Stadholders (16th and 17th centuries)
The stadholders of the 16th and 17th centuries were not sovereign rulers, though they did play an important role in the political life of the Dutch Republic.
They were in the service of the States (assemblies) of the seven individual provinces, and given that their responsibilities were chiefly military in nature, they were also closely involved in shaping the Republic’s foreign policy. This gave them an almost sovereign position.