The Historical Commission for Nassau was founded on March 18, 1897 by historians, archivists and librarians in Wiesbaden. As a precursor, a "Section for Medieval and Modern History" had already been constituted in 1895 in the Association for Nassau Antiquity and Historical Research. The foundation of the commission was initiated by the Directorate General of the Prussian State Archives, after historical commissions had already been established in the province of Saxony in 1876 and in the Rhine Province in 1881. Behind this was the Prussian government's desire to emphasize the cultural achievements, historical diversity and identity of the younger provinces and to promote scientific research into the history of the state by opening up the archives.

Under this state protection, the Historical Commission for Nassau immediately developed an ambitious program that included source editions and the publication of monographs on Nassau's political, ecclesiastical, cultural and social history. Although the academic work of the commission was primarily supported by the Wiesbaden State Archives and the Nassau State Library in Wiesbaden, the results initially remained modest. The reason for this was that the Prussian government provided hardly any financial resources and the administrative district of Wiesbaden did not have a state university.

According to the current statutes, the Historical Commission for Nassau today sees itself as an academic body with the task of researching the history of Nassau within the scope of the duchy annexed by Prussia in 1866 and the neighboring landscapes and to promote and disseminate the knowledge gained. In its series of publications, in which over 80 volumes have been published since its foundation, the Commission publishes - in accordance with its original objective - historical accounts, documentation and source editions on the political development as well as the economic, social and cultural history of Nassau.

It is the only one of the three Hessian Historical Commissions to be based in the state capital of Wiesbaden. The history of the state of Hesse since 1945 has therefore become a further focus of its work. Several of the publications that have appeared to date are dedicated to the constitutional history of Hesse, the new democratic beginning after the end of National Socialism, the integration of displaced persons and refugees, denazification and cultural policy.

Today, the Historical Commission for Nassau is made up of over 80 university professors and lecturers, academic archivists and librarians. It is a member of the Association of Hessian Historical Commissions. Its work is made possible by printing cost subsidies from the state of Hesse and donations from sponsors.