On This Day
1795 – The Batavian Republic is proclaimed in the Netherlands, replacing the Dutch Republic.[8]
The Batavian Republic (Dutch: Bataafse Republiek; French: République Batave) was the successor state to the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. It was proclaimed on 19 January 1795 and ended on 5 June 1806, with the accession of Louis I to the Dutch throne. From October 1801 onward, it was known as the Batavian Commonwealth (Dutch: Bataafs Gemenebest). Both names refer to the Germanic tribe of the Batavi, representing both the Dutch ancestry and their ancient quest for liberty in their nationalistic lore.
In early 1795, intervention by the French Republic led to the downfall of the old Dutch Republic. The new Republic enjoyed widespread support from the Dutch populace and was the product of a genuine popular revolution. Nevertheless, it clearly was founded with the armed support of the French revolutionary forces. The Batavian Republic became a client state, the first of the “sister-republics”, and later part of the French Empire of Napoleon. Its politics were deeply influenced by the French, who supported no fewer than three coups d’état to bring the different political factions to power that France favored at different moments in its own political development. Nevertheless, the process of creating a written Dutch constitution was mainly driven by internal political factors, not by French influence, until Napoleon forced the Dutch government to accept his brother as monarch.[3]
The political, economic, and social reforms that were brought about during the relatively short duration of the Batavian Republic have had a lasting impact. The confederal structure of the old Dutch Republic was permanently replaced by a unitary state. For the first time in Dutch history, the constitution that was adopted in 1798 had a genuinely democratic character. For a while, the Republic was governed democratically, although the coup d’état of 1801 put an authoritarian regime in power, after another change to the constitution. Nevertheless, the memory of this brief experiment with democracy helped smooth the transition to a more democratic government in 1848 (the constitutional revision by Johan Rudolph Thorbecke, limiting the power of the king). A type of ministerial government was introduced for the first time in Dutch history and many of the current government departments date their history back to this period.
Though the Batavian Republic was a client state, its successive governments tried their best to maintain a modicum of independence and to serve Dutch interests even where those clashed with those of their French overlords. This perceived obduracy led to the eventual demise of the Republic when the short-lived experiment with the (again authoritarian) regime of “Grand Pensionary” Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck produced insufficient docility in the eyes of Napoleon. The new king, Louis Bonaparte (Napoleon’s brother), refused to slavishly follow French dictates either, leading to his downfall.
Born On This Day
1925 – Nina Bawden, English author (d. 2012)
Nina Bawden CBE, FRSL, JP (19 January 1925 – 22 August 2012) was an English novelist and children’s writer. She was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1987 and the Lost Man Booker Prize in 2010. She is one of very few who have both served as a Booker judge and made a Booker shortlist as an author.[1] She was a recipient of the Golden PEN Award.
FYI
Recipes
DamnDelicious
- Sheet Pan Scalloped Potatoes March 25, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details. The best part is the crispiest edges and tops ALL AROUND with the creamiest goodness underneath. So so good! You know how we all love brownies but we all really want that corner piece but there’s only four corner pieces to choose […]Chungah @ Damn Delicious
- Easy Brown Sugar Ham March 18, 2023This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy for details. The most incredible brown sugar glaze there ever was. Perfectly sweet, tangy and savory! An absolute holiday classic. Say hello to the easiest ham recipe for your holiday spread. And I truly mean, the easiest. Not to mention, the sweet/savory/tangy brown sugar […]Chungah @ Damn Delicious
RecipeTinEats
- The 10 best Easter recipes – according to you April 1, 2023Exciting new recipes as well as classics and tried-and-true favourites readers return to year after year. These are my 10 best Easter recipes, as chosen by you! How many of these have you already tried? What are your signature Easter recipes? Share your suggestions below to inspire others! Discover more in my Easter super collection... […]Nagi
- Jalapeno popper stuffed chicken March 29, 2023Celebrating the US and Canadian release of my cookbook by turning a party food favourite into dinner! This is jalapeño poppers, stuffed inside chicken. Warm, cheesy, spicy. Fabulous, easy way to make chicken breast a whole lot more exciting. US & Canada cookbook release day! 🇺🇸🇨🇦 YES, the day has finally arrived – my cookbook... […]Nagi
wikimedia
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for April 1 April 1, 2023Picture of the day Detail of the head of a Blue-footed booby (Sula nebouxii), Lobos Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador. The blue-footed booby is a long-winged seabird with a wingspan of up to 1.5 m (4.9 ft). The species is 90 cm (35 in) high and is easily recognizable by its distinctive bright blue feet. Although the blue-footed boobies are […]
- Wikimedia Commons picture of the day for March 31 March 31, 2023Picture of the day Old wooden bridge and Paraskeva Pyatnitsa Church in Leshino, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia
AV Club Wiki Wormhole
- Kieran Culkin has his own take on who the most despicable Succession character is April 1, 2023The question of who the worst person on HBO’s Succession is—which we raised in a piece ranking all those awful main characters a few weeks back—is a fluid one. The Roys and their various parasites-in-law are all awful people, so we’re typically working in a matter of degrees when it comes to assigning them their […]William Hughes
- Interview With The Vampire recasts its immortal vampire kid April 1, 2023A casting shake-up on AMC’s well-received Interview With The Vampire TV series tonight, as Variety reports that series star Bailey Bass, who plays immortal vampire child Claudia, has been recast. Bass will be replaced in the part by Delainey Hayles for the show’s second season.Read more...William Hughes
- The final four run the gauntlet on RuPaul's Drag Race April 1, 2023After Loosey’s elimination, Anetra, Luxx, Mistress, and Sasha return to the werkroom. And it’s is the top four Mistress envisioned right from the beginning. Even with Loosey gone, Luxx and Mistress get in a few final digs while Anetra and Sasha continue to mind their own business. Luxx and Mistress need to channel…Read more...Trae DeLellis
- Sharon Stone made a fraction of what Michael Douglas did for Basic Instinct March 31, 2023Read more...Peter Scobel
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Stump the Bookseller is a service offered by Loganberry Books to reconnect people to the books they love but can’t quite remember. In brief (for more detailed information see our About page), people can post their memories here, and the hivemind goes to work. After all, the collective mind of bibliophiles, readers, parents and librarians around the world is much better than just a few of us thinking. Together with these wonderful Stumper Magicians, we have a nearly 50% success rate in finding these long lost but treasured books. The more concrete the book description, the better the success rate, of course. It is a labor of love to keep it going, and there is a modest fee. Please see the How To page to find price information and details on how to submit your Book Stumper and payment.
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