The Habsburg Netherlands

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Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands

Representative of the Duke of Burgundy (1506-1555)

 

  • 1506-1507 Guillaume de Croÿ, Marquis of Aerschot
  • 1507-1530 Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy
  • 1530-1555 Mary of Austria, Queen of Hungary

Representative of the King of Spain (1555-1582)

  • 1555-1559 Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy
  • 1559-1567 Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Parma
  • 1567-1573 Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
  • 1573-1576 Luis de Requesens y Zuñiga
  • 1576-1578 John of Austria
  • 1578-1581 Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza
  • 1578-1582 Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Parma (co-regent)


In 1581 the Seven United Provinces declared themselves independent of Philip II of Spain.

Representative of the King of Spain (1582-1647) or Spanish Netherlands

  • 1581-1592 Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma and Piacenza
  • 1592-1594 Count Peter Ernst von Mansfeld
  • 1594-1595 Archduke Ernest of Austria
  • 1595-1596 Pedro Enríquez de Acevedo, Count of Fuentes
  • 1596-1598 Archduke Albert of Austria
  • Archduke Albert of Austria and Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain rule the Habsburg Netherlands as sovereigns from 1598 to 1621.
  • 1621-1633 Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain
  • 1633-1641 Ferdinand, Cardinal-Infante
  • 1641-1644 Francisco de Mello, Marquis of Terceira
  • 1644-1647 Manuel de Moura, 2nd Marquis of Castel Rodrigo

Representative of the King of Spain (1647-1706) or Spanish Netherlands

  • 1647-1656 Archduke Leopold Wilhelm of Austria
  • 1656-1659 Don Juan José of Austria
  • 1659-1664 Luis de Benavides Carrillo, Marquis of Caracena
  • 1664-1668 Francisco de Moura, 3rd Marquis of Castel Rodrigo
  • 1668-1670 Melchor de Velasco,7th Duke of Frias
  • 1670-1675 Juan Domingo de Zuñiga y Fonseca
  • 1675-1677 Carlos de Gurrea, Duke of Villahermosa
  • 1678-1682 Alessandro di Odoardo Farnese, Prince of Parma
  • 1682-1685 Otto Henry, Marquis of Caretto
  • 1685-1692 Francisco Antonio de Agurto, Marquis of Gastañaga
  • 1692-1706 Maximilian II Emanuel, elector of Bavaria


The Southern Netherlands were occupied by the British and Dutch from 1706-1714.

Representative of the Archduke of Austria (1716-1794) or Austrian Netherlands

  • 1716-1724 Prince Eugene of Savoy
  • 1725-1725 Count Wirich Philipp von Daun (Governor-general ad interim from February until October 1725)
  • 1725-1741 Archduchess Maria Elisabeth of Austria
  • 1741-1744 Count Friedrich August von Harrach-Rohrau
  • 1744-1744 Archduchess Maria Anna of Austria and Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
  • 1744-1780 Prince Charles Alexander of Lorraine
  • 1781-1793 Archduchess Maria Christina, Duchess of Teschen and Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen
  • 1793-1794 Archduke Charles of Austria


The Emperor formerly recognized the loss of these territories by the Treaty of Lunéville of 1801. At the Congress of Vienna, the Low Countries were re-united in a personal union under the House of Orange-Nassau.