Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange

Frederick Henry
Portrait by Michiel Janszoon van Mierevelt, 1632
Prince of Orange
Reign	23 April 1625 - 14 March 1647
Predecessor	Maurice
Successor	William II
Stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel
Predecessor	Maurice, Prince of Orange
Successor	William II, Prince of Orange
Born	(1584-01-29)29 January 1584 Delft, Dutch Republic
Died	14 March 1647(1647-03-14) (aged 63) The Hague, Dutch Republic
Spouse	Amalia of Solms-Braunfels
Issue	William II, Prince of Orange Louise Henriette, Duchess of Prussia Henriette Amalia of Nassau Alexandra of Nassau Isabella Charlotte of Nassau Albertine Agnes of Nassau Henriette Catherine, Princess of Anhalt-Dessau Henry Louis of Nassau Maria, Countess Palatine of Simmern-Kaiserslautern
House	Orange-Nassau
Father	William the Silent
Mother	Louise de Coligny
Religion	Dutch Reformed
Signature

Frederick Henry (Dutch: Frederik Hendrik; 29 January 1584 – 14 March 1647) was the sovereign prince of Orange and stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel in the Dutch Republic from his older half-brother's death on 23 April 1625 until his death on 14 March 1647. In the last seven years of his life, he was also the stadtholder of Groningen (1640-1647).

As the leading soldier in the Dutch wars against Spain, his main achievement was the successful Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch in 1629. It was the main Spanish base and a well-fortified city protected by an experienced Spanish garrison and by formidable water defenses. His strategy was the successful neutralization of the threat of inundation of the area around 's-Hertogenbosch' and his capture of the Spanish storehouse at Wesel.^[1] The successful sieges under his command earned him the epithet ‘city forcer’ (Dutch: stedendwinger). He was the paternal grandfather of William III, who later became King of England, Scotland & Ireland, through his only surviving son, William II.