County of Holland

County of Holland
Graafschap Holland
State of the Holy Roman Empire part of the Burgundian Netherlands (1432–1482) part of the Habsburg Netherlands (1482–1581) part of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795)
1091–1581
Coat of arms
Motto "Vigilate Deo confidentes" (Latin) "Watch, trusting in God"
The County of Holland around 1350.
Capital		The Hague
Languages		Old Frisian Old Dutch Middle Dutch Dutch
Religion		Catholic Church Protestantism
Government		Feudal monarchy
Count
•	880–896	Gerolf (first)
•	1555–1581	Phillip II (last)
Stadtholder
•	1433–1440	Hugo (first)
•	1672–1702	William III (last)
Legislature		States
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Established	11th century
•	Act of Abjuration	26 July 1581
•	Batavian Revolution	18 January 1795
Preceded by Succeeded by Lower Lorraine Dutch Republic

Coat of arms

The County of Holland was a State of the Holy Roman Empire and from 1432 part of the Burgundian Netherlands, from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands and from 1581 onward, Holland was the leading province of the Dutch Republic, of which it remained a part until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. The territory of the County of Holland corresponds roughly with the current provinces of North and South Holland in the Netherlands.

The oldest sources refer to the not clearly defined county as Frisia, west of the Vlie (also known as West-Frisia). Before 1101, sources talk about Frisian counts, but in this year Floris II, Count of Holland is mentioned as Florentius comes de Hollant (Floris, Count of Holland). Holland is probably Old Dutch for holt lant, literally "wood land," The counts of Holland generally kept to this single title until 1291, when Floris V, Count of Holland decided to call himself Count of Holland and Zeeland, lord of Friesland. This title was also used after Holland was united with Hainault, Bavaria-Straubing, and the Duchy of Burgundy. The titles eventually lost their importance, and the last count, Philip II of Spain, only mentioned them halfway through his long list of titles.