William III lives longer

[Theodoric]

I don't know about that. The stadholder didn't have that much power. He wasn't a king (although they often tried to be one). The political power in the Netherlands was at the rich merchants in Holland. They had the power and controlled the Netherlands. Ok, as I said the stadholders often tried to gain the power of a king, (Dutch political history of the 17th and 18th century bascly is the strugle of stadholders against the merchants) but in the end they always lost (which is why there were two stadholderless ages).

In this scenario the stadholders have even less power, certainly considering Willem IV and V, who were stadholder over all provinces. The stadholders would not fight amongst themselves. First of all Gelderland, Overijsel, Groningen, Friesland and even Zeeland and Utrecht weren't important. The power in the Netherlands lied in the province of Holland. The merchants of Holland ruled the Netherlands. The stadholder of Holland was the most (perhaps even the only) important. That is why for more than a century there were two stadholders in the Netherlands, the Frisian ones and the stadholder of the other provinces. They never came into conflict, because only the stadholder of Holland was important. That will be the same in this scenario with three stadholders.

Actually I think this system is far more stable than one stadholder for the provinces. Because the stadholder of Holland will have far less influence in the other provinces, so he won't be able to challenge the merchants as effectively, so they remain in power, creating a far more stable situation than the constant power struggle.

Well, initially, at least. This does greatly impact late 18th century history in ways I can't even imagine. How will the Patriots vs Orangists conflict look like in this TL, if something even resembling that will occur?

 

[pompejus]

Well, initially, at least. This does greatly impact late 18th century history in ways I can't even imagine. How will the Patriots vs Orangists conflict look like in this TL, if something even resembling that will occur?

I have thought about that and my first reaction was that without a strong stadholder the patriots would rise to success quickly, creating a more democratic Netherlands, with equal right for non-protestants and the generality lands. After that thought i quickly considered it too optimistic and naive.

I suspect something like Patriots vs orangists will arise. As I said 17th and 18th century Dutch politics was basicly the continuing struggle between the stadholders and the rich Dutch merchants and the patriots vs Orangist conflict was part of it as well. The question is how will it play out. With three different stadholders the power and inluence of the stadholders is greatly reduced, compared to Willem IV and V. Maybe they choose the side of the arising middle class, who were unhappy with the corruption of the merchant class, but were forced to join forces with them because of they way the stadholders acted. It also depends on the foreign situation; with the stadholders so closely tide to England and possibly Prussia or other German nobles, the Netherlands will be caugth in wars it wasn't involved OTL. With the Orange dynasty on the English trone, the American war of independence (a huge influence for the patriots) might be butterflied away or changed drastically. Maybe France will be more succesful in the southern Netherlands (or maybe the Netherlands itself is bringing its border closer to France), meaning the Dutch merchants start to fear the French more than OTL and won't be as influenced as they were OTL in the late 18th century. All of those things will influence Dutch politics.

 

[Parma]

Do not forget other events North and Southern Netherlands, like the revolt in Brabant and Luik, at the end of the 18th century. And the, IOTL (unsucsesful) efforts to reform the instituut of the State from a lose confederation into a (litle) more power full federation.
The effects on the Southern Netherlands which can become part og the United provinces that will have a more powerfulll ally/union with a King Billy or his ofspring and relatives.

The Dutch Regent will oppose to a ''land grab'' at the end of the War of the Spanish sucsesion, like uniting Brabant and anexing large parts of Flandres. It would mean a huge lost of influence in the Republic by the Mervhants. But his could be the most important reson the''landgrab'' by William III, even the population of these Provinces is Catholic.

Bentheim became German due to a morgage contract with Hanover. Cleves could be changed ou for something else, as a private enterprice between royals.