Blanckenhof Accords

A joint session between the two Huyzen of the Staten-Generaal and the Royal Cabinet in the Mirror room of the Blanckenhof Palace.

The Blanckenhof Accords (Blanckenhof Akkoorden) of 1685 AN were hosted at Blanckenhof Palace. The location was chosen to avoid that a mob could pressure the political elite into approving radical laws. A joint session of the Lagerhuis and Hogerhuis met in a meeting, hosted by prime minister Paulus de Withe. The representatives discussed several political issues which had caused the - still ongoing - Batavian Revolution. The possibility of an invasion of Batavia by its neighbours was addressed, while the vacant Throne also became a serious concern for the government.

The Accords

Legislative changes

• The Hogerhuis and Lagerhuis became equally powerful houses of the Staten-Generaal. Where the Lagerhuis had hold all legislative power in the past, the Hogerhuis now had to pass laws which had been approved by the Lagerhuis.
• The Hogerhuis' composition was expanded: every lordship within the kingdom must send a representative to the Hogerhuis (in most cases this is the seating lord of lady of the territory).
• In return for the growing power of the nobility, assurances were given that the Lagerhuis elections would be fair and open to all citizens.
• The right to propose laws was limited to the Lagerhuis.
• Provinces (gewesten) were reintroduced to act as electoral districts. Borders of the provinces were partly based on the historical provinces.

Government

• The position of Staatshouder (Staatsholder) was introduced to act as head of state, replacing and acting as the King of the Batavians.
• Discussion of who would become Staatsholder were started. Eventually, the joint session approved the nomination of [...] as new head of state.