Ernestine Charlotte of Nassau-Schaumburg (20 May 1662 – 21 February 1732) was a princess from the House of Nassau-Schaumburg, a cadet branch of the Ottonian Line of the House of Nassau and through marriage Princess of Nassau-Siegen. She served as regent of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen (part of the County of Nassau) for her son Frederick William Adolf from 1691 to 1701.

Biography

Ernestine Charlotte was born at Schaumburg CastleMenk (2004), p. 199. on 20 May 1662Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 312. as the second daughter of Adolph, Prince of Nassau-Schaumburg and his wife Elisabeth Charlotte Melander, Countess of Holzappel.All sources that mention both parents, name these parents.

Ernestine Charlotte married at Schaumburg CastleMenk (2004), p. 196. on 6 February 1678Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 273. to William Maurice of Nassau-Siegen, the eldest son of Count Henry of Nassau-Siegen and Countess Mary Magdalene of Limburg-Stirum. Ernestine Charlotte's great-grandfather, George, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, was a younger brother of William Maurice's grandfather John VII of Nassau-Siegen.Dek (1970).Dek (1968).Vorsterman van Oyen (1882).

William Maurice succeeded his maternal grandfather in September 1661 as count of Bronkhorst, lord of , , and , and hereditary knight banneret of the Duchy of Guelders and the County of Zutphen.Lück (1981), p. 116.Lück & Wunderlich (1956), p. 34.Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 127. On 20 December 1679 he succeeded his uncle and adoptive father John Maurice, Prince of Nassau-Siegen as Prince of Nassau-Siegen. William Maurice died in 1691 and was buried in the in Siegen on 12 March.Menk (2004), p. 195. He was succeeded by his son Frederick William AdolfMenk (2004), pp. 198, 199.Huberty, et al. (1981), p. 311. who was under the custody and regency of his mother Ernestine Charlotte until 1701.

During her regency, in 1695, a major city fire destroyed a large part of the city of Siegen, including the Nassauischer Hof, the princely Residenz, and the nearby church.Aβmann & Menk (1996). Both buildings were built in 1488 by Count John V of Nassau-Siegen as a Franciscan monastery. The Nassauischer Hof housed, among others, the collection of paintings of the Fürsten of Nassau-Siegen. Numerous valuable paintings by famous artists, including Rembrandt, Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, fell victim to the flames. The nearby Fürstengruft was spared in the fire. The burnt down residence building was not rebuilt. Under the old name, a new three-winged palace was built on the site, and the Fürstengruft was completely incorporated into the corps de logis. The construction of the new palace, which has been called Untere Schloss since the mid 18th century, took place between 1695 and 1720.Menk (2004), p. 184.

Ernestine Charlotte remarriedDek (1970), p. 107.Vorsterman van Oyen (1882), p. 135 does not mention the second marriage. secretly in 1696 to Friedrich Philipp Reichsfreiherr von Geuder genannt Rabensteiner, lord of Heroldsberg and Stein, since 1691 Geheimrat and Hofmeister of the Principality of Nassau-Siegen, later also imperial Geheimrat.

Ernestine Charlotte died at the Nassauischer Hof in Siegen on 21 February 1732All sources that mention a full date of death, state this date. and was buried on 15 March in the Fürstengruft there.

Issue From the marriage of Ernestine Charlotte and William Maurice the following children were born:Dek (1970), pp. 96–97. Frederick William Adolf (20 February 1680 – 13 February 1722), succeeded his father in 1691. Married firstly at Homburg Castle on 7 January 1702 to Elisabeth Juliana Francisca of Hesse-Homburg, and secondly at the in Bayreuth on 13 April 1708 to Duchess Amalie Louise of Courland. Charles Louis Henry (17 March 1682 – 18 October 1694), hopman of the company of Swiss soldiers in the Dutch States Army which had been his father's since 1691.

Ancestors Ancestors of Ernestine Charlotte of Nassau-SchaumburgHuberty, et al. (1981).Dek (1962).von Ehrenkrook, et al. (1928).Behr (1854).Textor von Haiger (1617).Europäische Stammtafeln.Great-great-grandparentsJohn VI 'the Elder' of Nassau-Siegen(1536–1606)⚭ 1559Elisabeth of Leuchtenberg(1537–1579)Philip IV of Nassau-Saarbrücken(1542–1602)⚭ 1563Erica of Manderscheid(1545–1581)William I of Sayn-Wittgenstein(1488–1570)⚭ 1522Johannetta of Isenburg-Grenzau(1500–1563)Frederick Magnus I of Solms-Laubach(1521–1561)⚭ 1545Agnes of Wied(1524–1588)?(?–?)⚭?(?–?)?(?–?)⚭?(?–?)?(?–?)⚭?(?–?)?(?–?)⚭?(?–?)Great-grandparentsGeorge 'the Elder' of Nassau-Dillenburg(1562–1623)⚭ 1584Anne Amelie of Nassau-Saarbrücken(1565–1605)Louis I of Sayn-Wittgenstein(1532–1605)⚭ 1567(1549–1599)Wilhelm Eppelmann(ca. 1564–1592)⚭ 1576Anna Lange(?–1636)Johann Wilhelm von Efferen genannt Hall(?–?)⚭Margarethe von der Baalen genannt Bleck(?–?)GrandparentsLouis Henry of Nassau-Dillenburg(1594–1662)⚭ 1615Catharine of Sayn-Wittgenstein(1588–1651)Peter Melander(1589–1648)⚭ 1638Agnes von Efferen genannt Hall(?–1656)ParentsAdolf of Nassau-Schaumburg(1629–1676)⚭ 1653Elisabeth Charlotte Melander(1640–1707)

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