List of stadtholders in the Low Countries

List of stadtholders in the Low Countries
This is a list of stadtholders or governors in the Low Countries, or historical Netherlands region. This includes all the territories in the Low Countries that were acquired by the House of Habsburg in the 15th and 16th century and were politically united as the Habsburg Netherlands, then known as the "Seventeen Provinces". It also includes non-Habsburg territories, such as the Prince-Bishopric of Liège (until 1794), the Princely Abbey of Stavelot-Malmedy (until 1794), the Prince-Bishopric of Cambrésis and the Imperial City of Cambray (until 1678), the Principality of Sedan (until 1651), the Duchy of Bouillon (until 1795), and the Duchy of Jülich (until 1795).
Background
The stadtholders or governors were appointed from the ranks of the high nobility, and acted as deputies of a monarch, such as the dukes of Burgundy, Saxony and Guelders, the kings of Spain, or the archdukes of Austria. During the Eighty Years' War, the States(-General) of provinces which rebelled against the Spanish crown started appointing their own stadtholders, establishing a symbiotic relationship between States and stadtholders in what would become the Dutch Republic. Throughout the war, some areas had two stadtholders: those appointed by the Habsburgs, and those appointed by the States in revolt.
By county, duchy, and lordship
County of Artois
The County of Artois was a province of France, held by the Dukes of Burgundy from 1384 until 1477/82, and a state of the Holy Roman Empire from 1493 until 1659. Through the Burgundian treaty of 1548, it was made part of the Habsburg Netherlands (Seventeen Provinces) until 1659, when it was reincorportated into France.
In Habsburg service:
1500–1504: Engelbert II of Nassau, count of Nassau-Breda
1506–1513: James II of Luxemburg-Fiennes, lord of Fiennes
15??–1524: Ferry of Croÿ, lord van Roeulx
1524–1553: Adrian of Croÿ, count of Roeulx
1553–1558: Pontus of Lalaing, lord of Bugnicourt
1559–1568: Lamoral, Count of Egmont, prince of Gavre
1568–1571: none (?)
1571–1578?: Ferdinand of Lannoy, duke of Bojano
1578–1579: Gilles van Berlaymont, lord of Hierges
1579–1597?: Florent de Berlaymont, count of Lalaing and Berlaymont
1597–1610: Charles III de Croÿ, prince of Chimay
1610–1624: Lamoral, Prince of Ligne
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant had no stadtholder, since the governor-general administered this region directly from Brussels. William of Orange once proposed to appoint a kind of stadtholder (he called it superintendent) to be able to persuade the States of Brabant to obey, because without the stadtholder the States could act too independently. He implied that he himself would be a good candidate for the office. However, his proposal was rejected by Granvelle. At the Entry of William of Orange to Brussels in September 1577, Orange did receive the medieval title of ruwaard from the hands of the States of Brabant, which came down to a stadtholdership, but mainly had symbolic value.
Prince-Bishopric of Cambrai
Although the Prince-Bishopric of Cambrai or Cambrésis was not formally part of the Habsburg Netherlands but was sovereign and directly under the emperor, the emperor was also always from the House of Habsburg, and the city of Cambrai had had a Spanish garrison as its occupation since 1543. The Spanish Habsburgs therefore appointed governors (stadtholders) over Cambrai who were not answerable to the prince-bishop residing in Le Cateau-Cambrésis.
In Habsburg service
1566–1574: Philip of Noircarmes
1574–1576: Philip of Récourt, baron of Licques (Liques), viscount of Lens. Taken captive and deposed by Baudouin de Gavre in 1576.
In States-General service
1576–1581: Baudouin de Gavre, lord of Inchy, conquered Cambrai and was appointed commander/governor/stadtholder of Cambrai in the service of the States-General.
1589: Cambrai conquered by the French
In French service
1594–1595: Jean de Moltluc, lord of Balagny (on behalf of the king of France)
1595: Siege of Cambrai (1595), Balagny capitulated on 9 October 1595 and the city fell back into Spanish hands.
In Habsburg service
1617–1630: Carlos Coloma, previously governor of Roussillon (1600–1611) and viceroy of Majorca (1611–1617)
1630–16??: Juan Carlos de Guzman, Marquis of Fuentès
Siege of Cambrai (1677): French forces took control of Cambrai. By the 1678–9 Treaties of Nijmegen, France annexed Cambrésis.
In French service
168?–168?: François de Montbion
1741–1750?: Lodewijk Pieter Engelbert van der Marck
County of Drenthe
In Habsburg service
1536–1540: Georg Schenck van Toutenburg
1540–1548: Maximilian of Egmont
1549–1568: Jean de Ligne, count of Arenberg
1568–1572: Charles de Brimeu, count of Megen
1572–1574: Gillis of Berlaymont
1574–1576: Caspar de Robles, lord of Billy
1576–1580: none; province in States-General control
1580–1581: George de Lalaing, count of Rennenberg
1581–1594: Francisco Verdugo
1595–1618: Frederik van den Bergh, in name only
In States-General service
1576–1580: George de Lalaing
1580–1584: William "the Silent" of Orange, prince of Orange (de facto)
1584–1596: gnone; province in Spanish control
1593/6–1620: William Louis of Nassau-Dillenburg
1620–1625: Maurice, Prince of Orange
1625–1632: Ernest Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz
1632–1640: Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz
1640–1647: Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
1647–1650: William II, Prince of Orange
1650–1664: William Frederick of Nassau-Dietz
1664–1696: Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz
1696–1702: William III, Prince of Orange
1702–1722: Second Stadtholderless Period
1722–1751: William IV, Prince of Orange
1751–1795: William V, Prince of Orange
County of Flanders
In Habsburg service
1490–1506: Engelbert II of Nassau, count of Nassau-Breda
1506–1513: James II of Luxemburg-Fiennes, lord of Fiennes
1513–1517: ?
1517–1532: James II of Luxemburg-Fiennes, lord of Fiennes
1532–1540: Stadtholderless period (office temporarily suspended due to concerns of political power)
1540–1553: Adrian of Croÿ, count of Roeulx
1553–1558: Pontus of Lalaing, lord of Bugnicourt
1559–1568: Lamoral, Count of Egmont, prince of Gavre
1568–1572: none (?)
1572–1577:
1577–1584: none (?); province in States-General control (Calvinist Republic of Ghent)
In States-General service:
1577: Philippe III de Croÿ, duke of Aarschot
1577–1583: none (?); province in States-General control (Calvinist Republic of Ghent)
1583–1584: Charles III de Croÿ, prince of Chimay, duke of Aarschot
Lordship of Frisia
1515–1518: Floris van Egmont, Count of Buren
1518–1521: Wilhelm von Roggendorf
1522: Jancko Douwama, Frisian rebel
1521–1540: Georg Schenck van Tautenburg
1548–1559: Maximiliaan van Egmond, Count of Buren
1559–1568: Jean de Ligne, Count of Arenberg
1568–1572: Charles de Brimeu, Count of Megen
1572–1574: Gillis van Berlaymont, Lord of Hierges
1574–1576: Caspar de Robles
1576–1581: George de Lalaing, Count of Rennenberg, in the service of Phillip II
1581–1594: Francisco Verdugo, in the service of Phillip II
1580–1584: William I, Prince of Orange
1584–1620: William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
1620–1632: Ernest Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz
1632–1640: Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz
1640–1664: William Frederick, Prince of Nassau-Dietz
1664–1696: Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz
1696–1711: John William Friso, Prince of Orange
1711–1747: William IV, Prince of Orange
Lordship of Groningen
1519–1522: Cristoffel van Meurs
1522–1530:
1530–1536: Charles of Guelders
1536: Ludolf Coenders
1536–1540: Georg Schenck van Toutenburg
1540–1548: Maximiliaan van Egmond
1549–1568: Jean de Ligne, Duke of Aremberg
1568–1572: Charles de Brimeu
1572–1574: Gillis van Berlaymont
1574–1576: Caspar de Robles
1576–1581: George de Lalaing, Count of Rennenberg
1581–1594: Francisco Verdugo
1594–1620: William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
1620–1625: Maurice, Prince of Orange
1625–1632: Ernest Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz
1632–1640: Henry Casimir I of Nassau-Dietz
1640–1647: Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
1647–1650: William II, Prince of Orange
1650–1664: William Frederick of Nassau-Dietz
1664–1673: Albertine Agnes of Nassau, regentess for Hendrick Casimir II
1664–1696: Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz
1696–1707: Henriette Amalia von Anhalt, regentess for Johan Willem Friso
1696–1711: John William Friso, Prince of Orange
1711–1729: Marie Louise von Hessen-Kassel, regentess for William IV
1711–1747: William IV, Prince of Orange
Duchy of Guelders
1473–1475: William IV of Egmont
1475–1476: William V of Egmont
1474–1477: Philip I of Croÿ-Chimay
1480–1481: William V of Egmont
1481–1492: Adolf III of Nassau-Wiesbaden-Idstein
1492–1504: Guelders independent
1504–1505: John V, Count of Nassau-Siegen
1505–1507: Philip of Burgundy
1507–1511: Floris van Egmond
1511–1543: Guelders independent
1543–1544: René of Châlon
1544–1555: Philip de Lalaing
1555–1560: Philip de Montmorency
1560–1572: Karel van Brimeu
1572–1577: Gillis van Berlaymont
1578–1581: Johann VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg
1581–1585: William IV of Bergh
1585–1587: Claude de Berlaymont
1587–1626: Florent de Berlaymont
1584–1589: Adolf van Nieuwenaar
1590–1625: Maurice, Prince of Orange
1625–1647: Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
1647–1650: William II, Prince of Orange
1650–1675: First Stadtholderless Period
1675–1702: William III, Prince of Orange
1702–1722: Second Stadtholderless Period
1722–1747: William IV, Prince of Orange
Upper Guelders
1502–1522: Reinier of Guelders
1522–1543: Occupation by the Habsburgs
1543–1579: No stadtholder
1579–1589: Jan van Argenteau
1589–1592: Marcus de Rye de la Palud
1592–1593: Charles of Ligne
1593–1611: Herman van den Bergh
1611–1618: Frederik van den Bergh
1618–1632: Hendrik van den Bergh
1632–1637: Occupation by the Dutch Republic
1640–1646: Willem Bette
1646–1652: Jan Koenraard van Aubremont
1652–1680: Filips Balthasar van Gendt
1680–1699: Johan Frans Desideratus of Nassau-Siegen
1699–1702: Philippe Emanuel, Prince of Hornes
County of Hainaut
1477–1482: Adolph of Cleves
1482–1511: Philip I de Croÿ
1511–1521: Charles I de Croÿ
1521–1549: Philip II de Croÿ
1549–1558: Charles II de Lalaing
1558–1560: Charles de Brimeu
1560–1566: John IV of Glymes
1566–1574: Philip of Noircarmes
1574–1582: Philip de Lalaing
1582–1590: Emanuel Philibert de Lalaing
1592–1606: Charles III de Croÿ
1613–16: Charles Bonaventure de Longueval
1663–1674: Philippe François de Ligne
County of Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht
The stadtholdership of Holland and Zealand has always been combined. Since the office was instituted there in 1528, 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 had appointed a different one.
During the First Stadtholderless Period, the provinces of Holland, Zealand and Utrecht were governed by their States free from autocratic intervention. The Second Stadtholderless Period in Holland ended when the Frisian stadtholder became hereditary stadtholder for all provinces of the Dutch Republic.
1433–1440: Hugo van Lannoy
1440–1445: Willem van Lalaing
1445–1448: Gozewijn de Wilde
1448–1462: Jean de Lannoy
1462–1477: Loys of Gruuthuse
1477–1480: Wolfert VI van Borselen
1480–1483: Joost de Lalaing
1483–1515: Jan III van Egmond
1515–1521: Henry III of Nassau-Breda
1522–1540: Antoon I van Lalaing
1540–1544: René of Châlon
1544–1546: Louis of Flanders
1547–1558: Maximilian II of Burgundy
1559–1567: William I, Prince of Orange
1567–1573: Maximilien de Hénin, 3rd Count of Bossu
1573–1574: Philip of Noircarmes
1574–1577: Gillis van Berlaymont
1572–1584: William I, Prince of Orange
1584–1589: Adolf van Nieuwenaar
1585–1625: Maurice, Prince of Orange
1625–1647: Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
1647–1650: William II, Prince of Orange
1650–1672: First Stadtholderless Period
1672–1702: William III, Prince of Orange
1702–1747: Second Stadtholderless Period
Duchy of Jülich
Only one Habsburg stadtholder was ever appointed over the Duchy of Jülich, when that country was occupied in 1543 at the end of the Guelders Wars. However, it soon became clear that Jülich would not become part of the Habsburg Netherlands, but remained in the possession of the House of La Marck. The stadtholdership was abolished the same year.
1543: Philip de Lalaing, 2nd Count of Hoogstraten
Duchy of Luxemburg
1451–1475: Antoine I de Croÿ
–1511: Philip I de Croÿ
1545–1552: Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort
1552–1555: Maarten van Rossum
1556–1558: Charles de Brimeu
1559–1604: Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort (second time)
1604–1626: Florent de Berlaymont
1648–1650: Philippe François de Croy, Duke of Havré
1654–1675:
1675–16: John Charles de Landas (acting)
1680–1684:
1684–1686:
1686–1687: Louis-François de Boufflers
1687–1690: Nicolas Catinat
1697–1713:
1727–1734:
Lordship of Overijssel
1528–1540: Georg Schenck van Toutenburg
1540–1548: Maximiliaan van Egmond
1548–1568: Jean de Ligne
1568–1572: Charles de Brimeu
1572–1573: Gillis van Berlaymont
1573–1576: Caspar de Robles
1576–1581: George de Lalaing
1581–1594: Francisco Verdugo
1594–1618: Frederik van den Bergh
1584–1589: Adolf van Nieuwenaar
1590–1625: Maurice, Prince of Orange
1625–1647: Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange
1647–1650: William II, Prince of Orange
1650–1675: First Stadtholderless period
1675–1702: William III, Prince of Orange
1702–1747: Second Stadtholderless period
1747–1751: William IV, Prince of Orange
1751–1795: William V, Prince of Orange
Duchy of Limburg
1473–1477: Guy of Brimeu, stadtholder-general
1542–1572: Johan I of East Frisia
1574–1578: Arnold II Huyn van Amstenrade, Lord of Geleen and Eijsden
1578–1579: Cristóbal de Mondragón
1579–1597: Claude van Wittem van Beersel
1597–1612: Gaston Spinola
1612–1620: Maximilian of Saint-Aldegonde
1620–1624: Charles Emanuel of Gorrevod
1624–1626: Hermann of Burgundy
1626–1632: Hugo of Noyelles
1632–1635: Occupation by the Dutch
1635–1640: Willem Bette, baron of Lede
1640–1647: Jan van Wiltz
1649–1665: Lancelot Schetz of Grobbendonk
1665–1684: Johan Frans Desideratus of Nassau–Siegen,
1685–1702: Henri, 4th Prince of Ligne
1702–1703: Franz Sigismund of Thurn und Taxis
1703–1705: Ludwig von Sinzendorf
1705–1707: Jan Peter de Goës
1707–1709: Ferdinand Bertrand de Quiros
1709–1710: Johann Wenzel von Gallas
1710–1713: Frans Adolf of Sinzerling
1713: Ludwig von Sinzendorf
1713–1714: George of Tunderfeld
1714–1723: Franz Sigismund of Thurn und Taxis
1725–1728: Otto of Vehlen
1728–1754: Wolfgang Willem of Bournonville
Lordship of Mechelen
1566–1567: Antoine de Lalaing, 3rd Count of Hoogstraeten in Habsburg service
29 May 1579: Catholic citizen militia expelled Calvinist rebel forces from Mechelen; city governor and military commander Pontus de Noyelles defected to the Habsburg camp.
9 April 1580: English Fury at Mechelen: Calvinist rebel forces recaptured Mechelen.
15??–1594?: Pierre de Melun, in service of the rebel States-General
County of Namur
In Habsburg service:
1429–1473: Jean II de Croÿ, lord of Chimay
1485–1???: John III of Glymes,lord of Bergen op Zoom (fell into disgrace and had to resign)
1503–1507: William de Croÿ, lord of Chièvres
1509–1532: John III of Glymes, lord of Bergen op Zoom (restored to office)
1532–1541: Anthony of Glymes, marquess of Bergen op Zoom
1541–1545: , lord of Werchin
1553/4–1578: Charles de Berlaymont, baron of Hierges
1578–1579: Gilles van Berlaymont, lord of Hierges
1579–1599?: Florent de Berlaymont, count of Lalaing and Berlaymont
1599–16??: Charles II of Egmont
16??–16??: Albert François de Croÿ-Roeulx, count of Megen
Tournaisis
In Habsburg service
1555–1556: , lord of Werchin
1559–1570?: Floris of Montmorency, baron of Montigny
1581–1588?: Philippe de Récourt, baron de Licques (Liques), castellan of Lens, from 1574 to 1576 governor of Cambrésis
In States-General service
15??–1594?: Pierre de Melun, grandson of Peter van Barbançon. During the Siege of Tournai (1581) his wife Marie-Christine de Lalaing defended the city.
See also
List of Belgian monarchs
List of bishops and archbishops of Cambrai
List of governors of the Habsburg Netherlands
List of bishops and prince-bishops of Liège
List of monarchs of Luxembourg
List of monarchs of the Netherlands
List of rulers of the Netherlands
References
Bibliography
Lists of political office-holders in the Netherlands
Political history of the Dutch Republic
Political history of Belgium
Political history of Luxembourg