Stadtholder
A stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder) was the person that ruled an area in the name of the land owner, in the Netherlands (which includes present-day Belgium) from the 15th to the 18th century.
After some of the Dutch provinces declared their independence in the late 16th century, the function of stadtholder became obsolete in absence of the land owner, but the function was continued in the provinces of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. Although each province could assign its own stadtholder, most stadtholders ruled over several provinces at the same time.
In 1747, the office of stadtholder was made hereditary for the entire republic. The function of stadtholder was abolished in 1795 with coming of the French and the start of the Batavian Republic.
The stadtholdership of Holland and Zeeland has always been combined. Since the office was instuted there in 1534, the stadtholder of Utrecht has been the same as the one of Holland, with one exception.
In 1572, William of Orange was elected as the stadtholder, although Philip II of Spain had appointed a different one.
- Hugo van Lannoy, 1433-1440
- Willem van Lalaing, 1440-1445
- Gozewijn de Wilde, 1445-1448
- Jan van Lannoy, 1448-1462
- Lodewijk van Gruuthuse, 1462-1477
- Wolfert VI van Borselen, 1477-1480
- Joost van Lalaing, 1480-1483
- Jan III van Egmond, 1483-1515
- Hendrik III van Nassau, 1515-1521
- Antoon van Lalaing, 1522-1540
- René van Chalon, 1540-1544
- Louis of Flanders, 1544-1546
- Maximilian II of Bourgondy, 1547-1558
- William of Orange, 1559-1567
- Maximilian of Hennin, 1567-1573
- Philip of Noircarmes, 1573-1574
- William of Orange, 1572-1584
- Adolf van Nieuwenaar, 1584-1589 (only in Utrecht)
- Maurits of Nassau, 1585-1625
- Frederik Hendrik of Orange, 1625-1647
- William II, Prince of Orange, (1647-1650)
- First Stadtholderless Era, 1650-1672
- William III of Orange, 1672-1702
- Second Stadtholderless Era, 1702-1747
- Willem IV of Nassau 1747-1751
- William V of Orange 1751-1795
- J. de Ligne, 1559-1568
- Charles de Brimeu, 1568-1572
- Caspar de Robles, 1572-1576
- Joris van Rennenberg, 1576-1580
- William of Orange, 1580-1584
- Willem Lodewijk, 1584-1620
- Ernst Casimir, 1620-1632
- Hendrik Casimir I, 1632-1640
- Willem Frederik, 1640-1664
- Hendrik Casimir II, 1664-1696
- Johan Willem Friso of Orange-Nassau, 1696-1711
- Willem IV of Nassau, 1711-1751
- William V of Orange, 1751-1795
Stadtholders of Gelre
- Willem van Egmond, 1473-1475
- Willem van Egmond jr., 1475-1476
- Filips van Croy, 1474-1477
- Willem van Egmond jr., 1480-1481
- Adolf III of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein, 1481-1492
- Jan V of Nassau-Vianden-Diez, 1504-1505
- Filips of Burgundy, 1505-1507
- Floris van Egmond, 1507-1511
- René van Chalon, 1543-1544
- Filips van Lalaing, 1544-1555
- Filips van Montmorency, 1555-1560
- Karel van Brimeu, 1560-1572
- Gillis van Berlaymont, 1572-1577
- Jan I de Oude van Nassau, 1578-1581
- Willem IV van den Bergh, 1581-1583
- Adolf van Nieuwenaar, 1584-1589
- Maurice of Nassau, 1590-1625
- Frederick Henry of Orange, 1625-1647
- William II of Orange, 1647-1650
- William III of Orange, 1675-1702
- William IV of Orange, 1722-1751
- William V of Orange, 1751-1795
From 1584 to 1594, there were two stadtholders: one appointed by the king of Spain, whose authority was only recognized in the city of Groningen, and one on the side of the United Provinces.
- Cristoffel van Meurs, 1519-1522
- Jasper van Marwijck, 1522-1530
- Karel van Gelre, 1530-1536
- Ludolf Coenders, 1536
- Georg Schenck van Toutenburg, 1536-1540
- Maximiliaan van Egmond, count of Buren, 1540-1548
- Jan van Ligne, count of Arenberg, 1549-1568
- Karel van Brimeu, count of Megen, 1568-1572
- Gillis van Berlaymont, heer van Hierges, 1572-1574
- Caspar van Robles, 1574-1576
- Georges van Lalaing, count of Rennenberg 1576-1581
- Francisco Verdugo, 1581-1594 (from 1584 only recognized in the city of Groningen)
- Willem Lodewijk, 1584-1620 (until 1594 only recognized in the province of Groningen; from 1594 also in the city of Groningen)
- Maurice of Nassau, 1620-1625
- Ernst Casimir, 1625-1632
- Hendrik Casimir I, 1632-1640
- Willem Frederik, 1640-1664
- Hendrik Casimir II, 1664-1696, regent: Albertine Agnes van Oranje-Nassau, 1664-1673
- Johan Willem Friso of Orange-Nassau, 1696-1711, regent: Henriette Amalia van Anhalt, 1696-1707
Referenced By
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