History

On August 5, 1781, the only yet significant battle of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War occurred at the Battle of Dogger Bank. This battle took place on a vast sandbank in the shallow waters of the North Sea. While the outcome was technically inconclusive, both sides sustained considerable damage. However, for the Dutch Republic, this battle was viewed as a notable achievement.

On December 20, 1780, the Kingdom of Great Britain declared war on the Dutch Republic and started blockading Dutch ports to disrupt trade, particularly with America. However, the Dutch didn’t declare war until May of the next year.

On February 3, 1781, Great Britain seized control of the Dutch Caribbean island of St. Eustatius, a key trading centre for the Dutch Republic and its trade with America.

On June 8, 1783, a large crack formed in the Laki Craters, a volcanic fissure in southern Iceland. It released massive amounts of lava and toxic gases. The eruption, together with the nearby Grimsvötn volcano, lasted eight months. Within two years, 20% of Iceland’s population, 50% of its cattle, 80% of sheep, and 30% of horses had died. The ash clouds spread to Europe, causing crop failures for years. The event led to widespread famine and contribed to the French Revolution in 1789.

During the continuation of the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, there were no significant battles. The Dutch Republic managed to avoid British efforts, which was, however, leading to a naval blockade. This blockade caused severe economic damage and pushed the Dutch into peace talks. On May 20, 1784, they signed the Treaty of Paris. As a result, the Dutch East India Company (VOC) gave up its spice trade monopoly, Britain gained access to the Maluku Islands and took control of Negapatnam in India. Additionally, the Dutch Republic settled its conflicts with Joseph II, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

On January 24, 1789, representatives from Brabant met in secret. They declared themselves the rightful government, upholding their traditional rights and rejecting Emperor Joseph II’s reforms. This led to the creation of the States of Brabant, which infuriated the Austrian Emperor and sparked conflict.

On October 27, 1789, the revolutionaries, under Jan Andries van der Mersch’s leadership, won a major victory over the Austrian forces at the Battle of Turnhout. This triumph lifted spirits and bolstered the revolution’s credibility, as well as the push for Belgian independence.

After the revolutionaries won, the United Belgian States (États-Belgiques-Unis) was established on January 11, 1790. Most notably, this stateincluded Brabant, Flanders, Hainaut, Namur, and Limburg. However, despite their early success in gaining independence, tensions between radical democrats and conservative aristocrats soon weakened the new government.

While the Democrats and Aristocrats argued over their plans for the new state, Emperor Leopold II of Austria, successor to Joseph II, aimed to reclaim control. He made use of their internal divisions and swiftly restored Austrian rule, thus ending the independence of the United States of Brabant.

On April 20, 1792, France declared war on Austria, marking the beginning of the War of the First Coalition. At the time, France was governed by the Legislative Assembly and aimed to expand its revolutionary ideals. They also sought to address perceived threats proactively, because they had seen what happened to other countries, such as during the Batavian Revolution.

On July 25, 1792, Charles William Ferdinand, the Duke of Brunswick and leader of the coalition armies, issued a manifesto. He warned of severe consequences if any harm came to the French Royal family. This was meant to scare the revolutionaries. However, it backfired, and they resisted the coalition forces even more.

On September 2, 1792, Prussian forces took control of Verdun. This event disheartened the French and opened a direct route to Paris. It also sparked the September massacres in the city.

On September 20, 1792 French had it’s first major victory against the Prussian at the Battle of Valmy. The French, under Generals Charles Dumouriez and Francois Christophe Kellermann, managed to halt the Prussian advance towards Paris.