The United Kingdom of the Netherlands survives the Belgian Revolt.
What if the Belgian revolt in 1830 never happened or was battered down just after start.
King William I had the vision to make his brand new kingdom in to a mid sized power.
The events in august 1830 were a test case for this new king and kingdom. Sadly for the king and Belgium and Netherlands it failed at this first test.
After the defeat of Napoleon, the idea came to create a big buffer state against the aggressive France. Napoleon wasn’t the first French ruler who liked to fight a war.
So at the Congress of Vienna the United Republic and the Austrian Netherlands were united under one ruler. The man for this job was thought to be William I, Prince of Nassau. He was just declared Sovereign of the Netherlands by 3 influential Dutch men who wanted to create a more central state in stead of the hopelessly divided old federal Republic.
William first astonished the Brits by refusing this because the man wasn’t happy with the size of his new kingdom. His ambitions were to have more parts in the east, till the river Moesel and Rhine. But these territories were claimed by Prussian.
Never the less after a strong argument he agreed. The man had quite an attitude.
One of the men, who made him King of the Netherlands, wrote a constitution, with a parliament, 2nd chamber, and later on the demands of the Nobles from the South a 1st chamber like the House of Lords.
The cleric in the South was hostile from the beginning and forbid any cooperation of Catholics with the heretic Protestant King.
Most of the higher clerics and nobles in the south liked to see a restoration under the Austrians, not that they liked them so mush but it would mean a restoration of their power and privileges.
After some ‘Dutch’ calculation the constitution was accepted, any opposition with religious motives were neglected, and William I was King of the United Netherlands.
After the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo near Brussels the new Kingdom could start.
It had fresh constitution, with for that time liberal rules, especially in a time were all the elements of the Revolution were tried to be removed.
The problems started soon, and this was merely the fault of the King. He turned out to be a very autocratic man, not able to delegate. He was how ever a hard working man desperately trying to make his kingdom prosperous and modern. Dozens of canals were diged (Canal Gent –Terneuzen), paved roads were build, trading companies established and industrials attracted (Cockerill).
How ever Van Hoogendorp, the man who wrote the constitution and even made William King, experienced more and more opposition and even insults of the king in the meeting of the State General.
In the South which rapidly industrialized, the voice for more freedom of press, less tight language rules for the French. The King how ever turned to be more a protectionist for the protection of the emerging industry of the South.
The Catholic church elite, who spoke French like the elite in Flanders, opposed more and more the king, out of fear to lose the control over the population and with that, there power and privileges. The Church even organized a petition were in it demand the restoration of the French language in Flemish parts. The poor Flemish population signed en-masse for it; even most of them couldn’t read or write French.
After the defeat of the Bonapartist regime Brussels was the refugee spot for a lot of revolutionaries, Jacobites and Bonapartists from France. The Son of King William I hang out a lot with these types. He was also a big admirer of Napoleon. He even once tried to make a deal with him, and he still surrounded himself with a lot of revolutionaries and other French speaking persons. He made already 3 conspiracies which collided with the policies of his dad. All very ambitious, king of France etc. Most of them were insinuated by his so called ‘friends’.
The British including Wellington in witch army the prince fought against Napoleon, didn’t had a high attitude of him. It was well known that the man was eager and easily influenced.
In 1830 there was a bad harvest and a following shortage, so high food prices hit the poor under class. In 1830 a revolution in Paris broke out against the restored Bourbons.
In Brussels after a theater play the French revolutionaries wanted to start their own private revolution. They smashed some windows and looted a bookstore. Nothing serious but rumors attracted riot seekers like today. The hungry mob was now agitated by the French revolutionaries. The city council, with the rapid erected civil guard, tried to counter the still small riots and asked assistance of the Crown prince William and his younger brother prince Frederick, who stayed with the army just outside Brussels. To the astonishment of the city council and the foreign ambassadors, the Crown prince entered the city alone flanked by the agitators, who among them were a lot of old ‘friends’. By letting the army outside the city the rioters were out of control. That is to say, the French agitators controlled them. The civil guard was insulted and felled betrayed by this behavior of the crown prince. The Prince, easily influenced, played a strange game trying to become King of an independent new state. Because of this the city counsel took power in their own hands in an attempt to control the order in the city and to make their demands to the king.
To be short the crown prince betrayed his father again, betrayed the Flemish and lost the last opportunity to stop the uprising in the French speaking part of the kingdom.
All the time the Flemish cities were loyal to the Kingdom. City councils even begged army officers to stay and not leave the city to the now called rebels.
The big foreign powers intervened.
In 1832 a ten days war happened, surprisingly successful for the North, but the British and other major powers concluded that an independent Belgian state was the only option left. When a French army marched up close to Brussels, the army of the North Netherlands retreated. This al happened with a lot of political intrigue of the French. In 1839 Belgian became an independent kingdom, with a very modern constitution, and a German Prince who was willing to play king. Its Industrialization increased very fast. The Flemish however, who were a majority, but controlled by French speaking elite, became second rang citizens in their own country. Cities like Gent and Antwerp who had an economical upheaval during the United Kingdom now suffered heavy. In Gent the textile industry collapsed and the port of Antwerp was closed by a blockade and later hampered by a toll for the river Schelde.
The new state was heavily influenced by France who even later starts to regard it as her sphere of influence, and Napoleon III tried to annexate it.
The North, Netherlands, kept for 9 years a large costly army, lacked coal and iron deposits, so important for the first industrial revolution and drifted a way in its self. It became a bit a back warded country over which was said that everything happened there 50 years after the rest of the world.
What if………..
There is still social unrest and hunger among the poorest class. Unhappiness amongst the up coming Bourgeoisie because their lack of influence and the Catholic Church because of their lost power. And the French revolutionaries are still in Brussels busy with conspiracies and printing leaflets against the autocratic king and his suppression of his French speaking subjects.
Prince Willem Frederik Georg Lodewijk, the crown prince. Was educated in Oxford. He had some doubtful reputation in England. Fought in the army of Wellington. However Wellington recognized that he had courage, he also found the prince an arrogant, weak personality and easily influenced.In 1817 after a dispute whit his father about military and government issues he resign his function as Inspector General of the Army.
In 1819 and1820 the crown prince is involved in a conspiracy to remove the Bourbons from the French throne and become king of France and annex the southern part of the Netherlands by France.
In 1821 he is forced by to resign all his functions and his rights on the throne.
Prince Willem Frederik Karel second son of King William Igrow upat the Prussiancourt. He gets his military training from Von Clausewitz. After this he takes service in the Prussian army. He takes part in the battle of Leipzig when he is16 years. After the house of Orange came back in the Netherlands he became Colonel in the Dutch army. From 1815 he takes part of the meetings of the State General.
In 1821 he became the heir of the throne after his brother was denied of his rights.
He marries in 1825 with Louise Augusta von Hohenzollern. Daughter of the Prussian King.
In 1826 he establish the military academy in Breda, he has now the function of Commisaris-Generaal, secretary of defense.
He works hard for the reformation of the army and promotion by exams rather than birth or class.
In 1821 hebecomes the second in line, after his older brother has abdicated this right.
In 1830 revolution brake out in Paris. The French refugees in Brussels are inspired by it after a theatre play and start making trouble. The council of Brussels asked for support of the army to stop the trouble makers. The army was in Vilvoorde just out side of Brussels. The army commanded by the king’s second son Prince Fredrik Karel and Luitenand-General Chasee marches into the city. Heavy fighting during three days. Casualties are high, progress is slow. Rebels fire from cellars and out of windows of houses. At the end of the third day the king’s army retreads to the royal park. When the evening falls the army has to retreat to the Royal Park, or Warande. The Prince want to retreat out of the city but General Chasee decide to storm the barricades during the night. To the surprise of the soldiers most of the barricades are deserted, the mob is getting pissed in the taverns. (Really happened) By day brake most of the barricades are taken and the mob is arrested or those who resist are simply shot at the spot. The remaining barricades are cleaned up at the end of the day. Most of the revolutionairs had left the city before the army entered it. The French revolutionaries Alexandre Gendebien and Edouard Ducpétiaux one of the main agitators were shot dead in the aftermath by officers of the army when they tried to escape to Luik and from there to France.
General Van Geen, a man from Gent, commander of Namen had to stop some riots also inflicted by French agitators. And after that he left with a large body of troops to Luik. In that city he rounded up as well rioters and preventing so that the revolutionaries left Luik to support the revolutionaries in Brussels.
General Wilmars commander in Luxemburg mobilized his troops in case some revolution army from France would cross the border. His troop’s arrested Mr. Rogier several months later when he tried to come back. After a short trial the man was expelled to France for the rest of his life.
After the order was restored Liberals from the South and from the North, with amongst them Van Hoogendorp, asked for a special meeting of the State General.
The meeting had as main purpose to settle the grieves of the South.
They implemented reforms and tied down the King to follow the rules written down in the constitution. Almost all the grieves of the Liberals of the South are met, how ever there will be no administrative division of the Kingdom.
The King can not rule any more by Royal Decreed.
There will be more freedom of press and a King who will let the country ruled by his ministers instead of himself. These ministers are responsible for their policy and have to report to the parliament.
The division of seats in the State General and Parliament will be according to population so the denser populated Flanders has the most seats. The members of the senate, will be chosen by the provinces so that most of the French aristocracy from the South is bypassed. They were demanding the institution of the senate, like the House of Lords in the United Kingdom.
Voting right is only for men and depend on the amount of tax you contribute, like all early democracies in Europe.
The South doesn’t have to pay for the enormous State debt, which was a legislation of the old Republic.
Only Dutch, Flemish-speaking clerks will populate the burocratic institutes of the government. The exception is in the French parts of the country, parts of Henegouwen and the Ardennes.
The elite of Flanders remain Francophone.
After some negotiations and threats to the King, he agrees in the new constitution. It is almost similar as the constitution of the Belgian independence in OTL.
The residence of the Parliament will now be in Brussels for permanent and not any more every 6 months in The Hague and 6 months in Brussels.
This now still united Netherlands has the opportunity to become a real mid sized power. Already in OTL the combination of the trade network of the North together with her overseas possessions and the emerging industry in the South proved to be a success.
This all will continue and even increase, more than in OTL. There will be still big political clashes between the Catholic Church, the French speaking minority and the Protestant North but none of these cases will erupt in big uprisings.
1816
Erection of the University of Ghent in order of William I.
Start of the channel Ghent –Terneuzen in order of William I, to give this city an direct opening to the sea.
1817
Van Hoogendorp is sacked.
Generaal Van den Bosch establish the "Maatschappij van Weldadigheid" ,with this he want to battle the poverty by cultivating rough land by unemployed.
1818, Belgium still exported arms to South America.
1819, the streets of Brussels were lighted by gas lanterns, the gas produced, from coal, in a gas factory. Other cities soon followed.
The port infrastructure in the South was improved. The first steamships were put into service to cruise the rivers and canals.
1821, Prince Willem Frederik Karel second son of King William I becomes crown prince. His elder brother lost the support from his father and the confidence of the parliament, after a series of scandals, with French revolutionairs.
1822, Erection of the `´Algemene Nederlandse Maatschappij ter Begunstiging van de Volksvlijt´´, for the promotion of the industry in the kingdom.
1823, Language decreed, from now on only Dutch is allowed in the Flemish provinces.
In Rotterdam establish G.M. Roentgen the "Nederlandse Stoombootmaatschappij", after he invented an improvement for the steam engine. The society opens in 1825 a new shipyard in Feyenoord, close to Rotterdam.
1824, during the revolution and the following Napoleontic age the Dutch colonies were occupied by British forces. The British and Dutch sign a treaty in which the Dutch cede all possessions in Hither India, Ceylon and on the Malay peninsula (Malacca), the British cede all their possessions in the Insulinde archipelago; mutual spheres of interest were defined.
The Cape Colony was sold in 1816.
The "NV Nederlandse Handelsmaatschappij" is erected. King William invests in this enterprise 4 million gilder for a period of 20 year.
The purpose is to reclaim back, for the Netherlands, a large part of the world trade.
1825, The administration of the Dutch East Indies, seated at Batavia, engaged in a policy of expansion, subjugating the Sultanate of Palembang in 1825 In order to make the colony self-sufficient, the Cultivation system was introduced in 1830. The money raised with it was used to pay off the huge state debt, made by the North in the decades before and later paid a lot of railroads.
Collegium Philosophicum established, this college is a state school for priest, and it let to a big confrontation with the Catholic Church.
Frederik der Nederlanden maries Louise of Pruisen, daughter of King Frederik Willem III of Pruisen.
Paul van Vlissingen starts the "Amsterdamse Stoombootmaatschappij". Two years later he will expand this with a machine factory which will later produce railroad material.
1826 Start of the Channel Brussels to Charleroi.
Opening of the Military Academy at Breda.
1827 Sea channel Gent to Terneuzen is opened this give Gent opening to the Westerschelde.
Paul Louis Isidore Delvaux (°1801 +1880), Belgian lawyer, pleads for a union between Liberals and Catholics.
1828, The Port of Antwerp is booming and Gent is flourishing because of its textile exports to the East Indies and the new build sea canal.
1829, Parliament reject the budget for the next year as a protest against the autocratic reign of the king and in favor for press freedom.
King William I am willing to comply with the questions.
1830 Social and political unrest in Brussels ignited by French revolutionairs in exile.
Revolt is repelled, see above.
1831 Antoine Lipkens, in order of the Military staff, designed and build a net work of optical sign post from Amsterdam to Bergen in the South. This to make swift and reliable communication possible.
Establishment of nation wide post network.
1834 A group of businessmen from Brussels, financed a private owned optical signpost-line between Brussels, Antwerp and Amsterdam. To exchange information on of the stock exchange and other trade information in these cities and to use the fast information for there profits, in exchange of money every one can use this system.
Princess Victoria become Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland. Due to the Salic Law, Hanover passed to her uncle, the Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, who became King Ernest Augustus I of Hanover.
1835 The European continent's first steam-powered railway line was opened between Mechelen and Brussels, it was quickly expanded, and by 1843 the Netherlands had a railroad network, connecting Amsterdam and Brussels. Most of the Netherlands's railroads were constructed by the State Railways - thus the lines were built with a standard gauge, also mostly paid by the colonial cultivation system in Indonesia. The chaos of having numerous private lines of different gauge width other countries had to deal with, was avoided. Most of the track was in the South were the industry was. Private companies did the exploitation.
In Antwerp the Zoo is opened.
King William I maries a Catholic Baroness from the South,Countess d'Oultremont. Giving him good will in the Catholic South but protest in the Protestant North.
1838, Several laws are implemented to replace the ‘Code Napoleon’.
Cacao Plantation started at the slave coast, Ghana, after recommendations of the late governor Daendels. In his function Daendels concluded an agreement with the Ashanti and supervised the construction of a road from fort Elmina to the capital of the Ashanti inland.
1840, King William I abdicates in favor of his second son Frederick.
The modest king Frederick became popular monarch and traveled frequently through his Kingdom using the Royal train.
Transit trade from ports in the Netherlands to the German Zollverein to increase tenfold in the later 1840es.
The ongoing Industrial Revolution had a strong effect on South.
The existence of a railroad system exacerbated the consequences of the industrial revolution; the Flemish non mechanical weaving industry vanished in the 1840es, shifted to mechanized textile mills in Gent finding employment in the expanding industries, many joining the poor (unemployed).
Many of the textile products from Gent find its way in the over seas parts of the Kingdom.
Liberals of the North and South are finding each other. Catholic Church elite of the South become more and more political isolated due to their harsh resistance against the King and the increasing literate of the Flemish people.
1842, Dutch Royal Navy commissioned its first submarine, designed by Antoine Lipkens. It remains by one experimental vessel.
1843, William I dies.
1846, Potato harvest is a disaster in whole Europe. Famine in large parts of Europe are the result with the worst parts hit in Ireland and Scotland. Miliones of Irish will die and triggers a mass migration to the United States. The potato famine has a big impact as well in Flanders, Groningen and in Guilderland. Poverty and famine is everywhere on the countryside. Flax harvest is also bad. People are forced to move to cities and industrial centers.
1846 - 1850, Hunger years in Flanders, Brabant and other Provinces; the problem of poverty only worsened. Families were given (marginal) subsidies. Many families from the provinces of Flanders, Brabant, Zeeland and Groningen immigrated, mostly into the industrial centers of Walloon or to the cities of Antwerp, Rotterdam and Ghent. Migration from the North and Eastern Provinces to Walloon made the French speaking population shrink.
Even the official policy of unification i.e. making the Kingdom Dutch, was abandoned after the unrest of 1830. The migration of Dutch speaking people to the South decreased the French speaking population. It was still remembered that the unrest in 1830 was caused by manly French or French speaking agitators.
The government decides to relieve the import of weed so that the price of bread decreases in the Corn Laws..
When the Sultan of Brunei approached the Dutch administration for assistance in 1841, accepted –even Brunei was too remote, the costs high. It raised questions because of this.
(In OTL they refused, so the stage was set for British adventurer James Brooke to appear.)
In the other colonies, the Netherlands pursued the policy of holding on to the status quo.
1848, Social unrest around Europe. Riots around the Netherlands caused by poverty and hunger. Riots in Gent, Antwerp, Luik, Bergen, Charleroi, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Amsterdam and the Province Groningen.
Liberals united from North and South under Thorbecke, urge the King to sign a constitution witch makes the Netherlands a real constitutional monarchy.
The constitution guaranties freedom of religion press and meeting.
King Frederik reluctantly agrees after a month and some guaranties and will still keeps much power (not in 24 hours like his brother William II in OTL)
Thorbecke will form his first cabinet.
At the end of the year the storm of revolution is over in Europe and much is the same.
1849 Act of Navigation is dissolved by the Brittish, this opens lots of ports for Dutch trading ships.
1850, After much negotiation Great Britain gives back British Guyana, former Essequibo, Berbice and Demerary colonies.
These territories were not so valuable any more after the decline of the sugar price and the abolishment of the slave trade in the British Empire. In exchange the Netherlands will leave the Malacca peninsula.
As a claim Dutch soldiers build a fortress at the west side of the Orinoco River which led to protests of Venezuela.
Government encourages the re-locating people to the Guyana’s and the establishment of cacao plantations in Ghana. The goal is to remove the poor out of the Kingdom and to develop this South American colony and African possession. Due to the harsh tropical climate the people come in conditions even worse than in the mother country. After very difficult start the colonial economy starts to grow and the prospects for re-settlement to this colony become a bit brighter. Plantations for indigo, cacao and dyewood grew, even the capital of the colony, Nieuw Amsterdam, gets finally shape in the form of the city plan from 1785. Most of these immigrants came from the Catholic Provinces Brabant and Flanders. With these migrants also came Catholic priest who started to convert the black population to the Catholic believe and start to build schools.
1852, Haarlemmer-meer, a former inland lake in Holland is turned in to a polder with the help of steam powered pumps, it tooks seven years.
Tin was discovered in large quantities on Biliton. In 1858, the Sultan of Siak (Sumatra) recognized Dutch suzerainty
Cacao plantations at the Slave Coast turn after a difficult start a success. Especially after the introduction of quinine against malaria. Result of the increasing number of colonist is an increase of tensions with the Ashanti.
Political tensions between France and the Netherlands due to aggressive politics of Napoleon III and the support of this for the Francophone population. This detoriate the atmosphere between the countries more.
1854, Japan's opening to the west, the lucrative Dutch monopoly of the only foreign trade post in Japan was ended.
As a result of the success of the cacao plantations, the last Dutch outposts in Africa, mainly Elmina, located at the Gold Coast, was not abandoned to the pressing Ashanti. With the Ashanti were a treaties made and land for plantations bought. The trade of slaves dried up but was replaced by a new marked for textile from Gent and later cacao plantations after the ideas of Daendels.
(The Dutch claims sold to Britain in 1872.In OTL.)
This trade with Africa and the possibility of production plantations gets the interest of some traders and industrialist, from Amsterdam and Brussels.
1856, Establishment of a trading post at the estuary of the Congo River.
1857 Start of the first plantation along the Congo River.
1858 First Catholic misioner arives in the Congo. Fredriks stad established as main setlement at the Congao river. Smaller Willemsburg lays on the other side of the river. ( almost OTL Kinshasha and Brazaville)
1859, First expedition upstream the Congo River with a steam paddle boat.
Congo Free Trade zone established. It is administred from Elmina, Ghana.
1860, The Sultanate of Banjermasin (Borneo) was conquered.
1860, South Netherlands engineer Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir patented the world's first internal combustion engine. Only about 500 were built, as German engineer Nicolas Otto soon came up with a much improved engine which was to set the industrial standard.
Start of the American civil war. The United Netherlands stays neutral, but continued with cotton trade with the CSA untill the blockade of the USA navy made it too risky.
1862, Walloon industrial chemist Ernest Solvay (1838-1922) developed the ammonia process or Solvay process for the industrial production of Soda. Industrial production began in 1865.
Slavery was abolished.
There more than ten Chatolic misions allond the Congoriver and five more allong the North coast, all supported by monastirs from Flandres or Brabant.
French intervention, by Napoleon III in the Mexican civil war.
MAXIMILIAN OF HABSBURG is elected Emperor and a French expeditionary force is dispatched. Yet over time French support was reduced, then withdrawn, the Republican side won, Maximilian was executed in 1867. The execution of Maximlian caused a serious blow to NapoleonIII prestige.
1863, School reforms, in an attempt to end the ongoing dispute between the government and the Catholic Church and Protestant churches.
First protetant misioner arives in the Congo. This triggers a kind of race for African souls for the Catholic church or the Protestant church.
Whitout having the intention to do so the misioners, expand the ‘’sphere of influence’’ of the Netherlands in the area after some ‘’pacification’’ actions of armed Dutch troops and mercanaries to protect the misions in the Congo.
More and more investments allong the Congo river for colonial goods as wood, cacoao and palm oil.
1864, First iron clad of the Netherlands Royal Navy enters service. The ship is built in England by Laird. Antwerp expands his port by the building of a Dock.
Missions reports of inhumane behaviour of the planters towards the loca population at the plantations in the Congo Free Trade zone.
End of the American Civil war
1865, Severe political tensions between the Netherlands and France, because of the claims of Napoleon III over Luxembourg
Napoleon III offers French neutrality to Bismarck in the crisses between Prusia and Austria in exchange for annexation if the Netherlands uptill the river Rhine.
Bismarck refuse
1866, Bruder Krieg between Prussia and Austria-Hungary. Luxemburg and Limbourg is a part of the German- bund but stays neutral. Luxemburg and Limbourg leaves the German Bund.
Italy become United and independent, with exception of the Papal State.
Modernization program of the Dutch Royal navy. Between 1866 and 1870, It build four ‘monitor’ ironclads for the river and coast defense and fourteen tower ironclads. Five of them are constructed in France or Great Britain. The last ship build in Great Britain was the ZMS Frederik Henderik with two revolving towers.
The first completely built in the Netherlands ironclad ships, were two ships; the ZMS Koning der Nederlanden and the ZMS Insulinde. it were larger versions of the ZMS Frederik Henderik, with the help of British engineers from Laird. The iron is made in Charleroi; guns are made in Luik and the ships are built on a yard in Amsterdam.
1867 Change of laws make it now possible to start workers unions or organize strikes.
New rings of forts around Antwerp are build.
On a new ship yard in Antwerp four new iron clads are build, these are improved versions of the ´´Koning der Nederlanden´´ class.
A second 'submarine' is build as an experimental vessel for the royal navy. The design is a combination of the first Lipkens vessel and designs used in the American civil war.
End of the death penalty.
Cultivation system in Indonesia is stopped. It was used to pay the State debt and to finance the construction of railways.
1868 Parlemaint examines the ongoiing reports from the missions, both Catholic as Protestant of brutalities from planters towards local population in the Congo Free Trade zone.
Cabinet follows the conclusions of the investeigation commity to end brutalities in the Congo Fre Trade zone. It will be a full colony same as Indie and will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Colonies in Brussels. Colonial troops and clercs from the Netherlands establish official authority from Frederiks stad.
1869,Pope Pius IX dies. Half year later Pope Leo XIII elected.
1870, European diplomatic difficuties over the vacant trone of Spain. There were two candidates, a Bourbon and a Hohenzollern. Napoleon III. insisted that King Wilhelm II. of Prussia, in the name of his relative, withdrew the candidacy - Wilhelm III. complied. Then Napoleon insisted that King Wilhelm, as the head of the house of Hohenzollern, would renounce any claim on the Spanish throne for any Hohenzollern in the future - Wilhelm refused and sent Bismarck a copy of the French demand. Bismarck published an abridged version in the press - the EMS DISPATCH -.
Napoleon III resolves with the more pragmatic Pope Leo XII and the Italian King Victor Emanuel II the Roman Question. Rome is now officialy and in reality the capital of Italy. The pope will be generously compensated by Italy. French troops are withdrawn from Italian soil.
19July Franche declares war on Prusia
July, The Netherlands are neutral,but Cabinet orders mobilization of the army and navy. Concentration of the Fortification-Army around Antwerp, Luik, Namen, and Luxembourg. The mobilization goes terribly slow and chaotic. The only troops ready are the Fortification troops and Navy.
20July France asks in an ultimatum for troop movement through the Netherlands. Government of the Netherlands refuse. Gouverment of the Netherlands asks international support which is given by Prusia.
What if the Belgian revolt in 1830 never happened or was battered down just after start.
King William I had the vision to make his brand new kingdom in to a mid sized power.
The events in august 1830 were a test case for this new king and kingdom. Sadly for the king and Belgium and Netherlands it failed at this first test.
After the defeat of Napoleon, the idea came to create a big buffer state against the aggressive France. Napoleon wasn’t the first French ruler who liked to fight a war.
So at the Congress of Vienna the United Republic and the Austrian Netherlands were united under one ruler. The man for this job was thought to be William I, Prince of Nassau. He was just declared Sovereign of the Netherlands by 3 influential Dutch men who wanted to create a more central state in stead of the hopelessly divided old federal Republic.
William first astonished the Brits by refusing this because the man wasn’t happy with the size of his new kingdom. His ambitions were to have more parts in the east, till the river Moesel and Rhine. But these territories were claimed by Prussian.
Never the less after a strong argument he agreed. The man had quite an attitude.
One of the men, who made him King of the Netherlands, wrote a constitution, with a parliament, 2nd chamber, and later on the demands of the Nobles from the South a 1st chamber like the House of Lords.
The cleric in the South was hostile from the beginning and forbid any cooperation of Catholics with the heretic Protestant King.
Most of the higher clerics and nobles in the south liked to see a restoration under the Austrians, not that they liked them so mush but it would mean a restoration of their power and privileges.
After some ‘Dutch’ calculation the constitution was accepted, any opposition with religious motives were neglected, and William I was King of the United Netherlands.
After the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo near Brussels the new Kingdom could start.
It had fresh constitution, with for that time liberal rules, especially in a time were all the elements of the Revolution were tried to be removed.
The problems started soon, and this was merely the fault of the King. He turned out to be a very autocratic man, not able to delegate. He was how ever a hard working man desperately trying to make his kingdom prosperous and modern. Dozens of canals were diged (Canal Gent –Terneuzen), paved roads were build, trading companies established and industrials attracted (Cockerill).
How ever Van Hoogendorp, the man who wrote the constitution and even made William King, experienced more and more opposition and even insults of the king in the meeting of the State General.
In the South which rapidly industrialized, the voice for more freedom of press, less tight language rules for the French. The King how ever turned to be more a protectionist for the protection of the emerging industry of the South.
The Catholic church elite, who spoke French like the elite in Flanders, opposed more and more the king, out of fear to lose the control over the population and with that, there power and privileges. The Church even organized a petition were in it demand the restoration of the French language in Flemish parts. The poor Flemish population signed en-masse for it; even most of them couldn’t read or write French.
After the defeat of the Bonapartist regime Brussels was the refugee spot for a lot of revolutionaries, Jacobites and Bonapartists from France. The Son of King William I hang out a lot with these types. He was also a big admirer of Napoleon. He even once tried to make a deal with him, and he still surrounded himself with a lot of revolutionaries and other French speaking persons. He made already 3 conspiracies which collided with the policies of his dad. All very ambitious, king of France etc. Most of them were insinuated by his so called ‘friends’.
The British including Wellington in witch army the prince fought against Napoleon, didn’t had a high attitude of him. It was well known that the man was eager and easily influenced.
In 1830 there was a bad harvest and a following shortage, so high food prices hit the poor under class. In 1830 a revolution in Paris broke out against the restored Bourbons.
In Brussels after a theater play the French revolutionaries wanted to start their own private revolution. They smashed some windows and looted a bookstore. Nothing serious but rumors attracted riot seekers like today. The hungry mob was now agitated by the French revolutionaries. The city council, with the rapid erected civil guard, tried to counter the still small riots and asked assistance of the Crown prince William and his younger brother prince Frederick, who stayed with the army just outside Brussels. To the astonishment of the city council and the foreign ambassadors, the Crown prince entered the city alone flanked by the agitators, who among them were a lot of old ‘friends’. By letting the army outside the city the rioters were out of control. That is to say, the French agitators controlled them. The civil guard was insulted and felled betrayed by this behavior of the crown prince. The Prince, easily influenced, played a strange game trying to become King of an independent new state. Because of this the city counsel took power in their own hands in an attempt to control the order in the city and to make their demands to the king.
To be short the crown prince betrayed his father again, betrayed the Flemish and lost the last opportunity to stop the uprising in the French speaking part of the kingdom.
All the time the Flemish cities were loyal to the Kingdom. City councils even begged army officers to stay and not leave the city to the now called rebels.
The big foreign powers intervened.
In 1832 a ten days war happened, surprisingly successful for the North, but the British and other major powers concluded that an independent Belgian state was the only option left. When a French army marched up close to Brussels, the army of the North Netherlands retreated. This al happened with a lot of political intrigue of the French. In 1839 Belgian became an independent kingdom, with a very modern constitution, and a German Prince who was willing to play king. Its Industrialization increased very fast. The Flemish however, who were a majority, but controlled by French speaking elite, became second rang citizens in their own country. Cities like Gent and Antwerp who had an economical upheaval during the United Kingdom now suffered heavy. In Gent the textile industry collapsed and the port of Antwerp was closed by a blockade and later hampered by a toll for the river Schelde.
The new state was heavily influenced by France who even later starts to regard it as her sphere of influence, and Napoleon III tried to annexate it.
The North, Netherlands, kept for 9 years a large costly army, lacked coal and iron deposits, so important for the first industrial revolution and drifted a way in its self. It became a bit a back warded country over which was said that everything happened there 50 years after the rest of the world.
What if………..
There is still social unrest and hunger among the poorest class. Unhappiness amongst the up coming Bourgeoisie because their lack of influence and the Catholic Church because of their lost power. And the French revolutionaries are still in Brussels busy with conspiracies and printing leaflets against the autocratic king and his suppression of his French speaking subjects.
Prince Willem Frederik Georg Lodewijk, the crown prince. Was educated in Oxford. He had some doubtful reputation in England. Fought in the army of Wellington. However Wellington recognized that he had courage, he also found the prince an arrogant, weak personality and easily influenced.In 1817 after a dispute whit his father about military and government issues he resign his function as Inspector General of the Army.
In 1819 and1820 the crown prince is involved in a conspiracy to remove the Bourbons from the French throne and become king of France and annex the southern part of the Netherlands by France.
In 1821 he is forced by to resign all his functions and his rights on the throne.
Prince Willem Frederik Karel second son of King William Igrow upat the Prussiancourt. He gets his military training from Von Clausewitz. After this he takes service in the Prussian army. He takes part in the battle of Leipzig when he is16 years. After the house of Orange came back in the Netherlands he became Colonel in the Dutch army. From 1815 he takes part of the meetings of the State General.
In 1821 he became the heir of the throne after his brother was denied of his rights.
He marries in 1825 with Louise Augusta von Hohenzollern. Daughter of the Prussian King.
In 1826 he establish the military academy in Breda, he has now the function of Commisaris-Generaal, secretary of defense.
He works hard for the reformation of the army and promotion by exams rather than birth or class.
In 1821 hebecomes the second in line, after his older brother has abdicated this right.
In 1830 revolution brake out in Paris. The French refugees in Brussels are inspired by it after a theatre play and start making trouble. The council of Brussels asked for support of the army to stop the trouble makers. The army was in Vilvoorde just out side of Brussels. The army commanded by the king’s second son Prince Fredrik Karel and Luitenand-General Chasee marches into the city. Heavy fighting during three days. Casualties are high, progress is slow. Rebels fire from cellars and out of windows of houses. At the end of the third day the king’s army retreads to the royal park. When the evening falls the army has to retreat to the Royal Park, or Warande. The Prince want to retreat out of the city but General Chasee decide to storm the barricades during the night. To the surprise of the soldiers most of the barricades are deserted, the mob is getting pissed in the taverns. (Really happened) By day brake most of the barricades are taken and the mob is arrested or those who resist are simply shot at the spot. The remaining barricades are cleaned up at the end of the day. Most of the revolutionairs had left the city before the army entered it. The French revolutionaries Alexandre Gendebien and Edouard Ducpétiaux one of the main agitators were shot dead in the aftermath by officers of the army when they tried to escape to Luik and from there to France.
General Van Geen, a man from Gent, commander of Namen had to stop some riots also inflicted by French agitators. And after that he left with a large body of troops to Luik. In that city he rounded up as well rioters and preventing so that the revolutionaries left Luik to support the revolutionaries in Brussels.
General Wilmars commander in Luxemburg mobilized his troops in case some revolution army from France would cross the border. His troop’s arrested Mr. Rogier several months later when he tried to come back. After a short trial the man was expelled to France for the rest of his life.
After the order was restored Liberals from the South and from the North, with amongst them Van Hoogendorp, asked for a special meeting of the State General.
The meeting had as main purpose to settle the grieves of the South.
They implemented reforms and tied down the King to follow the rules written down in the constitution. Almost all the grieves of the Liberals of the South are met, how ever there will be no administrative division of the Kingdom.
The King can not rule any more by Royal Decreed.
There will be more freedom of press and a King who will let the country ruled by his ministers instead of himself. These ministers are responsible for their policy and have to report to the parliament.
The division of seats in the State General and Parliament will be according to population so the denser populated Flanders has the most seats. The members of the senate, will be chosen by the provinces so that most of the French aristocracy from the South is bypassed. They were demanding the institution of the senate, like the House of Lords in the United Kingdom.
Voting right is only for men and depend on the amount of tax you contribute, like all early democracies in Europe.
The South doesn’t have to pay for the enormous State debt, which was a legislation of the old Republic.
Only Dutch, Flemish-speaking clerks will populate the burocratic institutes of the government. The exception is in the French parts of the country, parts of Henegouwen and the Ardennes.
The elite of Flanders remain Francophone.
After some negotiations and threats to the King, he agrees in the new constitution. It is almost similar as the constitution of the Belgian independence in OTL.
The residence of the Parliament will now be in Brussels for permanent and not any more every 6 months in The Hague and 6 months in Brussels.
This now still united Netherlands has the opportunity to become a real mid sized power. Already in OTL the combination of the trade network of the North together with her overseas possessions and the emerging industry in the South proved to be a success.
This all will continue and even increase, more than in OTL. There will be still big political clashes between the Catholic Church, the French speaking minority and the Protestant North but none of these cases will erupt in big uprisings.
1816
Erection of the University of Ghent in order of William I.
Start of the channel Ghent –Terneuzen in order of William I, to give this city an direct opening to the sea.
1817
Van Hoogendorp is sacked.
Generaal Van den Bosch establish the "Maatschappij van Weldadigheid" ,with this he want to battle the poverty by cultivating rough land by unemployed.
1818, Belgium still exported arms to South America.
1819, the streets of Brussels were lighted by gas lanterns, the gas produced, from coal, in a gas factory. Other cities soon followed.
The port infrastructure in the South was improved. The first steamships were put into service to cruise the rivers and canals.
1821, Prince Willem Frederik Karel second son of King William I becomes crown prince. His elder brother lost the support from his father and the confidence of the parliament, after a series of scandals, with French revolutionairs.
1822, Erection of the `´Algemene Nederlandse Maatschappij ter Begunstiging van de Volksvlijt´´, for the promotion of the industry in the kingdom.
1823, Language decreed, from now on only Dutch is allowed in the Flemish provinces.
In Rotterdam establish G.M. Roentgen the "Nederlandse Stoombootmaatschappij", after he invented an improvement for the steam engine. The society opens in 1825 a new shipyard in Feyenoord, close to Rotterdam.
1824, during the revolution and the following Napoleontic age the Dutch colonies were occupied by British forces. The British and Dutch sign a treaty in which the Dutch cede all possessions in Hither India, Ceylon and on the Malay peninsula (Malacca), the British cede all their possessions in the Insulinde archipelago; mutual spheres of interest were defined.
The Cape Colony was sold in 1816.
The "NV Nederlandse Handelsmaatschappij" is erected. King William invests in this enterprise 4 million gilder for a period of 20 year.
The purpose is to reclaim back, for the Netherlands, a large part of the world trade.
1825, The administration of the Dutch East Indies, seated at Batavia, engaged in a policy of expansion, subjugating the Sultanate of Palembang in 1825 In order to make the colony self-sufficient, the Cultivation system was introduced in 1830. The money raised with it was used to pay off the huge state debt, made by the North in the decades before and later paid a lot of railroads.
Collegium Philosophicum established, this college is a state school for priest, and it let to a big confrontation with the Catholic Church.
Frederik der Nederlanden maries Louise of Pruisen, daughter of King Frederik Willem III of Pruisen.
Paul van Vlissingen starts the "Amsterdamse Stoombootmaatschappij". Two years later he will expand this with a machine factory which will later produce railroad material.
1826 Start of the Channel Brussels to Charleroi.
Opening of the Military Academy at Breda.
1827 Sea channel Gent to Terneuzen is opened this give Gent opening to the Westerschelde.
Paul Louis Isidore Delvaux (°1801 +1880), Belgian lawyer, pleads for a union between Liberals and Catholics.
1828, The Port of Antwerp is booming and Gent is flourishing because of its textile exports to the East Indies and the new build sea canal.
1829, Parliament reject the budget for the next year as a protest against the autocratic reign of the king and in favor for press freedom.
King William I am willing to comply with the questions.
1830 Social and political unrest in Brussels ignited by French revolutionairs in exile.
Revolt is repelled, see above.
1831 Antoine Lipkens, in order of the Military staff, designed and build a net work of optical sign post from Amsterdam to Bergen in the South. This to make swift and reliable communication possible.
Establishment of nation wide post network.
1834 A group of businessmen from Brussels, financed a private owned optical signpost-line between Brussels, Antwerp and Amsterdam. To exchange information on of the stock exchange and other trade information in these cities and to use the fast information for there profits, in exchange of money every one can use this system.
Princess Victoria become Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland. Due to the Salic Law, Hanover passed to her uncle, the Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, who became King Ernest Augustus I of Hanover.
1835 The European continent's first steam-powered railway line was opened between Mechelen and Brussels, it was quickly expanded, and by 1843 the Netherlands had a railroad network, connecting Amsterdam and Brussels. Most of the Netherlands's railroads were constructed by the State Railways - thus the lines were built with a standard gauge, also mostly paid by the colonial cultivation system in Indonesia. The chaos of having numerous private lines of different gauge width other countries had to deal with, was avoided. Most of the track was in the South were the industry was. Private companies did the exploitation.
In Antwerp the Zoo is opened.
King William I maries a Catholic Baroness from the South,Countess d'Oultremont. Giving him good will in the Catholic South but protest in the Protestant North.
1838, Several laws are implemented to replace the ‘Code Napoleon’.
Cacao Plantation started at the slave coast, Ghana, after recommendations of the late governor Daendels. In his function Daendels concluded an agreement with the Ashanti and supervised the construction of a road from fort Elmina to the capital of the Ashanti inland.
1840, King William I abdicates in favor of his second son Frederick.
The modest king Frederick became popular monarch and traveled frequently through his Kingdom using the Royal train.
Transit trade from ports in the Netherlands to the German Zollverein to increase tenfold in the later 1840es.
The ongoing Industrial Revolution had a strong effect on South.
The existence of a railroad system exacerbated the consequences of the industrial revolution; the Flemish non mechanical weaving industry vanished in the 1840es, shifted to mechanized textile mills in Gent finding employment in the expanding industries, many joining the poor (unemployed).
Many of the textile products from Gent find its way in the over seas parts of the Kingdom.
Liberals of the North and South are finding each other. Catholic Church elite of the South become more and more political isolated due to their harsh resistance against the King and the increasing literate of the Flemish people.
1842, Dutch Royal Navy commissioned its first submarine, designed by Antoine Lipkens. It remains by one experimental vessel.
1843, William I dies.
1846, Potato harvest is a disaster in whole Europe. Famine in large parts of Europe are the result with the worst parts hit in Ireland and Scotland. Miliones of Irish will die and triggers a mass migration to the United States. The potato famine has a big impact as well in Flanders, Groningen and in Guilderland. Poverty and famine is everywhere on the countryside. Flax harvest is also bad. People are forced to move to cities and industrial centers.
1846 - 1850, Hunger years in Flanders, Brabant and other Provinces; the problem of poverty only worsened. Families were given (marginal) subsidies. Many families from the provinces of Flanders, Brabant, Zeeland and Groningen immigrated, mostly into the industrial centers of Walloon or to the cities of Antwerp, Rotterdam and Ghent. Migration from the North and Eastern Provinces to Walloon made the French speaking population shrink.
Even the official policy of unification i.e. making the Kingdom Dutch, was abandoned after the unrest of 1830. The migration of Dutch speaking people to the South decreased the French speaking population. It was still remembered that the unrest in 1830 was caused by manly French or French speaking agitators.
The government decides to relieve the import of weed so that the price of bread decreases in the Corn Laws..
When the Sultan of Brunei approached the Dutch administration for assistance in 1841, accepted –even Brunei was too remote, the costs high. It raised questions because of this.
(In OTL they refused, so the stage was set for British adventurer James Brooke to appear.)
In the other colonies, the Netherlands pursued the policy of holding on to the status quo.
1848, Social unrest around Europe. Riots around the Netherlands caused by poverty and hunger. Riots in Gent, Antwerp, Luik, Bergen, Charleroi, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and Amsterdam and the Province Groningen.
Liberals united from North and South under Thorbecke, urge the King to sign a constitution witch makes the Netherlands a real constitutional monarchy.
The constitution guaranties freedom of religion press and meeting.
King Frederik reluctantly agrees after a month and some guaranties and will still keeps much power (not in 24 hours like his brother William II in OTL)
Thorbecke will form his first cabinet.
At the end of the year the storm of revolution is over in Europe and much is the same.
1849 Act of Navigation is dissolved by the Brittish, this opens lots of ports for Dutch trading ships.
1850, After much negotiation Great Britain gives back British Guyana, former Essequibo, Berbice and Demerary colonies.
These territories were not so valuable any more after the decline of the sugar price and the abolishment of the slave trade in the British Empire. In exchange the Netherlands will leave the Malacca peninsula.
As a claim Dutch soldiers build a fortress at the west side of the Orinoco River which led to protests of Venezuela.
Government encourages the re-locating people to the Guyana’s and the establishment of cacao plantations in Ghana. The goal is to remove the poor out of the Kingdom and to develop this South American colony and African possession. Due to the harsh tropical climate the people come in conditions even worse than in the mother country. After very difficult start the colonial economy starts to grow and the prospects for re-settlement to this colony become a bit brighter. Plantations for indigo, cacao and dyewood grew, even the capital of the colony, Nieuw Amsterdam, gets finally shape in the form of the city plan from 1785. Most of these immigrants came from the Catholic Provinces Brabant and Flanders. With these migrants also came Catholic priest who started to convert the black population to the Catholic believe and start to build schools.
1852, Haarlemmer-meer, a former inland lake in Holland is turned in to a polder with the help of steam powered pumps, it tooks seven years.
Tin was discovered in large quantities on Biliton. In 1858, the Sultan of Siak (Sumatra) recognized Dutch suzerainty
Cacao plantations at the Slave Coast turn after a difficult start a success. Especially after the introduction of quinine against malaria. Result of the increasing number of colonist is an increase of tensions with the Ashanti.
Political tensions between France and the Netherlands due to aggressive politics of Napoleon III and the support of this for the Francophone population. This detoriate the atmosphere between the countries more.
1854, Japan's opening to the west, the lucrative Dutch monopoly of the only foreign trade post in Japan was ended.
As a result of the success of the cacao plantations, the last Dutch outposts in Africa, mainly Elmina, located at the Gold Coast, was not abandoned to the pressing Ashanti. With the Ashanti were a treaties made and land for plantations bought. The trade of slaves dried up but was replaced by a new marked for textile from Gent and later cacao plantations after the ideas of Daendels.
(The Dutch claims sold to Britain in 1872.In OTL.)
This trade with Africa and the possibility of production plantations gets the interest of some traders and industrialist, from Amsterdam and Brussels.
1856, Establishment of a trading post at the estuary of the Congo River.
1857 Start of the first plantation along the Congo River.
1858 First Catholic misioner arives in the Congo. Fredriks stad established as main setlement at the Congao river. Smaller Willemsburg lays on the other side of the river. ( almost OTL Kinshasha and Brazaville)
1859, First expedition upstream the Congo River with a steam paddle boat.
Congo Free Trade zone established. It is administred from Elmina, Ghana.
1860, The Sultanate of Banjermasin (Borneo) was conquered.
1860, South Netherlands engineer Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir patented the world's first internal combustion engine. Only about 500 were built, as German engineer Nicolas Otto soon came up with a much improved engine which was to set the industrial standard.
Start of the American civil war. The United Netherlands stays neutral, but continued with cotton trade with the CSA untill the blockade of the USA navy made it too risky.
1862, Walloon industrial chemist Ernest Solvay (1838-1922) developed the ammonia process or Solvay process for the industrial production of Soda. Industrial production began in 1865.
Slavery was abolished.
There more than ten Chatolic misions allond the Congoriver and five more allong the North coast, all supported by monastirs from Flandres or Brabant.
French intervention, by Napoleon III in the Mexican civil war.
MAXIMILIAN OF HABSBURG is elected Emperor and a French expeditionary force is dispatched. Yet over time French support was reduced, then withdrawn, the Republican side won, Maximilian was executed in 1867. The execution of Maximlian caused a serious blow to NapoleonIII prestige.
1863, School reforms, in an attempt to end the ongoing dispute between the government and the Catholic Church and Protestant churches.
First protetant misioner arives in the Congo. This triggers a kind of race for African souls for the Catholic church or the Protestant church.
Whitout having the intention to do so the misioners, expand the ‘’sphere of influence’’ of the Netherlands in the area after some ‘’pacification’’ actions of armed Dutch troops and mercanaries to protect the misions in the Congo.
More and more investments allong the Congo river for colonial goods as wood, cacoao and palm oil.
1864, First iron clad of the Netherlands Royal Navy enters service. The ship is built in England by Laird. Antwerp expands his port by the building of a Dock.
Missions reports of inhumane behaviour of the planters towards the loca population at the plantations in the Congo Free Trade zone.
End of the American Civil war
1865, Severe political tensions between the Netherlands and France, because of the claims of Napoleon III over Luxembourg
Napoleon III offers French neutrality to Bismarck in the crisses between Prusia and Austria in exchange for annexation if the Netherlands uptill the river Rhine.
Bismarck refuse
1866, Bruder Krieg between Prussia and Austria-Hungary. Luxemburg and Limbourg is a part of the German- bund but stays neutral. Luxemburg and Limbourg leaves the German Bund.
Italy become United and independent, with exception of the Papal State.
Modernization program of the Dutch Royal navy. Between 1866 and 1870, It build four ‘monitor’ ironclads for the river and coast defense and fourteen tower ironclads. Five of them are constructed in France or Great Britain. The last ship build in Great Britain was the ZMS Frederik Henderik with two revolving towers.
The first completely built in the Netherlands ironclad ships, were two ships; the ZMS Koning der Nederlanden and the ZMS Insulinde. it were larger versions of the ZMS Frederik Henderik, with the help of British engineers from Laird. The iron is made in Charleroi; guns are made in Luik and the ships are built on a yard in Amsterdam.
1867 Change of laws make it now possible to start workers unions or organize strikes.
New rings of forts around Antwerp are build.
On a new ship yard in Antwerp four new iron clads are build, these are improved versions of the ´´Koning der Nederlanden´´ class.
A second 'submarine' is build as an experimental vessel for the royal navy. The design is a combination of the first Lipkens vessel and designs used in the American civil war.
End of the death penalty.
Cultivation system in Indonesia is stopped. It was used to pay the State debt and to finance the construction of railways.
1868 Parlemaint examines the ongoiing reports from the missions, both Catholic as Protestant of brutalities from planters towards local population in the Congo Free Trade zone.
Cabinet follows the conclusions of the investeigation commity to end brutalities in the Congo Fre Trade zone. It will be a full colony same as Indie and will be the responsibility of the Ministry of Colonies in Brussels. Colonial troops and clercs from the Netherlands establish official authority from Frederiks stad.
1869,Pope Pius IX dies. Half year later Pope Leo XIII elected.
1870, European diplomatic difficuties over the vacant trone of Spain. There were two candidates, a Bourbon and a Hohenzollern. Napoleon III. insisted that King Wilhelm II. of Prussia, in the name of his relative, withdrew the candidacy - Wilhelm III. complied. Then Napoleon insisted that King Wilhelm, as the head of the house of Hohenzollern, would renounce any claim on the Spanish throne for any Hohenzollern in the future - Wilhelm refused and sent Bismarck a copy of the French demand. Bismarck published an abridged version in the press - the EMS DISPATCH -.
Napoleon III resolves with the more pragmatic Pope Leo XII and the Italian King Victor Emanuel II the Roman Question. Rome is now officialy and in reality the capital of Italy. The pope will be generously compensated by Italy. French troops are withdrawn from Italian soil.
19July Franche declares war on Prusia
July, The Netherlands are neutral,but Cabinet orders mobilization of the army and navy. Concentration of the Fortification-Army around Antwerp, Luik, Namen, and Luxembourg. The mobilization goes terribly slow and chaotic. The only troops ready are the Fortification troops and Navy.
20July France asks in an ultimatum for troop movement through the Netherlands. Government of the Netherlands refuse. Gouverment of the Netherlands asks international support which is given by Prusia.
