| Henry de Nassau, Lord Overkirk | |
| Native Name: | Hendrik |
| Birth Date: | 1640 |
| Birth Place: | The Hague, The Netherlands |
| Death Place: | Roeselare, Flanders |
| Children: | Henry, Willem, 3 other sons and 3 daughters |
| Placeofburial: | Ouderkerk aan den IJssel, South Holland |
| Serviceyears: | 1674-1708 |
| Battles: | |
Henry de Nassau, Lord Overkirk (Dutch: Hendrik van Nassau-Ouwerkerk) (– 18 October 1708) was a Dutch States Army officer and nobleman who was a second cousin of William III of England. He would come to play a prominent role in wars against the Kingdom of France, and led the Dutch army during the battles of Ramillies and Oudenarde. While Lord of Ouwerkerk and Woudenberg in the Netherlands, the English called him "Lord Overkirk" or "Count Overkirk".
Born in The Hague to Louis of Nassau-Beverweerd (illegitimate son of Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange) and his wife Isabella van Hoorn, Overkirk was baptised there on 16 December 1640. Granted the title Count of Nassau (graaf van Nassau) by the Emperor Leopold I in 1679, he joined William III's invasion of England in 1688, and was appointed the king's Master of the Horse the following year. He resided in London, notably at Overkirk House, which later became part of 10 Downing Street.
Overkirk died on 18 October 1708 at Roeselare in modern-day Belgium and is buried the Nassau-LaLecq Crypt at Ouderkerk aan den IJssel, Netherlands. His widow continued to live at Overkirk House until her own death in 1720.
Already in his youth, Overkirk entered military service. He first took part in the Franco-Dutch War and was wounded in the Battle of Seneffe. Some time later, he saved William III's life in the Battle of Saint-Denis. Prince William, who himself was fighting in the thick of the action, was so close to the enemy that the knight d'Esclainvilliers was already putting a gun to his chest when Ouwerkerk shot the Frenchman out of his saddle. This act was gratefully acknowledged by the States-General, with the gift of an honour guard, magnificent pistols and golden ornaments. William immediately made him a captain, and since then he accompanied William on most of his campaigns.
In 1688 at the start of the Nine Years' War, he accompanied William III during his invasion of England. He would take part in the Williamite War in Ireland and fight at the Battle of the Boyne. Back on the continent, he chased of the French cavalry at the Battle of Leuze. In 1692 he fought the French in the Battle of Steenkerque. The next year Overkirk achieved great fame as colonel of the Dutch bodyguard at the Battle of Landen, where he overran two French squadrons, passed through a third and obtained some standards and prisoners. In 1695 he served under the Prince de Vaudemont. He was made major-general on 16 March 1696 and general in 1697. William III, after naturalising him as an English citizen, made also made him Chief Marshal.
In England, he met the Duke of Marlborough, under whom, and possibly on whose recommendation, he was appointed field marshal of the whole Dutch States Army during the War of the Spanish Succession, after the Earl of Athlone died. Marlborough appreciated Overkirk. His bravery was not rash, but firm and unwavering. Under Marlborough, he took part in almost every campaign and battle in the War of the Spanish Succession and remained his trusted partner.
In 1702, he dissuaded Marlborough from his preferred plan to break through the French lines, for which he now believed he had better chances than ever, and in the campaign of 1703 he and the Dutch prevented the main French army from doing anything against Liège or Maastricht. In the campaign of 1704, Marlborough marched with a part of the Allied troops to the Danube to support the Holy Roman Emperor and fought the Battle of Blenheim there. Overkirk took the charge in the Low Countries and defended the Allied position there without much difficulty. In 1705, he helped break the French lines of Brabant at the Battle of Elixheim. Afterwards he was the only major Dutch figure who supported Marlborough's plan to attack the French armies, which failed because of the field deputies, who were Dutch envoys attached to Marlborough's staff, and especially because of Slangenburg's opposition. The next year Overkirk had a major role in the victory at the Battle of Ramillies, where he fought in person at the head of the cavalry on the left wing. Here his generosity had almost cost him his life. When a Bavarian cavalryman surrendered, Overkirk let him keep his sabre. The Bavarian however, wanted to use it to stab the marshal, who had turned around. Just in time an Allied cavalryman noticed it and shot the Bavarian. After this, he participated in the Battle of Oudenarde where he played an important role by attacking the French army on their flank. Shortly afterwards he died during the Siege of Lille (1708).
The future Lord Overkirk married Frances van Aerssen van Sommelsdijck (died 1720), daughter of Cornelius, Lord of Sommelsdijk, at The Hague on 2 October 1667. They had eight children, including five sons, of whom two married and had children.
Their children included:
Reinildis van Ditzhuyzen, Oranje-Nassau: Een biografisch woordenboek, Haarlem 2004, 122-124 (with a portrait by G. Kneller, Oranje Nassau Museum)