56 life stories that - like puzzle pieces - are connected to each other and coincide in time with the origin and development of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands.

'State ladies' live their lives and tell their stories: including Juliana van Stolberg, Amalia van Solms, Maria van Reigersberg, regent Cornelia van Wouw, who led a courtyard for dear old women and spinsters 'openly confessing the true Reformed religion'. Princess Mary Stuart the Younger lives her life as does the painter Judith Leyster. Remarkable is Anna van Gelder, wife of Michiel de Ruyter and stately in simplicity. Imperturbable and unusual for a lady of her class, she did the heavy lifting herself.

'Stately gentlemen' live their lives and tell. They served the Netherlands as stadholder, admiral, governor-general, thinker or diplomat, poet or painter, as state lawyer, grand pensionary or adventurer ... for better and for worse, in friendship, enmity or at cross-purposes.

Stately ladies and gentlemen offer an unusual view of the history of the Netherlands.

“Fascinating, with facts for me that I did not know, while I still know a lot.” (Tomas Ross)