Five Brothers and a War

Den Haag

Much of this book takes place, or is centered in, Den Haag. It is therefore important to gain a context for this city. There are four main cities in Holland: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag and Utrecht. While Amsterdam is the capital of Holland, Den Haag is the seat of government, where the current king, Willem-Alexander, lives and works, and where the Parliament and Supreme Court are housed. Amsterdam was both the capital of Holland and the seat of government for only two years in its history, when King Louis Napoleon declared it so. After the French were ousted, Den Haag was restored as the seat of government, while Amsterdam remained capital. But the origins of the split between the capital and the seat of government must be traced back hundreds of years, when Den Haag was a more important city, as the seat of government of the County of Holland, and was the home to the Counts of Holland (in this case, Holland not being the country’s name). But Amsterdam was becoming the premiere city when it became a world-leading center of trade. As the country formed into a confederation of pre-existing provinces, the seat of government remained in Den Haag, whereas the premiere city, Amsterdam, became its capital. This conciliatory move was a pragmatic and political move to help with unification. Den Haag is a major international city as it is where the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court are located. One of the oldest government institutions in the world is located in Den Haag—the Raad van State (“Council of State”), having been established in 1531. This organization is comprised of the Dutch monarch, along with his or her appointees. Any legislation must be submitted to this council by the government prior to its introduction in parliament for consideration and debate. The vice-president (the monarch is president) becomes the acting king or queen in the event that the throne becomes vacant.

holland

Five Brothers and a War

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