia.
The couple fell in love and had hopes of marrying.
Emilia’s brother Maurice ignored her wishes.
Manuel was a Roman Catholic, a pretender to the Portuguese throne, and he was penniless.
Although they were forbidden to meet, they continued to meet in secret.
Emilia kept attempting to get her brother’s permission to marry, but when it never came, they decided to elope.
They married in both a Reformed and a Catholic service on 7th November 1597.
Emilia was confined to her rooms after the marriage was made public.
She declared that Manuel was her lawful husband and that she would not divorce him.
It was so stressful for her, that eventually Maria became quite ill.
Manuel was told not to go to his sick wife, and eventually Emilia refused to eat.
After several weeks, Manuel was ordered to leave the Netherlands.
Emilia promptly followed him.
Soon, Emilia begged to come back.
She was pregnant and wanted to give birth to her baby in the Netherlands.
By September 1598, they were back in Delft.
Sadly, Emilia’s first child, a daughter, died in infancy.
A second daughter named Maria Belgica was born, and she survived.
On 24 February 1600, she gave birth to her first son, named Manuel after his father.
This was quickly followed by a second son, named William.
Their daughter’s Emilia Louise and Anna Louise followed.
They were soon joined by another daughter named Juliana Catharina, followed by Eleanora Mauritia in 1609.
Their last child was yet another daughter, named Sabina Delphica.
By 1609, Emilia and her brother Maurice had reconciled.
In 1622, she became acquainted with Elizabeth Stuart, the Winter Queen, who was staying in The Hague.
They became quite good friends.
Around 1626, Emilia became ill.
With her health quickly deteriorating, she made a will.
At 9 am on 16th March 1626, Emilia drew her last breath, she was 59.
Emilia was buried in the Cathedral of Geneva.
Portrait of Emilia of Nassau c.1590-1595
By Daniël van den Queborn
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