After the Belgian Revolution from August to September 1830, there was a strong elitist tendency that strove to restore the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.
One could divide the adherents of Orangism into several groups:
In the industrial and commercial sectors.
Many industrialists and commercials whose prosperous work is allowed thanks to the union of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the financial support of William of Orange, will also be present in the Orange movement. The example of the textile industry illustrates this well. Its rise went hand in hand with that of Orangeism in the cities of Lokeren, Aalst, Ghent, Saint-Nicolas, Lierre, Ronse and Brussels. Indeed, they fear that the split will jeopardize their growing industry and that therefore opposition to the new Belgian regime is inevitable. This feeling is also present among insurers in Antwerp, merchants in Ostend and some industrialists and merchants in Liège, Mons and Tournai.
High positions.
Many senior civil servants from before 1830 had to give way to the revolutionaries. They were dismissed, demoted or even sent to retirement without too many scruples, which created a bitter feeling in them. Most of them have become very active Orangemen, such as ex-ministers, ex-mayors, ex-aldermen or ex-governors6.
The world of education and science.
A good part of Orangemen is present in these two spheres. Professors and teachers supporting the movement are even excluded from voting for the National Congress. William of Orange had set up an intelligentsia among intellectuals and academics. With the split, the intellectuals who came to settle in the south became undesirable because of speaking Dutch or being foreign. Once again, this rejection creates a feeling of betrayal which will facilitate their adhesion to the Orange movement.
Those who believed that the Netherlands were a legitimate country, supported by the Congress of Vienna in 1815: Belgium could only be legitimized by a long-term, stable government. This group mainly recruited among the elite and had a very large following among the French speakers and Catholics. Their open cult of Orange was considered an acute danger by the young Belgian state. They were therefore brutally suppressed.
Colonel Borremans
During the riots of August 1830 and in the run-up to the fighting of September 24, Borremans, a 26-year-old brewer's son from the vicinity of the Oude Graanmarkt in the center of Brussels, had put together a group of about 200 volunteers whom he called Chasseurs de Bruxelles had been renamed. The Brussels Jagers found shelter in the fire station of the neighborhood around the Oude Graanmarkt. The group had taken part in the fighting on 22 and 23 September and in the battle for the Warande Park in Brussels, where the government army had retreated. On September 27, the Chasseurs de Bruxelles were recognized as regular troops by the Provisional Government of the insurgents. They were the first infantry unit in the new army. The same day, the unit was supplemented with 200 volunteers from the Ath region.
Borremans quickly made a career at the head of this corps; he became a major on September 28 and a lieutenant colonel on October 5. The corps was now also officially called Chasseurs de Bruxelles and numbered about 450 men, divided into six companies and a staff. The Chasseurs de Bruxelles wore a regular dress consisting of a blue smock, a colored loin band, a black police cap with flap and a tricolor cockade.
On 1 November, the Government Provisoire issued a decree establishing the 1st Regiment Chasseurs on Foot, of which the Chasseurs de Bruxelles of Borremans formed the core. The decree was ratified by the National Congress, the provisional legislative body responsible for drafting the constitution. This happened at the first meeting on 10 November. It was not until February 25, 1831, that Borremans, now a Colonel, effectively became commander of this mixed bag, which, divided into two battalions, had grown to 950 men. It was assigned Brussels as its main base and was expected to oversee security and law enforcement.
Orangist resistance
After the southern rebels having overthrown the legitimate regime in this part of the Kingdom a provisional government and the National Congress was established. When it became obvious that this provisional government and the National Congress, were incapable of generating any credibility either with the press or with the intimidatory French schemers. who were dedicated to agitating loudly in the public gallery during gatherings of the Congress, who was occupied with drafting the new constitution and with the candidacy to the Belgian throne. The faroured candidate of the new throne was thought the Duke of Nemours, son of the new king of France, Louis-Philippe.
Due to this the Orangist faction in the Southern part of the Netherlands was able to easily increase its public support. The Orangists created a network that was able to re-establish the legitimate regime, a network in which were represented, among others, the former Minister Gobbelschroy, an industrialist from Liège John Cockerill, the commander of the troops of the provisional government in Bruges Ernest Grégoire, the chief of the home guard Baron Emmanuel d‘Hoogvorst and his brother Joseph, Charles Morel and the Generals Goblet and Van der Smissen. Faced with the ineffectiveness of the new administration, Colonel Borremans decided to join this network of resistants.
Orangist coup.
When, on 23 March 1831, minister Alexandre Gendebien resigned from the provisional government he immediately founded the Rattachist "Association Nationale". This was an organization oriented towards France. The purpose of this Rattachist "Association Nationale" was to obtain affiliation with France, or it would in any event turn Belgium into a de facto vassal state of the kingdom of Louis-Philips.
This was the signal for the Orangists to revolt. The "Association" held a meeting on March 24 in the Vauxhall in Brussels' Warandepark.
The leader of the Orangist movement initially ordered Colonel Borremands to recruit supporters in entertainment venues and to upset the meeting of the "Association", however the British envoy, Lord Ponsonby, advised the Orangists to immediate arrest the members of the "Association".
On 24 March 1831 Colonel Borremans headed with an armed force, consisting of the Chasseurs de Bruxelles and many more volunteers from the Graanmarkt neighborhood to the houses of the leaders of the ‘’Association” and arrested their members. At the same day Orangist took control of the city councils of Antwerp, Lokeren, Aalst, Ghent, Saint-Nicolas, Lierre, Ronse, Liege, Mons and Tournai.
The same evening the Orangist formed a new provisional government and declared Prince Willem Frederik, the crown Prince, as head of state and request for military intervention from the North.
Surprisingly there was nearly no resistance not even from cities as Liege and Mons. Apparently the "Association Nationale" concentrated all Rattachist conspirators and agitators of the revolt of 1830.
On Sunday 26th Prince Willem Frederik entered Brussels with a Brigade. During the next week Orangist and royalist troops garrisoned nearly all cities of the short-lived Belgium.
Although King Willem I delighted with the collapse of the revolutionary government, he was forced to accept the demand of the South, which were nearly the same demands as the ones he rejected nearly a year ago, and increased the influence of the South. The 'Voltairian liberals' (libéraux voltairiens) who supported the englightened absolutist regime of Willem I succeded over the 'radical' liberals, for the moment.
The state debt would be divided to ration, that is the North would take the largest part since this debt was created under the ancient regime of the Dutch Republic.
The influence of the Provinces increased, which was as well welcomed by the elite of Holland.
The Finances, Navy, and War, Justice,Foreign affairs, colonial affairs and large infrastructural works like canals, roads and future rail roads would be task of the government any other business would be matters of the provinces.
Despite the agrement made during the London Conference the Great Powers of Europe saw the new situation as a Fait a Compli and had peace with it, despite French objections. The French government was under heavy domestic presure to intervene, encoraged by the infuriated French press, however Great Britain made it clear that any intervention of France would not be tolerated.
One could divide the adherents of Orangism into several groups:
In the industrial and commercial sectors.
Many industrialists and commercials whose prosperous work is allowed thanks to the union of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the financial support of William of Orange, will also be present in the Orange movement. The example of the textile industry illustrates this well. Its rise went hand in hand with that of Orangeism in the cities of Lokeren, Aalst, Ghent, Saint-Nicolas, Lierre, Ronse and Brussels. Indeed, they fear that the split will jeopardize their growing industry and that therefore opposition to the new Belgian regime is inevitable. This feeling is also present among insurers in Antwerp, merchants in Ostend and some industrialists and merchants in Liège, Mons and Tournai.
High positions.
Many senior civil servants from before 1830 had to give way to the revolutionaries. They were dismissed, demoted or even sent to retirement without too many scruples, which created a bitter feeling in them. Most of them have become very active Orangemen, such as ex-ministers, ex-mayors, ex-aldermen or ex-governors6.
The world of education and science.
A good part of Orangemen is present in these two spheres. Professors and teachers supporting the movement are even excluded from voting for the National Congress. William of Orange had set up an intelligentsia among intellectuals and academics. With the split, the intellectuals who came to settle in the south became undesirable because of speaking Dutch or being foreign. Once again, this rejection creates a feeling of betrayal which will facilitate their adhesion to the Orange movement.
Those who believed that the Netherlands were a legitimate country, supported by the Congress of Vienna in 1815: Belgium could only be legitimized by a long-term, stable government. This group mainly recruited among the elite and had a very large following among the French speakers and Catholics. Their open cult of Orange was considered an acute danger by the young Belgian state. They were therefore brutally suppressed.
Colonel Borremans
During the riots of August 1830 and in the run-up to the fighting of September 24, Borremans, a 26-year-old brewer's son from the vicinity of the Oude Graanmarkt in the center of Brussels, had put together a group of about 200 volunteers whom he called Chasseurs de Bruxelles had been renamed. The Brussels Jagers found shelter in the fire station of the neighborhood around the Oude Graanmarkt. The group had taken part in the fighting on 22 and 23 September and in the battle for the Warande Park in Brussels, where the government army had retreated. On September 27, the Chasseurs de Bruxelles were recognized as regular troops by the Provisional Government of the insurgents. They were the first infantry unit in the new army. The same day, the unit was supplemented with 200 volunteers from the Ath region.
Borremans quickly made a career at the head of this corps; he became a major on September 28 and a lieutenant colonel on October 5. The corps was now also officially called Chasseurs de Bruxelles and numbered about 450 men, divided into six companies and a staff. The Chasseurs de Bruxelles wore a regular dress consisting of a blue smock, a colored loin band, a black police cap with flap and a tricolor cockade.
On 1 November, the Government Provisoire issued a decree establishing the 1st Regiment Chasseurs on Foot, of which the Chasseurs de Bruxelles of Borremans formed the core. The decree was ratified by the National Congress, the provisional legislative body responsible for drafting the constitution. This happened at the first meeting on 10 November. It was not until February 25, 1831, that Borremans, now a Colonel, effectively became commander of this mixed bag, which, divided into two battalions, had grown to 950 men. It was assigned Brussels as its main base and was expected to oversee security and law enforcement.
Orangist resistance
After the southern rebels having overthrown the legitimate regime in this part of the Kingdom a provisional government and the National Congress was established. When it became obvious that this provisional government and the National Congress, were incapable of generating any credibility either with the press or with the intimidatory French schemers. who were dedicated to agitating loudly in the public gallery during gatherings of the Congress, who was occupied with drafting the new constitution and with the candidacy to the Belgian throne. The faroured candidate of the new throne was thought the Duke of Nemours, son of the new king of France, Louis-Philippe.
Due to this the Orangist faction in the Southern part of the Netherlands was able to easily increase its public support. The Orangists created a network that was able to re-establish the legitimate regime, a network in which were represented, among others, the former Minister Gobbelschroy, an industrialist from Liège John Cockerill, the commander of the troops of the provisional government in Bruges Ernest Grégoire, the chief of the home guard Baron Emmanuel d‘Hoogvorst and his brother Joseph, Charles Morel and the Generals Goblet and Van der Smissen. Faced with the ineffectiveness of the new administration, Colonel Borremans decided to join this network of resistants.
Orangist coup.
When, on 23 March 1831, minister Alexandre Gendebien resigned from the provisional government he immediately founded the Rattachist "Association Nationale". This was an organization oriented towards France. The purpose of this Rattachist "Association Nationale" was to obtain affiliation with France, or it would in any event turn Belgium into a de facto vassal state of the kingdom of Louis-Philips.
This was the signal for the Orangists to revolt. The "Association" held a meeting on March 24 in the Vauxhall in Brussels' Warandepark.
The leader of the Orangist movement initially ordered Colonel Borremands to recruit supporters in entertainment venues and to upset the meeting of the "Association", however the British envoy, Lord Ponsonby, advised the Orangists to immediate arrest the members of the "Association".
On 24 March 1831 Colonel Borremans headed with an armed force, consisting of the Chasseurs de Bruxelles and many more volunteers from the Graanmarkt neighborhood to the houses of the leaders of the ‘’Association” and arrested their members. At the same day Orangist took control of the city councils of Antwerp, Lokeren, Aalst, Ghent, Saint-Nicolas, Lierre, Ronse, Liege, Mons and Tournai.
The same evening the Orangist formed a new provisional government and declared Prince Willem Frederik, the crown Prince, as head of state and request for military intervention from the North.
Surprisingly there was nearly no resistance not even from cities as Liege and Mons. Apparently the "Association Nationale" concentrated all Rattachist conspirators and agitators of the revolt of 1830.
On Sunday 26th Prince Willem Frederik entered Brussels with a Brigade. During the next week Orangist and royalist troops garrisoned nearly all cities of the short-lived Belgium.
Although King Willem I delighted with the collapse of the revolutionary government, he was forced to accept the demand of the South, which were nearly the same demands as the ones he rejected nearly a year ago, and increased the influence of the South. The 'Voltairian liberals' (libéraux voltairiens) who supported the englightened absolutist regime of Willem I succeded over the 'radical' liberals, for the moment.
The state debt would be divided to ration, that is the North would take the largest part since this debt was created under the ancient regime of the Dutch Republic.
The influence of the Provinces increased, which was as well welcomed by the elite of Holland.
The Finances, Navy, and War, Justice,Foreign affairs, colonial affairs and large infrastructural works like canals, roads and future rail roads would be task of the government any other business would be matters of the provinces.
Despite the agrement made during the London Conference the Great Powers of Europe saw the new situation as a Fait a Compli and had peace with it, despite French objections. The French government was under heavy domestic presure to intervene, encoraged by the infuriated French press, however Great Britain made it clear that any intervention of France would not be tolerated.
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