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Generality Lands

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The '''Generality Lands''', '''Lands of the Generality''' or '''Common Lands''' (Dutch language Dutch: ''Generaliteitslanden'') were about 20% of the territories of the Dutch Republic United Provinces of the Netherlands, that were directly governed by the Estates-General of the Netherlands Estates- (or States-) General. Contrary to the seven provinces Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht (province) Utrecht, Guelders, Overijssel, Friesland and Groningen (province) Groningen, these territories had no provincial estates and were not represented in the central government. During the Eighty Years' War the Generality Lands came (or stayed) under control of the Dutch republic, and this situation was consolidated by the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. Most of the territories had no provincial government because they were cut off from their original mainland, which remained under Spanish Netherlands Spanish rule. The prefix ''Staats-'' indicates that this part of the province was under general ''States rule'', more or less like a crown dependency. *'''Brabant of the States''' (''Staats-Brabant''): the northern part of the duchy of Brabant, most of the present province of North Brabant *'''Flanders of the States''' (''Staats-Vlaanderen''): the northern part of the county of Flanders, present Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and part of the province of Zeeland *'''Limburg of the States''' (''Staats-Limburg'' or ''Staats-Overmaas''): several small territories between Maastricht, Liège (city) Liège and Aachen, a.o. Dalhem, Valkenburg aan de Geul Valkenburg and Rolduc Hertogenrade. The city of Maastricht was a Condominium (international law) condominium of the United Provinces and the Bishopric of Liège. *'''Guelders of the States''' (''Staats-Oppergelre''): as a result of the Treaty of Utrecht (1713) a part of Spanish Guelders was ceded to the United Provinces, a.o. Venlo and Echt, Limburg Echt; another part came to Prussia and a small part around Roermond was left for the Austrian Netherlands Austrian duchy of Guelders. *Westerwolde and Wedde: what is now the south-eastern part of the province of Groningen (province) Groningen was a generality land between 1594 and 1619, after which it became part of said province. After the French occupation of the Southern Netherlands and the proclamation of the Batavian Republic in 1795 the Generality Lands ceased to exist. Staats-Brabant became a département in the Batavian Republic (Bataafs-Brabant). Staats-Vlaanderen became part of the French département Escaut (département) Escaut. Staats-Limburg and Staats-Oppergelre became parts of the Frenchs départements Roer (département) Roer, Meuse-Inférieure and Ourte. When French rule ended and the United Kingdom of the Netherlands was created, none of the Generality lands returned. Bataafs-Brabant was merged with a number of formerly semi-independent fiefs and part of the province of Holland to become Noord-Brabant; Staats-Vlaanderen was incorporated into the province of Zeeland; and most parts of Staats-Oppergelre and Staats-Limburg were merged with territories gained from Prussia to form the province of Limburg (Netherlands) Limburg, with the rest going to Prussia. Territories of the Dutch republic outside Europe were also under general ''States rule'', for example Staten Island (disambiguation) Staten Island in present-day New York City and Argentina.

External link

- Map Category:History of the Netherlands Category:Former polities in the Netherlands ca:Terres de la Generalitat fr:Pays de la Généralité nl:Generaliteitslanden

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