Heel Nederland - A Surviving United Kingdom of the Netherlands

Heel Nederland

The Emergence of the Low countries as a European Power and United Kingdom of the Netherlands

Ok, well this is my first time line, so I hope you all enjoy it. Any input would be appreciated, so feel free to post comments.

The POD will be featured in the first post, however, the alternate outcome of that event means it is regarded as fairly insignificant in TTL
 
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From The Cape: A pre-1815 History, Amsterdam,1952

- "victory could be considered impossible, but the honour of the fatherland demanded a fight" - Jan Willem Jessen, Dutch nobleman, soldier and statesman; Governor of Cape Colony 1802-1821

British fears about Napoleons capacity to use Batavian Cape Colony as a base from which he called launch attacks into India culminated with the Battle of Blaauwberg. Fought near Cape Town itself on January 8, 1806, the engagement proved to be of little significance, with the battle's out come little more than the status quo ante pugnam. On the morning of January 8th, British forces under the command of Lt. General David Braid marched through Cape town (having landed the day prior) and approached the slopes Blaauwberg Mountain. Governor Jan Willem Jessen deployed his garrison, bolstered by local militia forces, and took up a defensive line across the veld. British forces outnumbered Jessen's by almost 2 to 1, and much of the Batavian force was comprised of militia. However, Jessen was able to order his troops into a strategic defensive line prior to skirmishing began. Fierce volleys of musket fire exchanged by both sides. A British bayonet charge on Jessen's left flank was on the verge of achieving breakthrough, but in a lapse of tactical judgment, Braid ordered their withdrawal to cover his own flank. The momentary weakness in the British line was exploited by Jessen's militia cavalry, which inflicted numerous casualties on the British.

Having lost some 354 men, Braid then ordered his force to withdraw form the engagement and return to Cape Town. However, while retreating, his force was ambushed by some of Jessen's light infantry, and after being surrounded on all sides surrendered. Braid's failed excursion to capture Batavia would be the last attempt by the British to capture Cape Town, and even though Napoleon never was able to use the Cape as a base from which to attack British shipping to India, it is difficult to imagine today what the UKN would look like in the absence of the Cape Colony (assuming the British would have retained it in the event of a victory.)

British Forces Attempting to Breakthrough Jessen's Line
 
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So if you guys have any ideas on how the Treaty of Vinnea should be re-written given the circumstance I would welcome some input. Basically, William I Fredercik (the new Dutch King) will lobby the British to oppose Luxembourgish entry into the German Confederation ,so that it may be fully absorbed into the UKN (which was Williams true goal down the road.) This will have an effect that is responsible for the survival of the UKN (won't spoil it yet, but i'm sure you can kinda figure it out)

I believe he doesn´t need to lobby with the British, but with the Prussians. They were the ones who originally wanted Luxembourg and accepted the compromise where Luxembourg became in personal union with the Netherlands (but defended by Prussian soldiers).
 
I believe he doesn´t need to lobby with the British, but with the Prussians. They were the ones who originally wanted Luxembourg and accepted the compromise where Luxembourg became in personal union with the Netherlands (but defended by Prussian soldiers).

So, what could he use as a bargaining chip with the Prussians? I don't think the Prussiians would be particularly interested in colonial possesion, but then again they might. Perhaps they could work out some trade arangement perhaps, but I'm not really sure. It seems as if the main reason the Prussians wanted Lux was so they could garrison it, so maybe a defenisve alliance would be suitable instead.
 
So, what could he use as a bargaining chip with the Prussians? I don't think the Prussiians would be particularly interested in colonial possesion, but then again they might. Perhaps they could work out some trade arangement perhaps, but I'm not really sure. It seems as if the main reason the Prussians wanted Lux was so they could garrison it, so maybe a defenisve alliance would be suitable instead.

No idea, probably some land elsewhere (part of Limburg, maybe), but I don´t think Willem would want that (Limburg is more useful for him than Luxembourg). I suspect he would prefer a personal union with Luxembourg than losing Limbourg or anything else. Marriage of one of his children to a major Prussian noble isn´t a solution as that had happened anyway. I don´t think that Prussia would be interested in a Dutch colony or that the Netherlands would trade a colony for Luxembourg. You could have the Netherlands form an alliance with Prussia, but that happened anyway. The most interesting solution is the Netherlands becoming part of the German Confederation, but I am not certain if that is what you want.
Actually I think that the easiest solution would be a Netherlands that has a larger influence in the war against Napoleon. You have a Dutch Cape colony; maybe they switch alligence to Britain (and stadholder Willem VI/king Willem I) when Napoleon annexes the kingdom of Holland. That could be enough. At least it could give the edge to the Netherlands during negotiations at Vienna.
 
The Dutch Revolution of 1807

From Out of Chaos: The Founding of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands by Oxford Professor James Houlihan, 1967

"As we saw earlier, Napoleons failure to bring the Netherlands soundly under his control while he simultaneously resisted the defiant reforms of the Dutch ultimately led to the reemergence of Dutch nationalism. By the time Napoleon had finally sent his troops into the Batavian Republic, hoping to effect its annexation, Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck had already sent an secret envoy to Britain, hoping to gain British support for a Dutch Assertion of independence. The British were all to happy to fgo along with anything that might further weaken Napoleon's position, and sent foreign Secretary Robert Stewart to Amsterdam. He arrived only shortly after the ratification of the Berlin treaty, and the implementation of the "Continental System." This attempt to put an end to the continuing maritime trade between the Dutch and England was the final straw for Dutch national sentiment, and on the 1st December 1806, Schimmelpenninck issued a deceleration that no Batavian officials were to follow any orders given to them by the French. Of course, Napoleon could not stand for such betrayal, and ordered his troops to invade. Against Napoleons forces, the Dutch were able to immediately deploy the 25,000 strong army that had been maintained under the batavian republic, to which a like number of militia and volunteers was added. Dutch and French first clashed outside the town of Breda, in the first decisive engagement of the Revolution of January 1807."
 
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Before, I continue, I need to figure out the specifics of how the war will play out, mainly how many troops Napoleon would be willing to send, and how quickly the British could send the Dutch reinforcements. The Grande Arme marched into Portugal in late 1807 125,000 strong, so perhaps Napoleon would use the same forces on the dutch. I suspect that this will probably butterfly away the Peninsular campaign, but I have yet to decide how to have the Napoleonic Wars carry out. Anyway, stay tuned for the next update.
 
Why Luxemburg? Just for the territory or another reason? Why not have the Dutch agree to the Prussians getting Luxemburg if they support a Dutch claim for French Flanders after the war is won?
 
Actually I think that the easiest solution would be a Netherlands that has a larger influence in the war against Napoleon. You have a Dutch Cape colony; maybe they switch alligence to Britain (and stadholder Willem VI/king Willem I) when Napoleon annexes the kingdom of Holland. That could be enough. At least it could give the edge to the Netherlands during negotiations at Vienna.

The Netherlands could started with rejecting the Continental System, which would be in favour of the British. By keeping the ports open the Napoleonic wars would be different, but the Netherlands have more influence at the congress of Vienna after the war.
 
The Netherlands could started with rejecting the Continental System, which would be in favour of the British. By keeping the ports open the Napoleonic wars would be different, but the Netherlands have more influence at the congress of Vienna after the war.

That is very hard. in the age of napoleon the Netherlands (as the batavian republic or the kingdom of Holland) was basicly a French puppet. And the Dutch did trade with Britain, a lot of smuggling was going on. King Louis basicly ignored the smuggling, which was an important reason for napoleon to annex the Netherlands.
 
Who said it would be easy? But what if king Louis, who according the the OTL wanted to abandon the Continental System, started secret negotiations with the British.

What if the British don’t intervened in Portugal but hold their troops for the Walcheren Expedition that started on 30 July 1809. But this time with Wellesley as Commander instead of John Pitt and an additional 10 thousand soldiers ) which in OTL were in Portugal.

With the cooperation of the Dutch they might succeed in getting a foothold on mainland Europe.
 
The key to Luxembourg is an extra catholic and Francophone influence of the dutch parliament and King, which leads to acceptance of proportional representation, and diminished attempts to assert Northern Dutch superiority over the others in the Union. This is ultimately what will preserve the UKN as a single entity.
 
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