Count of Holland
Encyclopedia
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire and from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland, as well as the islands of Terschelling, Vlieland,...
in the Low Countries
Low Countries
The Low Countries are the historical lands around the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers, including the modern countries of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and parts of northern France and western Germany....
between the 10th and the 16th century.
House of Holland
The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in FrisiaGerolf of Holland
Gerolf or Gerulf was the second count of this name who is attested in the area of Friesland . Gerolf's main area of power seems to have been in Kennemerland. Count Gerolf is often regarded as the founder of the County of Holland, although the actual name "Holland" is from a later time...
(Dijkstra suggests that Dirk may have been the son of a sister of Gerolf and that his own father died while he was still an infant). He received land around Egmond from Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...
at a place called Bladella (modern day Bladel near Eindhoven, The Netherlands) in 922. This is seen as the beginning of the county of Holland. However, until about 1100, the usual names for the county were West-Friesland, Frisia or Kennemerland; in spite of this the counts from Dirk I onwards are named of Holland.
Note that the chronology of the first few counts is uncertain. The existence of a count between Dirk I and Dirk II was only recently suggested, since it is thought that the references to counts named Dirk between 896 and 988 refer to three, not two, different counts. This third Count Dirk is placed between Dirk and I and II and numbered as Dirk I bis to avoid confusion with the already established numbering referring to the other counts of Holland named Dirk.
- GerolfGerolf of HollandGerolf or Gerulf was the second count of this name who is attested in the area of Friesland . Gerolf's main area of power seems to have been in Kennemerland. Count Gerolf is often regarded as the founder of the County of Holland, although the actual name "Holland" is from a later time...
(r. 880 – 896) - Dirk IDirk I, Count of HollandDirk I was Count of Holland, thought to have been in office from ca. 896 to ca. 928 or 939.-'Count in Frisia':The actual title of count Dirk I was 'count in Friesland'....
(r. 896 – 931) - Dirk I bisDirk I, Count of HollandDirk I was Count of Holland, thought to have been in office from ca. 896 to ca. 928 or 939.-'Count in Frisia':The actual title of count Dirk I was 'count in Friesland'....
(r. 931 – 939), son of Dirk I - Dirk IIDirk II, Count of HollandDirk II was Count of Frisia and Holland. He was the son of Count Dirk I and Geva .-Career:...
(r. 939 – 988), son of Dirk I bis - ArnulfArnulf, Count of HollandArnulf, also known as Aernout or Arnold succeeded his father in 988 as Count in Frisia. He was born in 951 in Ghent and because of this he is also known as Arnulf of Ghent. Arnulf was the son of Dirk II, Count of Holland and Hildegard, thought to be a daughter of Arnulf of Flanders.-Career:Arnulf...
(r. 988 – 993), son of Dirk II - Dirk III HierosolymitaDirk III, Count of HollandDirk III was Count of Holland from 993 to May 27, 1039, until 1005 under regency of his mother. It is thought that Dirk III went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land around 1030, hence his nickname of Hierosolymita....
(r. 993 – 1039), son of Arnulf I - Dirk IVDirk IV, Count of HollandDirk IV was Count of Holland from 1039 to 1049 . Dirk's date of birth is unknown but it was probably ca. 1030 or shortly before, he was described as "adolescent" at the time of his death. His base of operations was the stronghold his father built at Vlaardingen...
(r. 1039–1049), son of Dirk III - Floris IFloris I, Count of HollandFloris I of Holland was Count of Holland from 1049 to 1061. He was a son of Dirk III and Othelindis....
(r. 1049–1061), brother of Dirk IV- Gertrude of SaxonyGertrude of SaxonyGertrude of Saxony , also known as Gertrude Billung, was the daughter of Bernard II, Duke of Saxony and Eilika of Schweinfurt. She married Floris I, Count of Holland c. 1050, and upon his death, her son Dirk V became Count of Holland...
(regent), widow of Floris I - Robert the FrisianRobert I, Count of Flandersthumb|Robert I of FlandersRobert I of Flanders , known as Robert the Frisian, was count of Flanders from 1071 to 1092.-History:...
(regent), second husband of Gertrude - Godfrey the Hunchback, Duke of Lower LorraineGodfrey IV, Duke of Lower LorraineGodfrey IV , known as the Hunchback, was a son of Godfrey the Bearded, whom he succeeded as duke of Lower Lorraine in 1069. His mother was Doda and his sister was Ida....
(regent)
- Gertrude of Saxony
| width = auto| Dirk V
Dirk V, Count of Holland
Dirk V was Count of Holland from 1061 to 1091.Dirk V succeeded Floris I, under the guardianship of his mother, Gertrude of Saxony. William I, Bishop of Utrecht, took advantage of the young ruler, occupying territory that he had claimed in Holland. William's claim was confirmed by two charters of...
1061–1091
|
| c. 1052
son of Floris I
Floris I, Count of Holland
Floris I of Holland was Count of Holland from 1049 to 1061. He was a son of Dirk III and Othelindis....
and Gertrude of Saxony
Gertrude of Saxony
Gertrude of Saxony , also known as Gertrude Billung, was the daughter of Bernard II, Duke of Saxony and Eilika of Schweinfurt. She married Floris I, Count of Holland c. 1050, and upon his death, her son Dirk V became Count of Holland...
| Othelhilde
bef. 26 July 1083
two children
| 17 June 1091
aged 38–39
|-
|width=auto| Floris II
the Fat
Floris II, Count of Holland
Floris II, Count of Holland was the first from the native dynasty of Holland to be called Count of Holland.He was the son of his predecessor Dirk V and Othilde...
1091–1121
|
| c. 1080
son of Dirk V
Dirk V, Count of Holland
Dirk V was Count of Holland from 1061 to 1091.Dirk V succeeded Floris I, under the guardianship of his mother, Gertrude of Saxony. William I, Bishop of Utrecht, took advantage of the young ruler, occupying territory that he had claimed in Holland. William's claim was confirmed by two charters of...
and Othelhilde
| Gertrude-Petronilla of Lorraine
1113
four children
| 2 March 1121
aged 40–41
|-
|width=auto| Dirk VI
Dirk VI, Count of Holland
Dirk VI of Holland was Count of Holland between 1121 and 1157, at first, during his minority, under the regency of his mother Petronilla. He was the son of Count Floris II. After his death he was succeeded by his eldest son Floris III. He married Sofie of Salm, Countess of Rheineck and Bentheim...
1121–1157
|
| c. 1114
son of Floris II
Floris II, Count of Holland
Floris II, Count of Holland was the first from the native dynasty of Holland to be called Count of Holland.He was the son of his predecessor Dirk V and Othilde...
and Gertrude-Petronilla of Lorraine
| Sophie of Salm
bef. 1137
nine children
| 5 August 1157
aged 42–43
|-
|width=auto| Floris III
Floris III, Count of Holland
Floris III of Holland , Count of Holland from 1157 to 1190. He was a son of Dirk VI and Sophie of Luxemburg, heiress of Bentheim.-Life:...
1157–1190
|
| c. 1141
son of Dirk VI
Dirk VI, Count of Holland
Dirk VI of Holland was Count of Holland between 1121 and 1157, at first, during his minority, under the regency of his mother Petronilla. He was the son of Count Floris II. After his death he was succeeded by his eldest son Floris III. He married Sofie of Salm, Countess of Rheineck and Bentheim...
and Sophie of Salm
| Ada of Huntingdon
Ada of Huntingdon
Ada of Huntingdon was a Scottish noblewoman and Countess of Holland by marriage.Ada was born in Scotland, the daughter of Henry of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne...
1162, bef. 28 August
eleven children
| 1 August 1190
aged 48–49
|-
|width=auto| Dirk VII
Dirk VII, Count of Holland
Dirk VII of Holland , Count of Holland from 1190 to 1203. He was elder son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon....
1190–1203
|
| c. ?
son of Floris III
Floris III, Count of Holland
Floris III of Holland , Count of Holland from 1157 to 1190. He was a son of Dirk VI and Sophie of Luxemburg, heiress of Bentheim.-Life:...
and Ada of Huntingdon
Ada of Huntingdon
Ada of Huntingdon was a Scottish noblewoman and Countess of Holland by marriage.Ada was born in Scotland, the daughter of Henry of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne...
| Adelaide of Cleves
1186
two daughter
| 4 November 1203
Dordrecht
Dordrecht
Dordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
aged ?
|-
|width=auto| Ada
Ada, Countess of Holland
Ada was Countess of Holland between 1203 and 1207.-Biography:She was the only surviving daughter of Dirk VII, Count of Holland and his wife Adelaide of Cleves. She succeeded her father as Countess in her own right. She immediately had to deal with her uncle William, who claimed Holland for his...
1203–1207
with Louis I
Louis II, Count of Loon
Louis II was count of Loon between the end of the 12th century to 1218.He waged war against duke Henry I of Brabant for the inheritance of Albert III of Moha and the rights on Maastricht and Sint-Truiden. He had the rights of both cities, because he was regent of Duras.Louis married Ada, Countess...
|
| c. 1188
daughter of Dirk VII
Dirk VII, Count of Holland
Dirk VII of Holland , Count of Holland from 1190 to 1203. He was elder son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon....
and Adelaide of Cleves
| rowspan="2"| Dordrecht
Dordrecht
Dordrecht , colloquially Dordt, historically in English named Dort, is a city and municipality in the western Netherlands, located in the province of South Holland. It is the fourth largest city of the province, having a population of 118,601 in 2009...
5 November 1203
no issues
| c. 1223
aged 34–35
|-
|width=auto| Louis I
Louis II, Count of Loon
Louis II was count of Loon between the end of the 12th century to 1218.He waged war against duke Henry I of Brabant for the inheritance of Albert III of Moha and the rights on Maastricht and Sint-Truiden. He had the rights of both cities, because he was regent of Duras.Louis married Ada, Countess...
1203–1207
with Ada
Ada, Countess of Holland
Ada was Countess of Holland between 1203 and 1207.-Biography:She was the only surviving daughter of Dirk VII, Count of Holland and his wife Adelaide of Cleves. She succeeded her father as Countess in her own right. She immediately had to deal with her uncle William, who claimed Holland for his...
|
| c. ?
son of Gerhard II, Count of Loon and Adelaide of Guelders
| 29/30 Jul 1218
aged ?
|-
|width=auto| William I
William I, Count of Holland
William I , Count of Holland from 1203 to 1222. He was the younger son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon.-Life:...
1203–1222
|
| c. 1141
son of Floris III
Floris III, Count of Holland
Floris III of Holland , Count of Holland from 1157 to 1190. He was a son of Dirk VI and Sophie of Luxemburg, heiress of Bentheim.-Life:...
and Ada of Huntingdon
Ada of Huntingdon
Ada of Huntingdon was a Scottish noblewoman and Countess of Holland by marriage.Ada was born in Scotland, the daughter of Henry of Huntingdon and Ada de Warenne...
| (1) Adelaide of Guelders
Stavoren
Stavoren
Stavoren is a small town on the coast of the IJsselmeer, about 5 km south of Hindeloopen. It lies within the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân. Stavoren was granted city rights in 1118, making it the oldest city in Friesland...
1197
five children
(2) Marie of Brabant
July 1220
no issues
| 4 February 1222
The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
aged 80–81
|-
|width=auto| Floris IV
Floris IV, Count of Holland
Floris IV , Count of Holland from 1222 to 1234. He was a son of William I of Holland and Adelaide of Geldern....
1222–1234
|
| 24 June 1210
The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
son of William I
William I, Count of Holland
William I , Count of Holland from 1203 to 1222. He was the younger son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon.-Life:...
and Adelaide of Guelders
| Matilde of Brabant
Matilde of Brabant
Mathilde was the fourth child and daughter of Mathilde of Flanders and Henry I, Duke of Brabant. She married Henry II, Count Palatine of the Rhine in Aachen in 1212 and later married Floris IV, Count of Holland on December 6, 1214.Mathilde was a great-great-grandmother of Philippa of Hainault,...
6 December 1224
five children
| 19 July 1234
Corbie
Corbie
Corbie is a commune of the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:The small town is situated up river from Amiens, in the département of Somme and is the main town of the canton of Corbie. It lies in the valley of the River Somme, at the confluence of the River Ancre. The town...
aged 24
|-
|width=auto| William II
1235–1256
|
| February 1228
son of Floris IV
Floris IV, Count of Holland
Floris IV , Count of Holland from 1222 to 1234. He was a son of William I of Holland and Adelaide of Geldern....
and Matilde of Brabant
Matilde of Brabant
Mathilde was the fourth child and daughter of Mathilde of Flanders and Henry I, Duke of Brabant. She married Henry II, Count Palatine of the Rhine in Aachen in 1212 and later married Floris IV, Count of Holland on December 6, 1214.Mathilde was a great-great-grandmother of Philippa of Hainault,...
| Elisabeth of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Brunswick
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
25 January 1252
two children
| 128 January 1256
Utrecht
Utrecht (city)
Utrecht city and municipality is the capital and most populous city of the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is located in the eastern corner of the Randstad conurbation, and is the fourth largest city of the Netherlands with a population of 312,634 on 1 Jan 2011.Utrecht's ancient city centre features...
aged 27
|-
|}
- William II (r. 1234–1256), King of Germany, son of Floris IV
- Floris de VoogdFloris de VoogdFloris de Voogd "the guardian" of Holland, son of Floris IV, Count of Holland and Matilda of Brabant . He reigned temporarily for William II of Holland, King of the Romans, while the latter was engaged in Germany. After King William's death in 1256 he was guardian of Floris V, Count of Holland,...
(r. 1256–1258, regent, as guardian for Floris V), brother of William II
- Floris de Voogd
- Floris V the Peasants' GodFloris V, Count of HollandCount Floris V of Holland and Zeeland , "der Keerlen God" , is one of the most important figures of the first, native dynasty of Holland . His life was documented in detail in the Rijmkroniek by Melis Stoke, his chronicler...
(r. 1256–1296), son of William II- John III, Lord of RenesseJohn III, Lord of RenesseJan van Renesse was a member of the Zeeland nobility. Together with Wolfert van Borselen he co-led a party favoring Flanders and against Holland, with considerable influence in Zeeland...
(r. 1296, regent) - Wolfert I, Lord of Borselen (r. 1296–1299, regent)
- John II, Count of Hainaut (r. 1299 as regent, inherited the county after John I's death, see below)
- John III, Lord of Renesse
- John IJohn I, Count of HollandJohn I was Count of Holland and son of Count Floris V. John inherited the county in 1296 after the murder of his father....
(r. 1296–1299), son of Floris V
House of Avesnes
When John I died childless, the county was inherited by John II of Avesnes, Count of Hainaut from 1299. John of Avesnes was a son of Adelaide of HollandAdelaide of Holland
Adelaide of Holland or Aleide van Holland was a daughter of Floris IV, Count of Holland and Matilda of Brabant. She was also a sister of William II, Count of Holland and King of Germany...
, sister of William II of Holland.
| width = auto| John II
John II, Count of Holland
John II of Avesnes was the oldest son of John I of Avesnes and Adelaide of Holland.-History:John II was Count of Hainaut from 1280 to his death, succeeding his grandmother, Margaret II...
1299–1304
|
| c. 1247
son of John I of Avesnes
John I of Avesnes
John I of Avesnes was the count of Hainaut from 1246 to his death. Born in Houffalize, he was the eldest son of Margaret II of Flanders by her first husband, Bouchard IV of Avesnes...
and Adelaide of Holland
Adelaide of Holland
Adelaide of Holland or Aleide van Holland was a daughter of Floris IV, Count of Holland and Matilda of Brabant. She was also a sister of William II, Count of Holland and King of Germany...
| Philippa of Luxembourg
Philippa of Luxembourg
Philippa of Luxembourg was the daughter of Count Henry V of Luxembourg and his wife Marguerite of Bar. She married John II, Count of Holland...
1265
twelve children
| 22 August 1304
aged 56–57
|-
|width=auto| William III
1304-1337
|
| c. 1286
son of John II
John II, Count of Holland
John II of Avesnes was the oldest son of John I of Avesnes and Adelaide of Holland.-History:John II was Count of Hainaut from 1280 to his death, succeeding his grandmother, Margaret II...
and Philippa of Luxembourg
Philippa of Luxembourg
Philippa of Luxembourg was the daughter of Count Henry V of Luxembourg and his wife Marguerite of Bar. She married John II, Count of Holland...
| Joan of Valois
19 May 1305
eight children
| 7 June 1337
aged 50–51
|-
|width=auto| William IV
1337-1345
|
| c. 1307
son of William III and Joan of Valois
| Joanna, Duchess of Brabant
Joanna, Duchess of Brabant
Joanna, Duchess of Brabant , also known as Jeanne, was the heiress of Duke John III, who died in Brussels, December 5, 1355. Her mother was Marie d'Évreux.- Family :...
bef. 27 November 1334
one son
| 26 September 1345
Warns
Battle of Warns
The Battle of Warns was a battle from the Frisian-Hollandic War between count Willem IV of Holland and the Frisians which took place on 26 September 1345...
aged 37–38
|-
|width=auto| Margaret I
1345–1354
with Louis
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328....
(1345–1354)
|
| c. 1311
daughter of William III and Joan of Valois
| Louis
Louis IV, Holy Roman Emperor
Louis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328....
Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
25 February 1324
ten children
| 23 June 1356
Le Quesnoy
Le Quesnoy
Le Quesnoy is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.Le Quesnoy's inhabitants are known as Quercitains.- Economy :The town of Le Quesnoy has somehow missed much of the Industrial Revolution. Unlike the neighboring towns of Valenciennes or Maubeuge, iron/steel works did not take hold...
aged 44–45
|-
|}
House of Wittelsbach
During the rule of Margaret, her son William V had the real power in the county. He became ruler in his own right as a result of the Hook and Cod warsHook and Cod wars
The Hook and Cod wars comprise a series of wars and battles in the County of Holland between 1350 and 1490. Most of these wars were fought over the title of count of Holland, but some have argued that the underlying reason was because of the power struggle of the bourgeois in the cities against...
. He was also Duke of Bavaria-Straubing as William I.
- Louis the BavarianLouis IV, Holy Roman EmperorLouis IV , called the Bavarian, of the house of Wittelsbach, was the King of Germany from 1314, the King of Italy from 1327 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1328....
(r. 1345 –1347), Holy Roman Emperor, husband of Margaret - William VWilliam I, Duke of BavariaWilliam I, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing , was the second son of the emperor Louis IV the Bavarian from his second wife Margaret of Holland and Hainaut...
(r. 1354–1388), son of Louis and Margaret - Albert I (r. 1388–1404), brother of William V
- William VIWilliam II, Duke of Bavaria-StraubingDuke William II of Bavaria-Straubing KG was also count William VI of Holland, count William IV of Hainaut and count William V of Zeeland. He ruled from 1404 until 1417, when he died of a dog bite. William was a son of Albert I and Margaret of Brieg.-Biography:William, allied with the Hooks, was...
(r. 1404–1417), son of Albert - JacquelineJacqueline, Countess of HainautJacqueline of Wittelsbach was Duchess of Bavaria-Straubing, Countess of Hainaut and Holland from 1417 to 1432...
(r. 1417–1432), daughter of William VI- John III the Pitiless (r. 1417–1425), Duke of Bavaria-Straubing, brother of William VI, rival of Jacqueline
- John IVJohn IV, Duke of BrabantJohn IV, Duke of Brabant was the son of Antoine of Burgundy, Duke of Brabant, Lothier and Limburg.John IV was the second Brabantian ruler of the House of Valois....
(House of LeuvenDuke of BrabantThe Duchy of Brabant was formally erected in 1183/1184. The title "Duke of Brabant" was created by the German Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in favor of Henry I, son of Godfrey III of Leuven . The Duchy of Brabant was a feudal elevation of the since 1085/1086 existing title of Landgrave of Brabant...
) (r. 1418–1427), Duke of Brabant, cousin and husband of Jacqueline - HumphreyHumphrey, Duke of GloucesterHumphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG , also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England by his first wife, Mary de Bohun, brother to king Henry V of England, and uncle to the...
(House of LancasterHouse of LancasterThe House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
) (r. 1422–1425), Duke of Gloucester, husband of Jacqueline - Francis, Lord of Borselen (r. 1432), husband of Jacqueline
There was a war of succession between John III and Jacqueline. This war was finally won by Philip of Burgundy in 1432, who, in the meantime had inherited John's claims on the county. Philip was a nephew of William VI, who had married a daughter of Philip the Bold
Philip II, Duke of Burgundy
Philip the Bold , also Philip II, Duke of Burgundy , was the fourth and youngest son of King John II of France and his wife, Bonne of Luxembourg. By his marriage to Margaret III, Countess of Flanders, he also became Count Philip II of Flanders, Count Philip IV of Artois and Count-Palatine Philip IV...
of Burgundy. In 1432 he forced Jacqueline to abdicate from Hainaut and Holland on his behalf.
House of Valois
- Philip I the GoodPhilip III, Duke of BurgundyPhilip the Good KG , also Philip III, Duke of Burgundy was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty . During his reign Burgundy reached the height of its prosperity and prestige and became a leading center of the arts...
(r. 1432-1467), grandson of Albert I - Charles I the Bold (r. 1467-1477), son of Philip I
- Mary I the RichMary of BurgundyMary of Burgundy ruled the Burgundian territories in Low Countries and was suo jure Duchess of Burgundy from 1477 until her death...
(r. 1477-1482), daughter of Charles I
House of Habsburg
- MaximilianMaximilian I, Holy Roman EmperorMaximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
(r. 1482-1494, regent), Holy Roman Emperor, husband of Mary I - Philip II the HandsomePhilip I of CastilePhilip I , known as Philip the Handsome or the Fair, was the first Habsburg King of Castile...
(r. 1494-1506), King Philip I of Castile - Charles IICharles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
(r. 1515-1555), Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, King of Spain - Philip IIIPhilip II of SpainPhilip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
(r. 1555-1581, 1581-1598 titular only), King Philip II of Spain
During the 'foreign rule' by Burgundy and Habsburg, the county was governed by a stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
in name of the count. In 1581, the Estates General of the United Provinces
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
declared themselves independent from the Spanish rule of Philip II (who was Philip III of Holland). Until the Treaty of Münster
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia was a series of peace treaties signed between May and October of 1648 in Osnabrück and Münster. These treaties ended the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire, and the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic, with Spain formally recognizing the...
in 1648, the kings of Spain still used the title Count of Holland, but they had lost the actual power over the county to the States of Holland
States of Holland
The States of Holland and West Frisia were the representation of the two Estates to the court of the Count of Holland...
.
- Philip IVPhilip III of SpainPhilip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
(1598–1621, titular only), King Philip III of Spain - Philip VPhilip IV of SpainPhilip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
(1621–1648, titular only, renounced 1648), King Philip IV of Spain
The County of Holland and West Frisia 1582–1795
The County remained in existence as a constituent member state of the Dutch Republic until 1795. There were no more Counts however since the Estates of Holland and West-Frisia were the sovereign of the County (although the countship was offered to William the SilentWilliam the Silent
William I, Prince of Orange , also widely known as William the Silent , or simply William of Orange , was the main leader of the Dutch revolt against the Spanish that set off the Eighty Years' War and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648. He was born in the House of...
in 1584, shortly before his death). The Stadtholders, who were servants of the Estates were the de facto Chief-Executives during this period.