List of stadtholders in the Low Countries



This is a list of stadtholders (stadhouders, Statthalter) or governors (gouverneurs) 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.

County of Artois
The County of Artois (Artesië) 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 (Kamerijk) 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: Jean de Croÿ, Count of Rœulx
 * 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: Jasper van Marwijck
 * 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: Philippe d'Arenberg
 * 1675–16: John Charles de Landas (acting)
 * 1680–1684: Ernest Alexandre Dominique d’Arenberg
 * 1684–1686: Henri de Lambert
 * 1686–1687: Louis-François de Boufflers
 * 1687–1690: Nicolas Catinat
 * 1697–1713: Jean-Frédéric d'Autel
 * 1727–1734: Franz Paul von Wallis

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: Pierre de Barbançon, 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: Perre de Barbançon, 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.