Louis II Count of Nassau-Weilburg, Count of Nassau

Born: 09.08.1565 in Weilburg an der Lahn

died: 08.11.1627 in Saarbrücken

As the son of Count Albrecht zu Nassau-Weilburg-Ottweiler (1537-1593) and Countess Anna zu Nassau-Dillenburg (1541-1616), Louis II took over the lands of Homburg, Ottweiler, Kirchheim and Lahr on the left bank of the Rhine in 1594 as part of the division of the inheritance with his two brothers. In 1597, 1602 and 1605, several inheritances provided him with the entire possessions of the Walram lines of the House of Nassau, so that in addition to the territories on the left bank of the Rhine, he united the parts of the country connected to the residences of Weilburg, Idstein, Usingen and Wiesbaden under his rule. Saarbrücken became the joint central administrative seat. Ludwig II now called himself "Count of Nassau, Saarbrücken and Saarwerden, Lord of Lahr, Wiesbaden and Idstein", but had to fend off a dangerous counter-action by the Archbishopric of Mainz, which claimed Wiesbaden and Idstein as a fief that had fallen to it.

He made numerous improvements to the infrastructure in Wiesbaden. In 1607, he converted the Klarenthal monastery into a state hospital. In 1608, he gave the town a building site on the market square, where it built its town hall, which still exists today. Count Ludwig II had the painter Heinrich Dors from Altweilnau draw all the tombs of the House of Nassau, including those in Klarenthal Monastery, many of which have only survived to the present day thanks to these drawings.

During the Thirty Years' War, he initially tried to remain neutral, but from 1619 onwards he was unable to avoid the heavy burdens imposed on the inhabitants by the quartering, despite having obtained letters of protection for Wiesbaden.

From 1589, he was married to Landgravine Anna Maria von Hessen-Kassel (1567-1626) and found his final resting place in the church of St. Arnual in Saarbrücken.