Engelbert II of Nassau

Portrait of Engelbrecht II of Nassau in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam.

The grave of Engelbert II at the Grote Kerk in Breda, Netherlands.

Engelbrecht II of Nassau, (Breda, May 17 1451 - Brussels, May 31 1504), was count of Nassau and Vianden, lord of Breda and Lek, Diest, Roosendaal, Nispen and Wouw.

His father was Jan IV of Nassau and his mother was Maria of Loon-Heinsberg. On december 19 1468 he married Cimburga van Baden in Koblenz.

He was a military and magistrat. He was lord of Breda between 1475 and 1504.
In 1472 he concluded a treaty with his brother Jan V of Nassau-Vianden-Diez in which he received the possessions left of the Rhine.

Charles the Bold made him in 1473 Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece. After the death of Charles the bold, Engelbrecht entered in the service of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, who had married Charles's daughter Mary of Burgundy. In 1496 he is appointed stadtholder of Flanders.

He died on May 31 1504 in Brussels and is buried in the Grote kerk in Breda. He had no legitimate children and appointed his nephew Henry III of Nassau-Breda as his successor.
Engelbrecht II had two illegitimate children : Engelbrecht and Barbara.

His portrait by the Master of the Portraits of Princes, can be found in the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. He was one of the last important patrons of Flemish illuminated manuscripts, commissioned perhaps the most sumptuous manuscript of the Roman de la Rose, British Library Harley MS 4425, which has 92 large and high quality miniatures, despite a date around 1500; the text was copied by hand from a printed edition. These are by the artist known as the Master of the Prayer Books of around 1500. The "Prayerbook of Engelbert of Nassau" is another well-known manuscript.

External links

• Engelbrecht II (in Dutch)