Batavian Revolution facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Batavian Revolution |
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| Part of the Atlantic Revolutions | |||
Patriot troops, 18 January 1795.
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| Date | 1781–1795 | ||
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| Caused by | Authoritarianism of William V | ||
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| Resulted in | Batavian Republic established | ||
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The Batavian Revolution (Dutch: De Bataafse Revolutie) was a big change in the Netherlands at the end of the 1700s. It marked the end of the old Dutch Republic. A new country, the Batavian Republic, was then created. The time after this revolution, from 1795 to 1813, is called the "Batavian-French era." This is because France, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, had a lot of influence during this period.
Contents
Why Did the Revolution Start?
By the late 1700s, the Netherlands was facing tough times. A war with Britain, called the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, had caused a lot of money problems. Even though Dutch banks held a lot of money from around the world, the country was struggling. Many people were unhappy with their leader, William V, who had too much power.
A group called the Dutch Patriots formed. They wanted to reduce the power of William V, the stadtholder (a kind of governor). A minor noble named Joan van der Capellen tot den Pol helped start this group.
Patriots vs. Orangists
This led to a big split in the country.
- The Orangists supported William V and the old system.
- The Patriots wanted a more democratic government. They were inspired by new ideas from the Enlightenment, which promoted freedom and equality.
The Patriots gained support from many middle-class people. They formed groups of armed citizens called Exercitiegenootschappen. Between 1783 and 1787, these groups took control of several cities. They wanted to force new elections to remove the old government officials. The Patriots controlled areas like Holland and the city of Utrecht. Meanwhile, the Orangists held other states like Guelders and the countryside around Utrecht.
Prussian Invasion
In 1785, William V had to leave his palace in the west and move to Nijmegen in the east. This was because the government of Holland would not send troops to fight the Patriots. In May 1787, Patriot militias defeated the stadtholder's troops near Vreeswijk.
Things changed when William's wife, Princess Wilhelmina, was stopped by Patriot militia in June 1787. She asked her brother, Frederick William II of Prussia, for help. On September 13, a Prussian army of 20,000 soldiers crossed the border. They quickly took control of cities like Utrecht. The city of Amsterdam, the last Patriot stronghold, surrendered on October 10.
After this, many Patriots fled to France. The Orangists, led by Laurens Pieter van de Spiegel, took back control of the Dutch government.
The New Republic is Born
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The Orangist control did not last long. Just two years later, the French Revolution began. This revolution shared many of the same ideas that the Dutch Patriots believed in. The Patriots were very excited about the French Revolution. When French armies started spreading these revolutionary ideas, the Patriots joined them. They hoped to free their own country from William V's rule.
William V joined other countries in trying to stop the French Revolution. This was called the War of the First Coalition. But William V's forces, along with their Austrian and British allies, did not do well. In the cold winter of 1794-1795, a French army, led by General Charles Pichegru, crossed the frozen rivers into the Netherlands. A Dutch group, led by General Herman Willem Daendels, helped them.
Many Dutch people welcomed the French as liberators. The French quickly broke the resistance of William V's forces. In many cities, revolutions started even before the French arrived. New "Revolutionary Committees" took over city governments. For example, the old government of Holland was replaced by new "Provisional Representatives of the People of Holland."
What Happened Next?
The Batavian Revolution ended in 1795 with the creation of the Batavian Republic. William V had to escape to England. From there, he wrote letters telling all Dutch colonies to come under British rule. This was because Britain had declared war on the new Batavian Republic.
Over the next few years, there were several changes in power within the Batavian Republic. Different groups of Patriots took control. Even though the French presented themselves as helpers, not everyone agreed. The Batavian Republic lasted until 1806. Then, Napoleon (the French emperor) made his brother, Louis Napoleon, the King of Holland. This new country was called the Kingdom of Holland.
In 1810, the Netherlands became part of Napoleon's French Empire. But in 1813, the Netherlands became independent again. William V's son, William Frederick, became the new sovereign prince.
See also
- Batavian Revolution in Amsterdam
