William I of the Netherlands

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "William I of the Netherlands" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

William I
William in ceremonial robes, by Joseph Paelinck, 1819
King of the Netherlands Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Reign	16 March 1815 – 7 October 1840
Inauguration	21 September 1815
Predecessor	Louis II as King of Holland[1]
Successor	William II
Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands
Reign	20 November 1813 – 16 March 1815
Successor	Himself as King
Prince of Orange
Reign	9 April – 12 July 1806, 19 October 1813 – 31 May 1815
Predecessor	William V, Prince of Orange
Successor	Incorporated into Nassau
Prince of Nassau-Orange-Fulda
Reign	25 February 1803 – 27 October 1806
Duke of Limburg
Reign	5 September 1839 – 7 October 1840
Predecessor	Francis I
Successor	William II
King of Dutch East Indies
Reign	1816–1840
Born	(1772-08-24)24 August 1772 Huis ten Bosch, The Hague, Dutch Republic
Died	12 December 1843(1843-12-12) (aged 71) Berlin, Kingdom of Prussia
Burial	Nieuwe Kerk, Delft
Spouses	Wilhelmina of Prussia ​ ​ (m. 1791; died 1837)​ Henrietta d'Oultremont (morganatic) ​ ​ (m. 1841)​
Issue	William II Prince Frederick Princess Pauline Marianne, Princess Albert of Prussia
House	Orange-Nassau
Father	William V, Prince of Orange
Mother	Princess Wilhelmina of Prussia
Religion	Dutch Reformed Church
Signature
Military service
Battles/wars	(incomplete) War of the First Coalition Battle of Veurne Battle of Lincelles Battle of Menin Siege of Maubeuge Siege of Landrecies Battle of Gosselies Battle of Lambusart Battle of Fleurus War of the Fourth Coalition Battle of Jena–Auerstedt War of the Fifth Coalition Battle of Wagram

William I (Willem Frederik; 24 August 1772 – 12 December 1843) was king of the Netherlands and grand duke of Luxembourg from 1815 until his abdication in 1840.

Born as the son of William V, Prince of Orange, the last stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, and Wilhelmina of Prussia, William experienced significant political upheavals early in life. He fought against the French invasion during the Flanders campaign, and after the Batavian Revolution in 1795, his family went into exile. He briefly ruled the Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda before Napoleon's conquests forced him out of power. Following the defeat of Napoleon in 1813, William returned to the Netherlands, where he was invited to assume the role of Sovereign Prince of the United Netherlands.

In 1815, William proclaimed himself king of the Netherlands and concurrently became the grand duke of Luxembourg. His reign saw the adoption of a new constitution, which granted him extensive powers, and he was a strong proponent of economic development, founding several universities and promoting trade. However, his efforts to impose the Reformed faith and the Dutch language in the southern provinces, combined with economic grievances, sparked the Belgian Revolution in 1830. Unable to suppress the rebellion, William ultimately accepted Belgian independence in 1839 under the Treaty of London.

William's later years were marked by dissatisfaction with constitutional changes and personal reasons, leading to his abdication in 1840 in favor of his son, King William II. He spent his final years in Berlin, where he died in 1843.