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Louis Bonaparte, younger brother of the French Emperor Napoleon I. With stand the demands of his mighty brother to close trade, which would devastate his new kingdom.
In 1809 the British organize an military expedition to relieve the Austrians, with a second front. The aim is to conquer Antwerp. The British force of 39000 men should land at Walcheren, Zealand. How ever the preparations encounter much difficulties and delays. When the force want to set sail, news reach the British that the Austrians are soundly defeated at the battle of Wagram and that the war for the coalition is turning bad. The expedition is hold of and finely canceled.

Louis Bonaparte, not aware of this, remains stubborn to ward the demands from France and keep defending the interested of his new beloved kingdom, formerly known as the Batavian Republic.

In 1811 Louis how ever did supplied, after strong pression from his brother some 10000 men for the Russian Campaign.
Mean time Louis negotiated in secret with the British for support.

1812 Napoleons Russian campaign went as we know and ended in his final down fall in 1814.
It was thought that it gave Napoleon a mental blow when he learned that one of his own brothers, Louis took part in the Sixth Coalition.

Despite the limited real support King Louis and the subjects of his kingdom could offer to the coalition partners in general to the British it gave a strong foor hold on the continent, and was closer than the Iberian peninsular.

For his efforts he was at least rewarded with the with the throne of Holland during the Congress of Vienna. Since the Great Powers, especially Metternich from Austria, want to have a stronger buffer state against France and want to humiliate t France as well several options came insight.

Louis's kingdom, former Dutch republic enlarged with;
Austrian Netherlands and France Flanders,
or East Frisia and a part of the former Kingdom of Wesphalia,
or parts of Cleve, Bentheim Limburg.

Prussia,Austria and Hanover would be compensated by other territories.

Or a mixture of all options. The fact that Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord was not part of the group French diplomats was not in favor for the French.

One thing was sure, Louis would have all the possessions from the former Dutch East Indian company and West Indian Company, except the ones on Ceylon and India.





(maps?)

Any thoughts of this kingdom of Louis Bonaparte after the Congress of Vienna?
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