The earliest times 1094-1594
Not only does the Province of Groningen share its name with the province's capital; it has also been closely connected with it down the years. The original name, 'villa Cruoninga', was given in 1040 to a neighbourhood where the present city arose. In the thirteenth century Groningen grew into a strong trading city, which had an administration with legal rules and a system of jurisdiction which it laid down itself. The city was protected by a wall.
This city began to conclude treaties with the surrounding areas, such as Hunsingo and Fivelingo, to safeguard its central position for trade. These surrounding areas were often called the "Ommelanden'' - that is, the "lands around". It also managed to bring the higher level of the administration of justice for the city and the Ommelanden within its city walls. This was done for the sake of unity in the administration of justice and greater legal certainty. From this central jurisdiction the "Hoofdmannenkamer" (chamber of "wardens") developed, the precursor of the provincial court of appeal. The lower level of jurisdiction was administered in the various Ommelanden areas themselves.
The growth of the city's influence over the Ommelanden gave rise to constant conflicts. These concerned not only the administration of justice, but particularly trade, for the city had reserved to itself the staple right; that is, all goods produced in the city and Ommelanden, such as grain and beer, had first to be traded in the city.
In the fifteenth century there therefore grew up a regulated system of consultation between the rulers in the city and in the Ommelanden, who were convened by a representative of the central administration in Brussels. The "Hoofdmannenkamer" also took part in these consultations.

The beginnings of the provincial government 1594-1795
In 1594, during the eighty years' war between Catholic Spain and the Calvinist rebels in the Netherlands, Groningen city and the Ommelanden were forced to join the Republic of the United Netherlands as a seventh province. This gave rise to the Dutch state as we know it today.
At the head of this Province of Groningen stood the States, who were responsible for the general administration and laws. These States met once or a few times a year. The day-to-day administration of the Province of Groningen was delegated by the States to an executive made up of eight deputies. The stadholder, besides his position as the representative of the central government of the Republic, was the highest official and chairman of the executive. The position of stadholder corresponds in various aspects with that of the Queen's Commissioner nowadays.
In addition the city government of Groningen and a separate administrative body for the Ommelanden held their own meetings. The city governed, besides the city itself, the Gorecht, the Oldambten and Westerwolde. Hunsingo, Fivelingo and the Westerkwartier were part of the Ommelanden.
There were no municipalities in Groningen for local government as we now know them. In the area of the Ommelanden there were only the 'kerspelen' - ecclesiastical parishes or townships - which concerned themselves with poor relief, the upkeep of local roads and tax collection. Other administrative tasks fell to the Ommelanden or the provincial states.

The coming of the French until the Provinces Act 1795-1850
During the French occupation the provincial governments were subordinated to the central authority in The Hague. The occupation also brought an end to the all-embracing influence of local landowners on the administrative bodies. The administrative structure was made more uniform for the whole province. First and foremost, municipalities, 62 in number, were set up throughout the area. In addition, in 1814 Groningen Province was created, forming a unified administration for these new municipalities and Groningen city. The administrative body for the Ommelanden areas was abolished, as was Groningen city's administration of the areas outside the city limits.
The provincial government consisted of a Provincial Executive (the executive body), and the Provincial Council (the general administrative body). The King's Commissioner, who until 1850 was called the governor, was the chairman of both of these. The Provincial Council consisted of 36 members, made up equally of the knightage, those owning their own lands, and Groningen city. Wealth gave access to one of the first two estates. From 1825 onwards the Provincial Executive consisted of 5 members

The province between the national government and the municipalities 1850 to the present day
The new Provinces Act of 1850, based on Thorbecke's 1848 Constitution, gave the province further responsibility of its own, at the expense of the influence of the central administration in The Hague. Henceforth the province was allowed to draw up its own budget and could levy its own taxes and promulgate its own ordinances.
Henceforth the Provincial Council was elected directly by the citizens, instead of being appointed from the three estates, though at first the number of electors was restricted to the richest men. In 1850 there were only 7671 electors out of a population of 188,000. In 1987 there were 425,250 electors out of a population of 558,000. The number of members of the Provincial Council grew to the present figure of 43. In 1850 the number of members of the Provincial Executive was fixed at 6, and this number has remained unchanged to the present day.
After 1850 the tasks of the province lay mainly in the areas of waterways and road building, and also in supervising the municipalities and water boards. In the twentieth century these roles were augmented by the coordination and supervision of spatial planning and public housing, together with other tasks

Source: Groningen Provincial Almanac 1996-1998 M. Schroor