States of Holland

Categories: History of the Netherlands

The States of Holland and West Friesland were the representation of the three Estates (standen): Nobility, Clergy and Commons to the court of the Count of Holland. After the United Provinces were formed - and there no longer was a count, but only his "lieutenant": the stadtholder - they continued to function as the government of the County of Holland. The States of Holland were disbanded during the reforms by the Batavian Republic.

The States of Holland should not be confused with the States-General, or Staten-Generaal, the confederate government of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands as a whole. Each of the Netherlands had its own States and Holland was just one of seven. Nevertheless this province was so dominant that a politician controlling the States of Holland, in fact controlled the Republic. Johan de Witt is a case in point, and Johan van Oldebarnevelt another famous example.nl:Staten van Holland en West-Friesland