Countess Emilia of Nassau was the third and youngest daughter of William the Silent and his second wife Anna of Saxony.
Background
Emilia was born in Cologne. She is named after Amalia of Neuenahr who was in charge of her mother"s household at the time of her birth. Emilia later went to live in Delft with her father and, in Friesland, with her sister, Anna.
After her father"s death she acted as hostess at the court of her brother, Maurice.
Career
Emilia"s mother had an affair with the father of painter Peter Paul Rubens. lieutenant was on one of those occasions that she met Dom Manuel de Portugal, (son of pretender to the Portuguese throne, António, Prior of Crato). She secretly wed him in 1597.
Maurice was firmly opposed to the marriage, because the Nassaus were Calvinists and Dom Manuel was a Catholic.
Maurice put Emilia under house arrest. Dom Manuel had to flee to Wesel.
They eventually made peace and she and Dom Manuel were at Maurice"s deathbed.