Estates-General of the Netherlands

The Estates-General (Staten-Generaal) is the parliament of the Netherlands. It consists of two chambers, the most important of which is the Tweede Kamer (the Second Chamber or Lower House). The Eerste Kamer (the First Chamber or Upper House) is also known as the Senate. The meeting rooms of the Staten-Generaal are located at the Binnenhof (Inner Court), all in The Hague.

Related Topics:
Parliament - Netherlands - Tweede Kamer - Eerste Kamer - Binnenhof - The Hague

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By:Gary

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Historically the convocation of the Estates-General (Staten-Generaal), consisted of delegates from the provincial estates, and dated from about the middle of the 15th century, under the rule of the dukes of Burgundy. The name was transferred, after the abjuration of the king and the separation of the northern Netherlands from the Spanish dominions, to the representatives elected by the seven sovereign provincial estates for the general government of the United Provinces. The States-General, in which the voting was by provinces - each of the seven provinces having one vote, as in the European Union today - was established from 1593.

Related Topics:
Estates - Burgundy - Abjuration - Spanish - United Provinces - European Union

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The States-General in this form came to an end after the revolution in 1795, with the proclamation of the Batavian Republic and the subsequent convocation of the National Assembly (March 1, 1796). The title of Staten-Generaal, however, continued in the title of subsequent Netherlands parliaments.

Related Topics:
Batavian Republic - Parliament

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Original text from 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica

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By:Gary

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