The Catholic clergy in the South was hostile from the beginning, the Cardinal even 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.
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 industrial entrepreneurs 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. The Catholic clergy in the South was hostile from the beginning, the Cardinal even 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.
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 industrial entrepreneurs 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.
1820
Willem Frederik first son of Willem I King of the Netherlands made not his last but certainly his most define mistake. After a already difficult relation with his father and some scandalous affairs and rumors, some referring to sodomy and other very inappropriate behavior.
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. They even once tried to make a deal with him, a conspiracy which was discovered by Tsar Alexander informed Willem I of the plans of his eldest son. After that he still surrounded himself with a lot of revolutionaries and other French speaking persons of dubious origin. His behavior and attitude collided with the policies of his dad. All very plans were 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 1820 the French government discovered an other revolutionair plot to over trow King Louis XVIII of France, this was the second time the Dutch crown prince was linked with revolutonair conspirators in France. This time how ever British newspapers get their hands on it and a diplomatic drama evolve. The end of the whole drama was that King Willem I had to chose his second son Frederick Willem as throne pretender. Willem Frederick was denied the right on the throne and had to withdraw from all his official duties. He and his wife, Anna Paulowna, daughter of Tsar Paul I of Russia and their children left the country.
Prince Willem Frederik Karel second son of King William I grow up at the Prussian court. 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 Royal military academy in Breda, which was erected by his great grand father Prince Willem Friso, in his 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 1820 he becomes the second in line of the throne of the Netherlands, after his older brother has abdicated this right.