List of rulers of the Netherlands

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showHistory of the Low Countries
Frisii			Belgae
	Cana- nefates	Chamavi, Tubantes		Gallia Belgica (55 BC – 5th c. AD) Germania Inferior (83 – 5th c.)
		Salian Franks		Batavi
unpopulated (4th–5th c.)		Saxons	Salian Franks (4th–5th c.)
Frisian Kingdom (6th c.–734)			Frankish Kingdom (481–843)—Carolingian Empire (800–843)
		Austrasia (511–687)
Middle Francia (843–855)					West Francia (843–)
Kingdom of Lotharingia (855– 959) Duchy of Lower Lorraine (959–)
Frisia
Frisian Freedom (11–16th century)	County of Holland (880–1432)	Bishopric of Utrecht (695–1456)	Duchy of Brabant (1183–1430) Duchy of Guelders (1046–1543)		County of Flanders (862–1384)	County of Hainaut (1071–1432) County of Namur (981–1421)	P.-Bish. of Liège (980–1794)	Duchy of Luxem- bourg (1059–1443)
	Burgundian Netherlands (1384–1482)
	Habsburg Netherlands (1482–1795) (Seventeen Provinces after 1543)
Dutch Republic (1581–1795)				Spanish Netherlands (1556–1714)
				Austrian Netherlands (1714–1795)
				United States of Belgium (1790)			R. Liège (1789–'91)
Batavian Republic (1795–1806) Kingdom of Holland (1806–1810)				associated with French First Republic (1795–1804) part of First French Empire (1804–1815)
Princip. of the Netherlands (1813–1815)
United Kingdom of the Netherlands (1815–1830)								Gr D. L. (1815–)
Kingdom of the Netherlands (1839–)				Kingdom of Belgium (1830–)
								Gr D. of Luxem- bourg (1890–)

The Netherlands, or Low Countries, possessed clearly delineated boundaries only after 1500. Still in many respects they demonstrated common traits and underwent similar development that differentiated them from surrounding countries. The social, economic and political similarities evident throughout most of the region stem from the High Middle Ages, when the Scheldt, Maas and Rhine delta area became an important center of trade. Next to Northern Italy, the Low Countries became the most urbanised and prosperous region in Europe.

Its political system exhibited, from relatively early on, a degree of representative government that differed from the more feudal arrangements then existent in much of Europe. Internationally, the region served both as a mediator for and a buffer to the surrounding great powers, France, England, and Germany.^[1]

Leaders of Frisii, Belgae, Canninefates and Batavi (before 400)[]

What little is known of the Frisii is provided by a few Roman accounts, whose province Germania Inferior shared a border with the Frisii. Frisii had elected chieftains who led by example rather than by authority.^[2] Two Frisii kings, Malorix and Verritus, visited Rome to meet Nero.^[3] The Frisii were bordered on the south by Germanic tribes living on Roman territory, and that would later coalesce into the Frankish confederation in the 3rd century, like the Batavi and the Cananefates. Tacitus mentions Gaius Julius Civilis as leader of the Batavi, and Brinno as leader of Cananefates. The coastal lands of the Frisii, Romans, Batavi and Cananefates were abandoned by c. 400 due to flooding caused by a marine transgression and lay empty for a century.

The Salii (Salian Franks) are one of the peoples who formed the foundation for early (both Northern- and Southern) Dutch culture, society and language since the fall of the Roman empire. After settling within the Roman territories, first in Germania Inferior and later in Gallia Belgica, they developed an organised society that developed the agriculture in regions that had become underpopulated. Merovech (d. 453/457) and Childeric I (c. 440 – 481/482) were Sallian chieftains before Clovis I (c. 466 – c. 511) united all of the Frankish tribes under one ruler. With the Roman Empire as an example, he replaced the form of leadership from a group of royal chieftains to a single king. He moved his court from Tournai in present-day Belgium, to Paris, and created the Frankish Kingdom.

Kings of Frisia (600–775)[]

After the Migration Period, the Frisian Kingdom emerged around 600 AD, north of the Frankish Kingdom. The Frisians consisted of tribes with loose bonds, and were not the same Frisii from Roman times. Under Redbad the Frisian kingship reached its maximum geographic development, covering most of the area of what is now the Netherlands and the coast in northern Germany. In 722 the Frisian land west of the Vlie (what is now Holland, Utrecht and Zeeland came in Frankish hands. In 734, in the Battle of the Boarn, the area west of the Lauwers (nowadays Friesland) resulted in a Frankisch victory and the end of the Frisian kingdom. Only the Frisians east of the Lauwers (Groningen and East Frisia) remained independent. In 772 they lost their independence as well.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Finn Folcwalding		ca. 500		semi-legendary prince of Magna Frisia
Audulf Adolf		ca. 600	627	known from coins
Adgillis I Adalgis Aldegisel I		650/78
Redbad I Radbod		679/89	718/19	son of Adgillus I
Poppo Bubo, Bobba		719	734	son of Redbad I; last king of the Frisians

Counts of Frisia (775–885)[]

In 775, Charles the Great made Frisia officially part of the Frankish Kingdom. The wars ended with the last uprising of the Frisians in 793 and the pacification of them. Counts were appointed by the Frankish rulers. However, Danish Vikings raided Frisia in the end of the 9th century and established Viking rule. After the division of the Frankish Kingdom in West Francia and East Francia, they gained more autonomy.

See also:

• Middle Francia (843–855)
• List of rulers of Lorraine
• Lower Lorraine (959–1190)

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Alfbad Abba, Boppa		749	775/786	possibly son of Redbad	Frisia
Nordalah		786?	806?	son of Alfbad	Frisia
Dirk		806?	810?		Frisia
Godfrey		807/08	839?	invader	Danish
Rorik		ca. 841	ca. 873	cousin of Godfrey; invader	Danish
Gerulf I Gerulf the Elder Gerolf de Oude		before 839	after 855	son of Dirk or Nordalah?; reeve of the Frisians between Vlie and the river Weser	Frisia

Counts of Holland and West-Frisia (885–1433)[]

While the Frisian kingdom had comprised most of the present day Netherlands, the later province of Friesland in the Netherlands was much reduced. Already in the early Middle Ages West-Frisia (Frisia west of the Vlie) was not considered to be a part of Frisia anymore, and came to be known as Holland (present day provinces North and South Holland and Zeeland). Floris II was the first count who restyled his name from count of "West-Frisia", in count of "Holland".

Frisia Proper in medieval time therefore only included the middle and eastern part. The middle part (corresponding to the present day Dutch province of Friesland) was populated by free peasants who successfully resisted all attempts by feudal lords to subdue them, mainly the counts of Holland and the bishops of Utrecht. In the eastern part, local chieftains created their own states (within the Holy Roman Empire) in the late Middle Ages. They became a county after 1446 until 1744, after which it was incorporated within Prussia and later Germany.

The counts of West-Frisia ruled locally in the name of the archbishop of Utrecht, but over time, the counts of Holland came to dominate the bishopric of Utrecht. The archbishop of Utrecht governed the area on behalf of the Holy Roman Emperor, who saw is power diminished by the feudal system in which the counts and dukes ruled almost as sovereigns.

The counts of Holland tried frequently to increase their territory but apart from the acquisition of Zeeland during the 14th century they had no lasting success. Instead it became a part of the mighty medieval dynasties possessions, first Wittelsbach then Valois and thereafter Habsburg.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Gerulf II		ca. 885	895/896	son or grandson of Gerulf I of Frisia, or the same Gerulf	Holland
Dirk I		896	ca. 931	son of Gerolf?	Holland
Dirk I bis		ca. 931	939	son of Dirk I; count of Frisia	Holland
Dirk II		939	988	son of Dirk I bis; count of Frisia	Holland
Arnulf		988	993	son of Dirk II; count of Frisia	Holland
Dirk III Hierosolymita (the Jerusalemite) Dirk III de Jeruzalemganger		993	1039	son of Arnulf; count of Frisia	Holland
Dirk IV		1039	1049	son of Dirk III Hierosolymita; count of Frisia	Holland
Floris I		1049	1061	brother of Dirk IV; regents: Gertrude of Saxony (widow of Floris I), Robert the Frisian (second husband of Gertrude) and Godfrey the Hunchback, Duke of Lower Lorraine; count of Frisia	Holland

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Dirk V Dirk V		1061	1091	son of Floris I; count of Frisia	Holland
Floris II the Fat Floris II de Dikke		1091	1121	son of Dirk V; first count who named himself count of 'Holland'	Holland
Dirk VI Dirk VI		1121	1157	son of Floris II	Holland
Floris III Floris III		1157	1190	son of Dirk VI	Holland
Dirk VII Dirk VII		1190	1203	son of Floris III	Holland
Ada Ada		1203	1207	daughter of Dirk VII; ruled together with Louis I; no issues	Holland
William I Willem I		1203	1222	son of Floris III	Holland
Floris IV Floris IV		1222	1234	son of William I	Holland
William II Willem II		1235	1256	son of Floris IV	Holland
Floris V Floris V, der keerlen god		1256	1296	son of William II; Floris de Voogd regent and guardian for Floris V (1256–1258)	Holland
John I Jan I		1296	1299	son of Floris V; John III, Lord of Renesse regent for John I (1296-1299); John II, Count of Hainaut inherited the county after John I's death	Holland

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
John II Jan II		1299	1304	son of John I of Avesnes	Avesnes
William III Willem III		1304	1337	son of John II	Avesnes
William IV Willem IV		1337	1345	son of William III	Avesnes
Margaret I Margaretha		1345	1354	daughter of William III; a.k.a. Margaret II of Avesnes, countess Margaret II of Hainaut	Avesnes

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
William V Willem V, Willem van Beieren		1349	1389	son of Margaret I; a.k.a. duke William I of Bavaria, count William III of Hainaut, count William IV of Zeeland	Wittelsbach
Albert Albrecht van Beieren		1389	1404	son of Margaret of Holland; count of Holland, Hainaut, and Zeeland	Wittelsbach
William VI Willem VI, Willem van Oostervant		1404	1417	son of Margaret of Brieg; a.k.a. duke William II of Bavaria-Straubing, count William IV of Hainaut, count William V of Zeeland	Wittelsbach
Jacqueline Jacoba van Beieren		1417	1433	countess of Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut; a.k.a. duchess Jacqueline of Bavaria-Straubing; no heir; With Jacqueline's remarriage to the English Henry of Gloucester, title passes to the dukes of Burgundy	Wittelsbach

Counts of Burgundian and Habsburg Netherlands (1433–1581)[]

Burgundian dukes acquired a continuous territory covering most of modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands. By establishing the States General, Philip the Good centralised power, thereby laying the basis for the Netherlands as a single country with a common interest. The Burgundian dukes - and later the monarchs of Habsburg Spain - appointed stadtholders (place holders or deputies) in each one of its estates in the Netherlands.

In 1506, at the death of Philip the Good, the title "Lord of the Netherlands" or "Lord of Flanders" was given to his son and Duke of Burgundy Charles of Ghent (later Charles I in Spain and Charles V in the Holy Roman Empire). With the Pragmatic Sanction of 1549, Charles completed the process of consolidation by becoming the sole feudal overlord of the Seventeen Provinces. In 1556, the Spanish Netherlands were established under the control of Philip II of Spain. In this political union, the stadtholders served under a governor-general, limiting their power and of the estates.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Philip I Philip the Good Filips de Goede		1433	1467	a.k.a. Philp III of Burgundy	Valois-Burgundy
Charles I Charles the Bold Karel de Stoute		1467	1477	a.k.a. duke of Burgundy, Brabant, Limburg, Guelder and Luxembourg, count of Flanders, Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland, Zutphen	Valois-Burgundy
Mary Mary the Rich Maria de Rijke		1477	1482	daughter of Charles I	Valois-Burgundy

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Maximilian I Maximiliaan van Oostenrijk		1482	1494	a.k.a. Holy Roman Emperor[4]	Habsburg
Philip II Philip the Handsome Filips de Schone		1494	1506	a.k.a. king Philip I of Castile; son of Maximilian I	Habsburg
Charles II Karel II		1506	1555	son of Philip the Handsome; introduced title Lord of the Netherlands; a.k.a. Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and king Charles I of Spain; regent: Maximilian I (1506 to 1515); governors-general: William de Croÿ (1504-1507), Margaret of Austria (1507-1530) and Mary of Austria (1531-1555)	Habsburg
Philip III Filips III		1555	1581	Lord of the Netherlands; a.k.a. king Philip II of Spain; son of Charles II of Spain; governors-general: Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy (1555-1559) and Margaret of Parma (1559-1567)	Habsburg

The Seven United Netherlands (1581–1795)[]

Unhappy with the centralisation of political power to Habsburg Spain, seven northern provinces seceded into the Dutch Republic: Groningen, Frisia, Overijssel, Guelders, Utrecht, Holland and Zeeland. They kept parts of Limburg, Brabant and Flanders during and after the Eighty Years' War as Generality Lands.

Military control was given to a stadtholder who in theory was elected by the States-General of the Netherlands of the now independent Dutch Republic. The function was de facto hereditary in Holland and Zeeland, and held by the Prince of Orange. Drawn from a side branch of the House of Orange, Frisia and Groningen had a different stadtholder, until 1711. The following centuries saw the republic being co-ruled by the grand pensionary of the states-general and the stadtholders, with continuous power struggle between the offices.

Stadtholderate under the House of Orange-Nassau[]

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
William I the Silent Willem I	(1533-04-24)24 April 1533 – 10 July 1584(1584-07-10) (aged 51)	26 July 1581	10 July 1584	Stadtholder[5]	Orange-Nassau
Maurice Maurits	(1567-11-14)14 November 1567 – 23 April 1625(1625-04-23) (aged 57)	14 November 1585[6]	23 April 1625	Stadtholder,[7] son of William I	Orange-Nassau
Frederick Henry Frederik Hendrik	(1584-01-29)29 January 1584 – 14 March 1647(1647-03-14) (aged 63)	23 April 1625	14 March 1647	Stadtholder,[8] son of William I	Orange-Nassau
William II Willem II	(1626-05-27)27 May 1626 – 6 November 1650(1650-11-06) (aged 24)	14 March 1647	6 November 1650	Stadtholder,[9] son of Frederick Henry	Orange-Nassau
William III Willem III	(1650-11-04)4 November 1650 – 8 March 1702(1702-03-08) (aged 51)	4 July 1672	8 March 1702	Stadtholder,[10] son of William II also King of England, Scotland and Ireland	Orange-Nassau
William IV Willem IV	(1711-09-01)1 September 1711 – 22 October 1751(1751-10-22) (aged 40)	4 May 1747	22 October 1751	First formally hereditary Stadtholder of the United Netherlands,[11] son of John William Friso	Orange-Nassau
William V Willem V	(1748-03-08)8 March 1748 – 9 April 1806(1806-04-09) (aged 58)	22 October 1751	19 January 1795	Hereditary Stadtholder of the United Netherlands, son of William IV, deposed by the Batavian Revolution	Orange-Nassau

When William III died childless, the patrilineal ancestry of Orange-Nassau became extinct. In contrast to other provinces of the Dutch Republic, Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe had mostly drawn its stadtholders from the House of Nassau, that starting with John VI, the brother of William of Orange, and comprises in addition a matrilineal ancestry with the house of Orange-Nassau.

Stadtholderate under the House of Nassau[]

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
John VI the Elder Jan VI	(1536-11-22)22 November 1536 – 8 October 1606(1606-10-08) (aged 69)	1578	1581	Stadtholder,[12] brother of William I	Nassau
William Louis Our Father Willem Lodewijk	(1560-03-13)13 March 1560 – 31 May 1620(1620-05-31) (aged 60)	1584	1620	Stadtholder,[13] son of John VI	Nassau
Ernest Casimir I Ernst Casimir I	(1573-12-22)22 December 1573 – 2 June 1632(1632-06-02) (aged 58)	1620	1632	Stadtholder,[14] son of John VI	Nassau
Henry Casimir I Hendrik Casimir I	(1612-01-21)21 January 1612 – 13 July 1640(1640-07-13) (aged 28)	1632	1640	Stadtholder,[15] son of Ernest Casimir I	Nassau
William Frederick Willem Frederik	(1613-08-07)7 August 1613 – 31 October 1664(1664-10-31) (aged 51)	1640	1664	Stadtholder,[16] son of Ernest Casimir I	Nassau
Henry Casimir II Hendrik Casimir II	(1657-01-18)18 January 1657 – 25 March 1696(1696-03-25) (aged 39)	18 January 1664	25 March 1696	Hereditary Stadtholder,[17] son of William Frederick and maternal grandson of Frederick Henry	Nassau
John William Friso Johan Willem Friso	(1687-08-04)4 August 1687 – 14 July 1711(1711-07-14) (aged 23)	25 March 1696	14 July 1711	Hereditary Stadtholder,[18] son of Henry Casimir II, succeeded by his son William IV of Orange-Nassau, Hereditary Stadtholder of the United Netherlands	Nassau

Grand Pensionaries of the Dutch Republic[]

Holland formally adopted the Act of Abjuration in 1581 to become a province in the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. Grand Pensionaries of the province of Holland during the time of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands:

Portrait		Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office
		Paulus Buys (1531–1594)	1572	16 March 1584
		Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (1547–1619)	16 March 1586	12 May 1619
		Andries de Witt (1573–1637)	12 May 1619	1621
		Anthonie Duyck (1560–1629)	1621	1629
		Jacob Cats (1577–1660)	1629	1631
		Adriaan Pauw (1585–1653)	1631	1636
		Jacob Cats (1577–1660)	1636	1651
		Adriaan Pauw (1585–1653)	1651	30 July 1653
		Johan de Witt (1625–1672)	30 July 1653	4 August 1672
		Gaspar Fagel (1634–1688)	20 August 1672	5 December 1688
		Michiel ten Hove (1640–1689)	5 December 1688	24 March 1689
		Anthonie Heinsius (1641–1720)	27 May 1689	3 August 1720
		Isaac van Hoornbeek (1655–1727)	12 September 1720	17 June 1727
		Simon van Slingelandt (1664–1736)	17 July 1727	1 December 1736
		Anthonie van der Heim (1693–1746)	4 April 1737	7 July 1746
		Willem Buys (1661–1749)	7 July 1746	23 September 1746
		Jacob Gilles (1691–1765)	23 September 1746	18 June 1749
		Pieter Steyn (1706–1772)	18 June 1749	5 November 1772
		Pieter van Bleiswijk (1724–1790)	18 June 1772	5 November 1787
		Laurens Pieter van de Spiegel (1736–1800)	9 November 1787	9 February 1795

Rulers during the French period (1795–1813)[]

In the Northern Netherlands, the stadtholdership developed into a hereditary system, with increasing power accumulating to the stadtholder. Dutch Patriots sought a more democratic form of government. With French help they proclaimed the Batavian Republic (1795-1806). In 1806, Napoleon Bonaparte overturned the Batavian Republic. Napoleon established a client Kingdom of Holland with his brother as king (1806-1810). The Netherlands were subsequently annexed into the First French Empire (1810-1813). Stadtholder William V went in exile. The Southern Netherlands (Austrian Netherlands) including Prince-Bishopric of Liège were annexed into the French First Republic (1795–1804) and the First French Empire (1804–1815).

Batavian Republic (1795–1806)[]

Executive Governments of the Batavian Republic

Portrait	Name	Term of office
	Revolutionary Committee	17 January 1795	6 February 1795
	States General of the Batavian Republic	30 March 1795	1 March 1796
	National Assembly	1 March 1796	25 January 1798
	Uitvoerend Bewind	25 January 1798	17 October 1801
	Staatsbewind	17 October 1801	29 April 1805

Grand Pensionaries of the Batavian Republic:

Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office		Faction
	Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck (1761–1825)	15 May 1805	4 June 1806	Moderate
	Carel de Vos van Steenwijk (1759–1830)	4 June 1806	18 June 1806	Federalist

Kingdom of Holland (1806–1810)[]

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
Louis I the Good Lodewijk I de Goede	(1778-09-02)2 September 1778 – 25 July 1846(1846-07-25) (aged 67)	5 June 1806 (office established)	1 July 1810	Napoleon Bonaparte restyled the Netherlands into the Kingdom of Holland, putting his brother Louis I on the throne	Bonaparte
Louis II Lodewijk II	(1804-10-11)11 October 1804 – 17 March 1831(1831-03-17) (aged 26)	1 July 1810	9 July 1810 (office abolished	son of Louis I	Bonaparte

Kings of the Netherlands (1813–present)[]

After the First French Empire collapsed, the crown was offered to sovereign prince William VI, son of stadtholder William V. The Congress of Vienna reunited the Northern Netherlands with the Southern Netherlands into the United Kingdom of the Netherlands of which William became king. The newly appointed kings originally had extensive powers. Constitutional reforms in 1848 transformed the Netherlands into a constitutional monarchy under the rule of law, ending the factual rule of the monarchs.

The Belgian Revolution led to the secession of the southern part into the Kingdom of Belgium.

The non-French speaking part of Luxembourg remained in a personal union with the Netherlands, until William III died, leaving only his daughter Wilhelmina as an heir. Luxembourg allowed inheritance of the crown by males only, hence breaking the personal union.

Name	Lifespan	Reign start	Reign end	Notes	Family	Image
William I Willem I	(1772-08-24)24 August 1772 – 12 December 1843(1843-12-12) (aged 71)	6 December 1813	7 October 1840	Son of the last Stadtholder William V Abdicated	Orange-Nassau
William II Willem II	(1792-12-06)6 December 1792 – 17 March 1849(1849-03-17) (aged 56)	7 October 1840	17 March 1849	Son of William I	Orange-Nassau
William III Willem III	(1817-02-19)19 February 1817 – 23 November 1890(1890-11-23) (aged 73)	17 March 1849	23 November 1890	Son of William II	Orange-Nassau
Wilhelmina	(1880-08-31)31 August 1880 – 28 November 1962(1962-11-28) (aged 82)	23 November 1890	4 September 1948	Daughter of William III Abdicated	Orange-Nassau
Juliana	(1909-04-30)30 April 1909 – 20 March 2004(2004-03-20) (aged 94)	4 September 1948	30 April 1980	Daughter of Wilhelmina Abdicated	Orange-Nassau (Mecklenburg)
Beatrix	(1938-01-31) 31 January 1938 (age 83)	30 April 1980	30 April 2013	Daughter of Juliana Abdicated	Orange-Nassau (Lippe)
William-Alexander Willem-Alexander	(1967-04-27) 27 April 1967 (age 54)	30 April 2013	Incumbent	Son of Beatrix	Orange-Nassau (Amsberg)

See also[]

• Style of the Dutch sovereign
• Royal Standard of the Netherlands
• Line of succession to the Dutch throne
• List of heirs to the Dutch throne
• Inauguration of the Dutch monarch

References[]