WILLIAM IV

William IV was Prince of Orange from birth and the first hereditary stadtholder of all the United Provinces of the Netherlands from 1747 until his death in 1751. He succeeded his father as Stadtholder of Friesland and also, under the regency of his mother until 1731, as Stadtholder of Groningen. In 1722 he was elected Stadtholder of Guelders. The four other provinces of the Dutch Republic—Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht and Overijssel—had in 1702 decided not to appoint a stadtholder after the death of stadtholder William III, ushering the Republic into a period that is known as the Second Stadtholderless Period. In 1747 those four provinces also accepted William as their stadtholder.A political letter written from Leeuwarden in the last year of William IV's life. The Prince refers to a sensitive matter concerning an individual named Münchhausen, in relation to whom it had been suggested that he had ordered an arrest or confinement. He explains his conduct, emphasising that he has acted neither with undue severity nor weakness, but with moderation and a regard for justice, public order, and the proper subordination of authority. He alludes to the role of the provincial deputies and the States, and to questions of military command and discipline, presenting his actions as taken in the interest of good government and stability. The letter closes with assurances of respect and loyalty to the recipient.With a contemporary or early nineteenth-century German collector's docket in brown ink at the head, identifying the writer as Wilhelm IV, Carl Heinrich Friso, Erbstatthalter von Holland aus dem Hause Nassau-Dietz (No. 2303), and giving a bibliographical reference. A rare letter involving a high level dispute and arrest, that William IV felt the need to give assurances on.TranscriptionWilhelm IV (Carl Heinrich Friso) Leeuwarden le 14 janvier 1751. Erbstatthatter g. 1 sept 1711 t. 22 oct 1751. Nr 2303. Wilhelm IV Carl Heinrich Friso Hause Nassau Diez. S Voigtel Tab 58. Monsieur. Ayant enfin été un peu plus de loisir que de coutume hier j'ai dressé la pièce ci-jointe avec les documents nécessaires par lesquelles votre Altesse pourra voir que c'est bien comme officier, et nullement comme gentilhomme comme faussement on a voulu l'insinuer, que j'ai mis Munnichausen aux arrêts, je l'y ai laissé encore et cela pour les raisons suivantes, c'est que si je considérais la longueur de son arrêt pour une punition, il ne pourrait que venir me remercier et ne me faisant aucun acte d'aveu d'être fâché de m'avoir offensé, je ne puis en être content, et de le laisser sortir d'arrêt avec ordre de ne pas reparaître devant moi ce serait remettre les choses sur l'ancien pied et lui fournir occasion de refaire la même algarade, de l'envoyer pour quelques jours au Prévot, me paraissant une punition plus rigoureuse, que l'excuse que je suis en droit d'exiger je n'ai pas voulu non plus le faire, pour montrer d'autant plus à tout le monde avec combien de douceur je le traite malgré son opiniâtreté inouïe. Enfin, j'ai balancé si au jour de jeûne dernier je ne le. relâcherais pas simplement, mais craignant qu'on le considérerait moins comme un acte de générosité et de clémence, que comme une timide complaisance à cause de l'intention où on le dit, et l'assure être de vouloir s'adresser aux États, j'ai résolu de ne le pas faire et d'attendre la grande diète pour voir s'il aura l'impudence de porter ses prétendues plaintes aux États, ce qui fera un cas inouï et nouveau sous le soleil qu'un petit officier se plaigne de son Capitaine Général aux États, qui ont demandé le commandement et le soin de tout le militaire au gouverneur, et aux députés de la province, dans les temps où nous vivons bien ne me surprenne de ce qui arrive, ainsi si une partie ou la pluralité des États me mettent en compromis avec le lieutenant de mes gardes du corps, et me demandent raison de ma conduite, cela ne me frappera point, mais je sais bien qu'en agissant de la sorte ils gâteront le service, et en posant la subordination, et se prostitueront eux-mêmes. Je suis avec beaucoup de vénération de votre Altesse le très humble très obéissant serviteur et neveu. Prince d'OrangeTranslationWilhelm IV (Carl Heinrich Friso) Leeuwarden, January 14, 1751Hereditary Stadtholder, b. September 1, 1711 – d. October 22, 1751No. 2303. Wilhelm IV Carl Heinrich Friso of the House of Nassau-Diez. S. Voigtel, Tab 58. Sir, Having finally had a little more leisure than usual yesterday, I drew up the attached document along with the necessary papers, by which Your Highness may see that it was indeed as an officer, and in no way as a gentleman—as has been falsely suggested—that I placed Munnichhausen under arrest. I have kept him there still, and that for the following reasons: if I were to consider the duration of his arrest as a punishment, he could only thank me for it; and since he has made no gesture of admission or regret for having offended me, I cannot be satisfied. To release him from arrest with orders not to appear before me again would be to restore things to their former state and give him an opportunity to repeat the same insolence. To send him for a few days to the Provost seemed to me a punishment more severe than the apology I am entitled to demand; yet I have not wished to do so, in order to show all the more clearly to everyone how gently I treat him despite his unheard of obstinacy. Finally, I hesitated, on the last day of fasting, whether I should simply release him; but fearing that it would be regarded less as an act of generosity and clemency than as timid compliance—because of the intention he is said and assured to have of appealing to the States—I resolved not to do so. I have decided to wait for the Great Diet to see whether he will have the impudence to bring his alleged complaints to the States, which would be an unheard of and novel case under the sun— that a petty officer should complain of his Captain-General to the States, who entrusted the command and care of all military matters to the governor and the deputies of the province. In the times in which we live, I should not be surprised by anything that happens; thus, if part or even the majority of the States place me in conflict with the lieutenant of my bodyguards and demand an account of my conduct, I shall not be shaken. Yet I well know that by acting in such a way they will ruin the service, undermine subordination, and degrade themselves. I remain, with the deepest respect, of Your Highness, the very humble and obedient servant and nephew, Prince of Orange