What if the Belgian revolt of 1830 turn into a European conflict

When the Belgian Revolution began in August 1830, the Dutch army suffered from extensive desertion by South-Netherlanders (Belgians) who were reluctant to serve any longer and thus fight their fellow countrymen. Before the war, the northern provinces that were mainly Protestant, feared for the Catholic majority that was now present in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Dutch government purposely held the Catholic Belgians back, also in the army: while most officers were Dutch, the bulk of the conscripted recruits came from the south. In total, about two-thirds of the troops stationed in the Southern Netherlands deserted, and the morale of the remaining troops was severely damaged. This, together with the fact that the bulk (and often the best-trained part) of the Dutch military was stationed in its colonies, allowed the Belgian revolutionaries to quickly gain control over what is now Belgium. However, the leaders of the Belgian revolution had grown overconfident because of their early success and had not taken steps to build up a military force of their own.
King William I viewed the failure to suppress the Belgian revolt as a humiliation, and sought an opportunity to retaliate against the rebels. Moreover, even if reunification should prove impossible, he wanted to negotiate peace from a position of strength. Therefore, when William learned that the rebels had asked Leopold of Saxe-Coburg to be their king, he invaded Belgium.

For the Belgians all seemed lost. However, on August 8, they had decided to ask for French support, despite the request not being formally authorised by the government. A French army under Marshal Gérard crossed the border the very next day. The Dutch had taken a risk by invading Belgium without the support of other allies (Russia wanted to assist but experienced trouble with suppressing the Polish revolution and Prussia would not risk sending troops without Russia being able to secure its western borders); now they faced a possible war with the French

The diplomatic reply of Prussia how ever was incorrect interpretated by king William I and his cabinet. There for he ordered his army to find a defensible position and resist the French army.

Both divisions of the Dutch army, united and found defensive positions just out side of Vilvorde North of Brussels on the road to Maline and Antwerp.

The 13 of August Marshal Gérard attacked the Dutch army who hold higher grounds and ha errect ad hoc breastworks and earth works. Due to variuos cirmcumstances not at least the well know fog of war, the battle resulted in a retreat for the French army. This not at least ot the suprise of the Dutch them self.
The defeat of the significant larger French army changed the diplomatic situation complete.
The invitation of the French by the Belgian revlutionairs was already met with susispicion by the Great Powers. But now this French revolutionairy army retreated.
Russia, already willing to help, now officially supported the Dutch, even Russia had to deal with Polish revolutionairs.
Autria protested formaly, of the intervention of Franche in what was considered a internal affair at best, and very suspicous in the ongoiing revolution in Franche and the removal of the Borbon King. Prusia, due to the diplomatic backing by Russia and Austria, offerd now real military support to the Dutch and moved an army in the Prusian Rhine province cloer to the French border.
Great Brittain, litle embarised, due to their quite support of the Belgian revolt tired to mediate.


The Ten Days' Campaign (Dutch: Tiendaagse Veldtocht, French: Campagne des Dix-Jours) was a failed attempt to suppress the Belgian revolution by the Dutch king William I between August 2[1] – August 12, 1831.
 
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Britain stays out of the conflict and France strikes back. The Prussians and Russians come to Dutch aid and so the Austrian Emperor receives a letter from France asking to join France. The Emperor agrees and battles Prussia. Britain intervenes against France and the French are crushed. Then there is a big European peace conference, with Austria being humiliated as will France.
 
What possible incentive does Austria have to join France when they're still on friendly terms with both Prussia and Russia, and have a sort of 'On Again Off Again' Alliance with Both?

Not to mention that the Belgian Revolution is essentially a popular Nationalist Revolt, and Austria spent pretty much the entire Century trying to stop those in its own borders and abroad.
 
Britain stays out of the conflict and France strikes back. The Prussians and Russians come to Dutch aid and so the Austrian Emperor receives a letter from France asking to join France. The Emperor agrees and battles Prussia. Britain intervenes against France and the French are crushed. Then there is a big European peace conference, with Austria being humiliated as will France.

OK this is completely ASB. First of all, Why would Austria want to side with France? Especially since France just overthrew its Bourbon Kings and replaced them with the Orleans July Monarchy? I can't see Metternich siding with what he regarded as usurpers. Not to mention Austria would not be gaining anything by going to war. Second, why in the hell would Britain attack France? France was on the Belgian side, as was the UK. So if anything the British would attack the Dutch and Prussians. Third, why would you assume Britain would win? The British Army was very small compared to the rest of the continents armies. Plus they kind of sucked. In a naval war Britain wins hands down but a land war its really up in the air. Finally, this is the era of the Holy Alliance, so Austria Prussia and Russia would side with the Legitimate sovereign, William I of the Netherlands. Plus if France keeps its bitching up in Belgium, there is a strong possibility the Holy Alliance might just decide to invade France and place the Bourbons back on the throne for a third time.
 

katchen

Banned
I think that it makes sense that the Holy Alliance invades France and Belgium and restores the Bourbons and suppresses Belgian independence. Possibly French Wallonia (Hainault, Luxwmbourg, Charleroi, Liege) might go to France to keep this problem from happening again. That's what the Holy Alliance and the Concert of Europe is there for.

Belgium is stillborn ITTL and the Netherlands remains much larger with repercussions that extend all the way to 1914 and beyond. Possibly Netherlands will join North German Union (it is a member of the Zollverien OTTL after all). Or not join the Zollverein ITTL.
Maybe the Netherlands has to give Prussia part of the Dutch East Indies as a reward for it's help in suppressing the Belgians. Ambon maybe. Or Makassar. Or Kupang. Or a combination of the three.
 
If the Continental Powers invade France and Belgium and are at all successful, they won't be giving any territory to France. One of the major reasons the powers that supported the Dutch did so was because they feared France might dominate or even annex Belgium, and wanted a buffer between France and the other states, the same reason The Congress of Vienna gave much of the Rhineland to Prussia.

One interesting idea I had, if the Belgian Revolt is handled by a Congress sort of thing, and all of the parties manage to leave relatively satisfied, could this be a jumping off point for the Concert of Europe evolving into a more cohesive, and powerful diplomatic system, where the Nations of Europe are more accustomed to managing disputes through Diplomacy, rather than War or the threat of War?

That could be interesting, get the EU Kick-Started waaay ahead of schedule.
(I'm a fan of large multi-national communities)
 
The provisional Belgian government, now uterly devided how to procede further. More it became clear that several members had , so to speak, a different agenda, which had the impression to make it the new nation part of France rather than to realise independence. More important Saxe Coubourg declined the crown of the Belge, due to the diplomatic turmoil.
Further the diplomatic pressure from the Great Powers increased.
In Franche during the parliamentary debates concerning France's imminent intervention in Belgium, several deputies, led by baron Bignon, plead succesfully to resist the presure of the Great Powers and to send more troops to Belgium.
This led to the reaction of Austria, Russia and Austria to step down and retreat from the border of the Kingdom of the Nehterlands, clearly a message that they did not recognise the Belgian revolutionairy government,since it gave a clear signal to be too much influenced by France.
 
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