PENSIONARY, a name given to the leading functionary and legal adviser of the principal town corporations of Holland, because they received a salary, or pension. At first this official was known by the name of "clerk" or "advocate." The office originated in Flanders. The earliest "pensionaries" in Holland were those of Dort (1468) and of Haarlem (1478). The pension ary conducted the legal business of the town, and was the secre tary of the town council and its representative and spokesman at the meetings of the provincial states. The post of pensionary was permanent and his influence was great.
In the States of the province of Holland the pensionary of the order of nobles (Ridderschap) was the foremost official of that assembly and he was named (until the death of Olden bs.rneveldt in OD)) the land's advocate, or more shortly, the advocate. The importance of the advocate was much increased after the outbreak of the revolt in 1572, and still more so during the long period 1586-161g when John van Oldenbarneveldt held the office. The advocate drew up and introduced all resolutions, concluded debates and counted the votes in the provincial as sembly. When it was not in session he was a permanent member of the college of deputed councillors who carried on the ad ministration. He was minister of justice and of finance. All corre
spondence passed through his hands, and he was the head and the spokesman of the deputation, who represented the province in the states-general. The conduct of foreign affairs in particular was entrusted almost entirely to him.
After the downfall of Oldenbarneveldt the office of lands' advocate was abolished, and a new post, tenable for five years only, was erected in its place with the title of Raad-Pensionaris, or pensionary of the council, usually called by English writers grand pensionary. In the stadtholderless regime 1650-72 the grand pensionary became even more influential than Olden barneveldt himself, since there was no prince of Orange filling the offices of stadtholder, and of admiral and captain-general of the Union. From 1653-72 John de Witt, re-elected twice, made the name of grand pensionary of Holland for ever famous during the time of the wars with England. The office was abolished after the conquest of Holland by the French in 1795.