States of Holland

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The States of Holland and West Frisia (Dutch: Staten van Holland en Westfriesland) 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. At that time there no longer was any clergical representation. The Nobility was normally represented by the Land's Advocate of Holland or Grand Pensionary of Holland, who combined the votes of the ten members of the Ridderschap (the "Knighthood") in the estates. The Commons consisted of representatives of the cities, who jointly held eighteen votes (Amsterdam had four votes). All members of the States were appointed officials, including the Land's Advocate or Grand Pensionary, who was appointed by the States themselves. The Land's Advocate or Grand Pensionary was nearly always a previous pensionary of a city. Decisions were made by majority. This majority was not reached after a vote, but by a summary at the end of the meeting by the Land's Advocate or the Grand Pensionary of the opinions expressed by the several members present. He had literally both the first and the last say in a meeting. Since the death of Johan van Oldebarnevelt any Prince of Orange also being stadtholder indirectly had much power over the States. He had the right to appoint the mayors of all cities, out of one of two candidates suggested by the appointment college of a city. Mayors of cities with city rights chose the officials who served as representatives in the States 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 by being Land's Advocate of Holland or Grand Pensionary, in fact controlled the Republic. Johan de Witt is a case in point, and Johan van Oldebarnevelt another famous example.