In 1597 it was determined that each Admiralty should consist of seven members nominated by the States-General.  The Admiral-General presided over each College and over joint meetings of the five Colleges.  The Admiralties nominated the lieutenants of the ships and proposed a list of captains to be finally chosen by the States-General.  The Lieutenant-Admiral and Vice-Admirals of Holland and the Vice-Admiral of Zeeland were chosen by the Provincial Estates.  The States-General appointed the Commander-in-Chief.  Such a system seemed to be devised to prevent any prompt action or swift decision being taken at times of emergency or sudden danger.

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CHAPTER VIII

THE TWELVE YEARS’ TRUCE

The first years of the truce were for the United Provinces, now recognised as “free and independent States,” a period of remarkable energy and enterprise.  The young republic started on its new career with the buoyant hopefulness that comes from the proud consciousness of suffering and dangers bravely met and overcome, and, under the wise and experienced guidance of Oldenbarneveldt, acquired speedily a position and a weight in the Councils of Europe out of all proportion to its geographical area or the numbers of its population.  The far-seeing statecraft and practised diplomatic skill of the Advocate never rendered greater services to his country than during these last years of his long tenure of power.  A difficult question as to the succession to the Juelich-Cleves duchies arose at the very time of the signing of the truce, which called for delicate and wary treatment.

In March, 1609, the Duke of Juelich and Cleves died without leaving a male heir, and the succession to these important border territories on the Lower Rhine became speedily a burning question.  The two principal claimants through the female line were the Elector of Brandenburg and William, Count-Palatine of Neuburg.  The Emperor Rudolph II, however, under the pretext of appointing imperial commissioners to adjudicate upon the rival claims, aroused the suspicions of Brandenburg and Neuburg; and these two came to an agreement to enter into joint possession of the duchies, and were styled “the possessors.”  The Protestant Union at Heidelberg recognised “the possessors,” for it was all-important for the balance of power in Germany that these lands should not pass into the hands of a Catholic ruler of the House of Austria.  For the same reason Brandenburg and Neuburg were recognised by the States-General, who did not wish to see a partisan of Spain established on their borders.  The emperor on his part not only refused to acknowledge “the possessors,” but he also sent his cousin Archduke Leopold, Bishop of Passau, to intervene by armed force.  Leopold seized the fortress of Juelich and proceeded to establish himself.