I have been thinking a bit about the potential of the so-called United Kingdom of the Netherlands, that incarnation of the Dutch state created after the Congress of Vienna in 1815 that included what are now the sovereign states of Belgium and Luxembourg within itself, the course of 19th century history would have been altered.
Consider: Containing within itself the maritime and trading strength of Holland and the growing industrial economy of Wallonia, with a still-substantial overseas empire, the 1815-1830 Kingdom of the Netherlands arguably was close to becoming another European Great Power. The corner of northwestern Europe near the mouth of the Rhine, rather than being a cockpit for rival powers, might itself become a seat of power. It certainly could have been a very risky move for France to try to seek territorial acquisitions in the south of this country as compensation for the gains of its rivals.
Mind, this all depends on whether the United Netherlands could have survived. Was the Belgian Revolution inevitable? Was it possible that the Dutch state might have bent enough to make the break less possible? Alternatively, was it possible that the Belgians might have had less foreign support? Beyond that, even if the United Netherlands did survive, would its divisions be manageable politically? A United Netherlands could end up lurching from one crisis to another, a sort of Austria-Hungary on the North Sea.
Thoughts?
Consider: Containing within itself the maritime and trading strength of Holland and the growing industrial economy of Wallonia, with a still-substantial overseas empire, the 1815-1830 Kingdom of the Netherlands arguably was close to becoming another European Great Power. The corner of northwestern Europe near the mouth of the Rhine, rather than being a cockpit for rival powers, might itself become a seat of power. It certainly could have been a very risky move for France to try to seek territorial acquisitions in the south of this country as compensation for the gains of its rivals.
Mind, this all depends on whether the United Netherlands could have survived. Was the Belgian Revolution inevitable? Was it possible that the Dutch state might have bent enough to make the break less possible? Alternatively, was it possible that the Belgians might have had less foreign support? Beyond that, even if the United Netherlands did survive, would its divisions be manageable politically? A United Netherlands could end up lurching from one crisis to another, a sort of Austria-Hungary on the North Sea.
Thoughts?
