The Dutch age of greatness was a term coined by historians in the late 19th century. The name was given to the 18th century, a period roughly end of the war of the Spanish Succession and the death of the stadholder Johan Willem Friso of Nassau Dietz, sometimes called the Great. The later tiltle was never official and only used by Orangist.
The term The Age of Greatness was also used to distinguish the period form the prevouis period in the 17th century; The Golden Age.
The Age of Greatness was not about economic growth or a hight in the arts but more of teritorial growth, consilidation and political reformation. It also was a period of the emerge of sience.
Stadholder Johan Willem Friso was the centre piece of this era, not the central figure but more the catalist of the things.
When William II of Orange Nassau died in 1702 he made in his will he made Johan Friso as his heir general. This was opposed by Frederick I of Prussia and
François Louis, Prince of Conti,(supported by Louis XIV)
Johan Willem Friso was denied the stadholder ship by nearly all of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic exempt for Groningen and Frissia whihc he already was. Fredercik of Prussia clamed and occupied the Counties of Lingen and Moers immidiatly after the death of William III. Since the Prussians were needed in the coalition agiant France in the enfolding war the State General of the Dutch Republic tried to settle.
The war of, what later was called the War of the Spanish Succession evovled.
On coming of age in 1707, John William Friso became a general of the Dutch troops during the
War of Spanish Succession, under the command of the
Duke of Marlborough, and turned out to be a competent officer. He commanded Dutch infantry in the
battle of Oudenarde(1708),
siege of Lille (1708), and
battle of Malplaquet (1709). The peentration of the second line of the
pré carré which defended the North of France with the sieges of Béthune,
Saint-Venant,
Aire-sur-la-Lys.
In 1711 he crossed the formidable
Ne Plus Ultra lines, before
capturing Bouchain on 12 September 1711 The campaign was not decisive, however.
Arras,
Cambrai,
Le Quesnoy, and
Landrecies still stood between the allies and Paris, and it would take at least one more campaign to secure their capitulation
Due to a change in gouverment in the UK.
In 1712 the British made a separate, and initially secret, cease fire with the French. The Dutch and Austrians continued. The Austrians continued with Prince of Eugen at the head of their troops and as overall comander while the young Friso was appointed comander of the Dutch troops, however not the title stadholder. The congress at
Utrecht convened on 29 January 1712 between the beligerent parties however without an armistice.
The Dutch – who had received no guarantees for their strategic and commercial interests – were inclined to fight on; as was Prince Eugene who was determined to breach the remaining fortresses guarding northern France and compel Louis XIV into making substantial concessions. On 4 July 1712, Eugene took Le Quesnoy; on the 17th he invested Landrecies, the last
pré carréfortress between himself and Paris. British troops had by now pulled back to Ghent and Bruges, and in conformity with the agreement with France they also occupied Dunkirk.
Johan Willem Friso finest moment of his early military career came when the French commander, Villars, feinting against the besiegers at Landrecies under Prince of Savoy, the French commander
struck out for Denain. Denain was a fortified village at the end of the allied left flank and defended by around 10000 men. Villars attacked the Dutch garrisson under encouraging command of Johan Willem Friso on 24 July.
The Dutch troops, despite being outnumberd by more than two defeated the French assault numerous times and finaly broke the French after their final assault, turning the French in a route. Landrecies capitulated the next day and Prince Eugene ended the campaign year with the capture of Cambrai and Arras.
The Battle of Denain was pivotal, since it showed that the Dutch and Austrians could resist the French without support of the British. It made Louis XIV clear that despite breaking up the allied coalition Franche was still under serious danger.
The Dutch and Prince Eugene offered their terms for peace. For the Dutch it were the same as concluded as with the first barrier treaty with several cities added to it and Spanish Gurle, Spanish Limbourg ans the Prince Bishop of Liege had to cede the county of Loon to Johan Willem Friso. The later claimed this as compensation for his loss of Moers and Lingen. The Prince Bishop sided with France and fled eventually to Paris when the fortune of war turned against France.
The an armastice was concluded in Oktber 1712 and a informal peace treaty was signed in February 1713 followed by an official peace treaty was signed at April 11 1713.
* Johan Willem Friso of Nassau Dietz died on 14 July 1711 when he and his followers crossed the estuary "Hollands Diep" in sight of the port due to a whirlwind, on his way to The Hague for talks between him and Frederick of Prussia regarding the will of William III.
* Map with barier cities and teritorial gains as per the treaty of Utrecht 1713
