Kew Letters facts for kids
The Kew Letters were important messages written by William V, Prince of Orange between January 30 and February 8, 1795. He wrote them from a place called the "Dutch House" at Kew Palace in England, where he was staying after having to leave his home country.
At this time, William V was the stadtholder (a kind of leader) and Captain-General (head of the army) of the Dutch Republic. The French army had invaded the Dutch Republic, forcing William to flee to England. He wrote these letters to different Dutch officials: to leaders in the provinces of Zeeland and Friesland, to commanders of Dutch navy ships in British ports, and especially to the governors of Dutch colonies around the world.
The main message of the Kew Letters was to tell these Dutch officials to keep fighting alongside Great Britain against the French forces. For the colonial governors, the letters had a very specific and important order: they were told to hand over their colonies to the British. This was meant to keep the colonies out of French hands.
Contents
What Were the Kew Letters?
The Kew Letters were a series of official messages. They were also known as the "Circular Note of Kew." They were written by William V, Prince of Orange, who was the leader of the Dutch Republic at the time. He wrote these letters while he was staying temporarily at Kew Palace in England. He had arrived in England on January 18, 1795, because the French army had invaded his country.
Why Were the Letters Written?
William V wrote these letters because the French Republic had invaded the Dutch Republic. This invasion forced him to leave his country and seek safety in England. As the Captain-General of the Dutch forces, he wanted to make sure that parts of the Dutch Republic and its overseas territories would continue to resist the French. He also wanted them to work closely with Great Britain, which was also fighting against France.
Who Received the Letters?
The Kew Letters were sent to several important groups:
- Dutch Provinces: Leaders in the provinces of Zeeland and Friesland received letters. These areas had not yet been taken over by the French.
- Naval Officers: Commanders of Dutch navy ships that were in British harbors also got letters.
- Colonial Governors: The governors of Dutch colonies around the world received these messages. These letters were especially important because they gave a very specific instruction.
The Impact on Colonies
The letters sent to the colonial governors were very significant. They ordered these governors to surrender their colonies to the British. The idea was to prevent these valuable colonies from falling into the hands of the French.
How Colonies Responded
Some Dutch colonies followed the orders in the Kew Letters without a fight:
Other places also surrendered quickly:
- Cochin surrendered after a short attack.
- Other Dutch areas in southern India and along the coast of Sri Lanka were also taken by the British.
However, not all governors obeyed the order to hand over their military bases to the British. Even if they didn't fully comply, many governors became confused and felt discouraged because of the letters.
Later Developments
Years later, in 1801, William V and his son wrote new letters called the Oranienstein Letters. In these letters, they officially recognized the new government in the Netherlands, which was called the Batavian Republic. They also gave up their family's right to be the stadtholder.
