Prince William II (1626-1650)
Prince William II became stadholder in 1647. Not long afterward, he became embroiled in a conflict with the States General over cuts to the armed forces, following the Treaty of Münster.
On William’s unexpected death in 1650, Holland and most of the other provinces chose not to appoint a new stadholder to succeed him.
This decision was helped by the fact that William II’s only son was born just a few days after his father’s death.