[1] Born on 14 August 1687 in Dessau, Anhalt, Friso was the son of Henry Casimir II, Prince of Nassau-Dietz, and Princess Henriëtte Amalia of Anhalt-Dessau who were both first cousins of William III.

The Protestant population was expelled, and the Principality of Orange remained in French hands following the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, with the Prince of Conti acknowledging Louis XIV’s sovereignty.

The inheritance of William III and the title "Prince of Orange" became the subject of a serious dispute between the Frisian branch of the House of Nassau and the Prussian royal family, a conflict that remained unresolved at the time of Johan Willem Friso’s death in 1711.

[5] In 1702 at the start of the War of the Spanish Succession, Friso intended to participate in his first military campaign with the Dutch States Army under the supervision of his governor, Van Heemstra, but was prevented by a fall from his horse.

[5][6] When Johan Willem Friso came of age in 1707, he formally assumed his titles in the northern provinces, though in Groningen this did not occur until 1708 and was subject to restrictions.

At Oudenaarde he led the flank attack of 10,000 Dutch infantrymen that would decide the battle in favour of the Allies, for which he would receive much praise in and outside the Republic.

Blood and brain matter splattered across the room, but the prince remained remarkably composed, showing more concern for the loss of his loyal servant than for his own close brush with death.

Lille fell after several bloody months and the campaign was concluded with the Siege of Gent and capture of Brugge in which Friso also played his part.

[5][6] In June of 1709, as the allies marched on Tournai Friso was tasked with capturing Mortange and Saint-Amand, to safeguard the siege operations against French attacks from the side of Valenciennes.

The French right wing, commanded by the seasoned military leader Louis-François de Boufflers, was shielded by a forest and a triple line of entrenchments.

His Dutch forces, which included Scottish and Swiss regiments, were among the finest in Europe and launched three determined assaults on the French positions.

At one point, Friso even seized a banner from the Swiss Mey Regiment, planted it on a redoubt, and called out to his troops: 'By me, my friends, by me, you must stand!

Years later, Hertel, the Dutch engineer who had served under Dessau, confessed to Vegelin van Claerbergen that he had sabotaged the right-wing's efforts, as the Prince of Orange had requested him under four eyes that the progress be delayed there.

However, in 1711, when traveling from the front in Flanders to meet the King of Prussia in The Hague in connection with his suit in the succession dispute, he drowned on 14 July when the ferry boat on the Moerdyk was overturned in heavy weather.