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The County of Zeeland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch province of Zeeland, though it did not include Zeeuws-Vlaanderen.
Up to the Burgundian Netherlands the County of Zeeland was relatively independent. It was connected with the County of Holland in a personal union. It was one of the Seventeen Provinces in the Burgundian Circle. Together with Zeeuws-Vlaanderen it now forms the province of Zeeland.
The area has always been the prey of its stronger neighbors, the County of Holland, the County of Hainaut and the County of Flanders. At the Treaty of Paris of 1323 between Flanders and Hainaut-Holland, the Count of Flanders reneged from claims on Zeeland and recognized the count of Holland as Count of Zeeland. Nevertheless, Zeeland remained a separate administrative unit, which in turn was under the administration of the counts of Holland, the Burgundian dukes and the Spanish Habsburgs.
Counts of Zeeland
| Counts of Flanders | 1012 - 1167 | |
| Condominium of the Counts of Flanders and Holland | 1167 - 1256 | |
| Counts of Holland and Zeeland | 1256 - 1572 | |
| Estates of Zeeland | 1572 - 1795 |
After the Eighty Years' War, Zealand was one of the United Provinces of the Dutch Republic. Both before and after Dutch independence Zeeland shared some institutions with the States of Holland and West Friesland, such as the supreme court, the Supreme Council of Holland, Zeeland and West-Friesland, after the northern provinces had removed themselves from imperial authority and the jurisdiction of the Grand Council of Mechelen.
After establishment of the States-General assembly in the Northern Netherlands in 1583, Middelburg initially became the place of assembly. From 1585 on they were held in The Hague. As a (theoretically) independent (part)state the county Zealand ceased to exist under the Batavian Republic, where it became a departement.
Cities in the County of Zeeland
Voting cities, in order of importance:
- Middelburg (1217)
- Zierikzee (1248)
- Reimerswaal (1374)until 1574 voting in the States of Zeeland,
- Goes (1405)
- Tholen (1366)
- Vlissingen (1315) voting in the States of Zeeland from 1574 on
- Veere (1355) voting in the States of Zeeland from 1574 on
Small Towns (no seat in the States of Zeeland):
- Arnemuiden (1574)
- Brouwershaven (1477)
- Domburg (1223)
- Kortgene (1431)
- Sint Maartensdijk (1491)
- Westkapelle (1223)
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