His successors were known as Council-Pensionaries, and they held office for five years only, but with the possibility of re-election.

The career of John de Witt showed, however, that in the case of a supremely able man these restrictions did not prevent a _Raad-Pensionarius_[4] from exercising for eighteen years an authority and influence greater even than that of Oldenbarneveldt.
An account of the multiplied subdivision of administrative control in the United Provinces would not be complete without some mention of the Admiralty Colleges in Holland.

Holland with Zeeland furnished the fleets on which the existence and well-being of the republic depended.

Both William the Silent and his son Maurice were, as stadholders, admirals of Holland and of Zeeland, and both likewise were by the States-General appointed Admirals-General of the Union.

They thus wielded a double authority over maritime affairs in the two provinces.