▁as ▁the ▁struggle ▁between ▁Ar min ian ism ▁and ▁G om ar ism , ▁or ▁between ▁Rem on str ants ▁and ▁Cont ra - Rem on str ants . ▁In ▁ 1 6 1 8 , ▁the ▁Syn od ▁of ▁Dort ▁tack led ▁this ▁issue , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁b anning ▁of ▁the ▁Rem on str ant ▁faith . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁the ▁situation ▁changed ▁from ▁more ▁or ▁less ▁active ▁per sec ution ▁of ▁religious ▁services ▁to ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁restricted ▁toler ation ▁of ▁other ▁relig ions , ▁as ▁long ▁as ▁their ▁services ▁took ▁place ▁secret ly ▁in ▁private ▁churches . ▁ ▁Dec line ▁▁ ▁Long - term ▁rival ry ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁main ▁fa ctions ▁in ▁Dutch ▁society , ▁the ▁Staats ge z inden ▁( Rep ublic ans ) ▁and ▁the ▁Pr ins ge z inden ▁( Ro yal ists ▁or ▁Or ang ists ), ▁sa pped ▁the ▁strength ▁and ▁unity ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁Johan ▁de ▁W itt ▁and ▁the ▁Republic ans ▁did ▁reign ▁supre me ▁for ▁a ▁time ▁at ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century ▁( the ▁First ▁Stad th older less ▁Period ) ▁until ▁his ▁over throw ▁and ▁murder ▁in ▁ 1 6 7 2 . ▁Sub sequently , ▁William ▁III ▁of ▁Orange ▁became ▁stad th older . ▁After ▁a ▁ 2 2 - year ▁stad th older less ▁era , ▁the ▁Or ang ists ▁reg ained ▁power , ▁and ▁his ▁first ▁problem ▁was ▁to ▁surv ive