Batavian Revolution

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Batavian Revolution
Part of Unravelling of the Vanic Web‎
Syndicalist barricades.jpg
Syndicalists in Appel, erecting a barricade to fight government troops.
Date 4.VI.1685–20.VI.1686
Location Benacia Cibola
Result
  • Loss of Cibolan colonies.
  • Loss of control over the Arcadian territories.
  • Collapse of Helderbourgh.
  • Integration of Gascony and Neustria into Batavia.
  • Establishment of the Batavian Commune in Ravaria and IJsland.
  • Blanckenhof Akkoorden: constitutional changes: centralisation of power in the cabinet and Staten-Generaal at the expense of the king's power.
Belligerents
Batavia Batavia Batavian Commune
Units involved
Batavia Batavian Armed Forces Batavian People's Army
Civilian deaths:

The Batavian Revolution of 1685 was a wave of mass political and social unrest that spread through vast areas of the Franco-Batavian Empire. Started as a series of strikes and local disturbances after the declaration of independence of West Amokolia with the outbreak of the Amokolian Revolution, it soon developed in a full-blown and nationwide revolt against the nobility and ruling class. The retirement of the popular king, Arkadius IV and the collapse of Vanic foreign support, pressured the government in organising new Lagerhuis elections. The electoral gains of leftist parties triggered a reactionary coup, which ultimately failed. Syndicalists and labour unions reacted by rising up, both against the coup and the legitimate government.

A Batavian Commune was proclaimed, after which religious and political leaders called upon the Batavians to rally around the Batavian flag to defend their homeland. The government, headed by the newly appointed prime minister Paulus de Withe, denounced the revolutionaries and assembled around him a group of clergy, old nobility and bourgeoisie. While successful in some cities, in others the government lost control.

Both in government-controlled and syndicalist territories, the Froyalanish population which hadn't integrated enough were targeted. Many lost their homes, were killed of taken to relief camps, organised by Noblesse Oblige.

The revolution eventually came into a stalemate when the leftists were pressured into launching a Long March Northwards (Noordwaartse Lange Mars), in which they escaped to the isles of Ravaria and IJsland, where they established the Batavian Commune. Protected by the sea and with both sides too weak to launch an attack, peace returned. The Blanckenhof Akkoorden introduced a series of reforms and led to the enthronement of Kaiseress Salome of Shireroth as Staatsholder, effectively ending any perceived threats of Shirerithian invasions from the east.


Causes

Amokolian Revolution & retirement of the king (I.1685)

Frankish riot police, during the Amokolian revolution, preparing to throw florian cocktails at rioters in Tsofnhafen.

With the collapse of both Stormark and its imperial family, the royal Batavian House of Vinandy was taken by surprise. The close friendship ties, both between king Arkadius IV and emperor Harald, and the second marriage between the king and Esther Fatima Gudrid made the destruction of Stormark even harder to coop. Throughout the years, the king and his administration had worked more closely together with the Stormarkians. Now, Arkadius was left without a strong ally and the loss of those who were dear to him.

On 01.VI.1685 a group of Amokolian revolutionaries rose up in a number of cities, happy to use the temporary weakness of both the Batavian and Frankish apparatus. The King decided, upon hearing the news, decided to not let any blood flow and left Brandenburg the day after. When arriving at the airport of Kolmar, near 's Koningenwaarde, a delegation of worried dignitaries awaited him. Instead of travelling to the Royal Palace, the group travelled to Blanckenhof Palace. There, Arkadius had a mental breakdown. The loss of his family members and friends in Stormark and the betrayal of his fellow Franco-Batavian countrymen, hit the king hard. He resigned his position, leaving Joseph des Vinandy-Windsor in charge as prince-regent for the crown princess Elizabeth des Vinandy, who at that time was only a minor. At the same time, he abdicated the Amokolian throne to Prince Kir of Shireroth.

The prime minister, Jacques Montrarde, made a desperate attempt to persuade the king to remain on the Throne. It was to no avail, and the king left Blanckenhof and travelled to Vinandy with his wife. Now, the country had a regent in charge who was 74 years old and no longer had the energy to lead a country and an eleven year old in line of succession.


Labour problems and rise of opposition (II.1685 - VI.1685)

Prime minister Jacques Montrarde was blamed for the lack of relief aid to the Batavian people. The attitude of him and several Radicals biding their time during the reactionary coup of 1685 was seen as a betrayal of democratic values and lost him most of his support in the Lagerhuis.

Unrelated to the constitutional crisis were the rising food prices. With the import of cheap Stormarkian grain abruptly come to an end and an entire export market disappearing, several large companies were forced to close. No cheap grain, led to an increase in prices for basic goods. The discontent was further strengthened by the lack in legal protection of labourers, especially as liberal and conservative minded politicians had increasingly undermined worker's rights throughout the years.

Massive protests started, often launched by labour unions, who before 1685 had only played a minor political and economical role. The Batavian Worker's Party in the Lagerhuis was taken over and replaced by the Syndicalistische Partij van Batavië, under the leadership of Pieter Beeck. Riots and increasing street violence, made the opposition parties pressure the government in holding new elections.


Special Lagerhuis elections of V.1685

The Lagerhuis which was elected in 1684, remained dominated by reactionaries thanks to the support and influence of the king. Gerrymandering and widespread pressure by factory directors - the worst seen since the elections of 1661 AN - had already made it a controversial government body. While the opposition parties had been mainly silent and cooperative between 1672 and 1684 AN, they now actively supported protests against the administration. Without the support of the popular and influential king, prime minister Jacques Montrarde was forced to hold new elections, only a year after the last one. The censorship laws which were passed earlier to keep the peace, remained in place, but were mostly ignored in most cities with a syndicalist presence.

Though the election of 1685 proclaimed a victory and rebirth of true Batavian democracy, a large part of the electorate could not vote. Oversea territories, Gascony and Neustria, which had denounced the West-Amokolian independence and had joined the Batavian kingdom, asked for representation but hadn't been able to hold the emergency elections in time. The outcome of the 1685 Lagerhuis elections showed a large support for the left and socialist parties.

Reactionary coup (VII.1685)

In an attempt to curtail leftist influence, a number of reactionary members of government and the military staged a coup. Prime minister Jacques Montrarde, who was at his office at the time, remained partly hesitant in crushing the coup, as many of his former colleagues were among them. The lack of denouncement and action from the authorities alarmed syndicalist leaders, who feared a military dictatorship. Public outcry over the matter leads to labourers setting up their barricades in several of the larger cities. Strikes emerged and people rallied together on the street. With police forces overrun in cities like Davignon, the prime minister eventually published a statement to denounce "any military and unconstitutional meassures to overthrow the legitimate government".

With distrust growing between the Lagerhuis factions, Jacques Montrarde was forced to abdicate his position. He was replaced by Paulus de Withe, a moderate Radical.


Start of the revolution (IIX.1685)

After the charge of the Ducal Guard, the strikers turned violent. Street fights occured and the Guards were overrun.

Despite promises of Paulus de Withe to improve the worker's conditions and the distribution of free grain to feed the poorest among the populations, unrest didn't simply subside. In Davignon, well known as a revolutionary hotbed, the Batavian Commune was proclaimed by Tim Zageman, co-founder of the Syndicalistische Partij van Batavië.

The first strikes of the Wijnmaand (tenth month) of 1685 occurred at the Verionhuys, in Davignon. The building, which had acted as the headquarters of the Iron Company's before the company was embroiled in a nationwide scandal and banned (putting thousands out of work subsequentially), had become a gathering place for political meetings ever since the start of the Amokolian revolution earlier that year. Sympathy strikes raised the number of strikers to 35,000 in and across the city.

A manifestation, peaceful at first, which was aimed to occupy the Gewesthuis (where the city council gathered), was a success. Syndicalist Tim Zageman marched into the council room and was proclaimed the new leader of the city. Emboldened by the lack of response by the police forces, called upon the strikers to march to the Ducal Palace. To get there, the mob had to pass the Irrel River via the Geeraertsbrug. For the first time, they met with police forces and Ducal Guards, who had taken control over the bridge. Fire was opened, and the strikers - shocked by the bloodshed - fled back to the Gewesthuis.

A charge of the Ducal Guards was eventually met by resistance and a fight broke out. In a repeat of the valiant defence of the Geeraertsbrug, in 1523, during the Davignonrepublic, government forces were overwhelmed and fired upon. The Duke, Joseph des Vinandy-Windsor, who had been at the palace with crown princess Elisabeth, was advised to flee the Duchy till authorities had everything back under control. He left, with the princess and her younger brother, for Château Windsor, the homestead of his family and easier to defend.

Shortly after the departure of the Duke, the strikers launched an attack on the palace. A part of the palace was pillaged, and in the Groote Zaal a Batavian Commune was proclaimed.

At that moment, the syndicalist leader, Pieter Beeck, who was in 's Koningenwaarde to meet prime minister de Withe, was taken by surprise. Negotiations between cabinet de Withe and Beeck were abruptly ended, and the syndicalist leader was arrested. Some declarations of support led to some cities falling under the influence of the labour union councils, while in e.g. 's Koningenwaarde the military and police successfully subjugate any rioters. The arrest of Beeck, the strongman of the syndicalists in the capital, allowed the police and army to keep unrest under control.


Height of the revolution

Several towns and cities fall under the grasp of the syndicalist threat. Froyalanish are seen as foreign devils and killed or put together in labour camps, to aid in the syndicalist cause. At government side, the same occurs. Blabla.

The Empire strikes back

  • The government of de Withe has assembled a decent fighting force to combat the syndicalists. The lack of syndicalist leadership works to the advantage of the nobility.
  • Financial, foreign aid arrives to strengthen the economy, improving living circumstances in the loyal territories.
  • The more extreme elements of the syndicalists flee northwards, establishing the Batavian Commune.
  • Seizing fishing ships in name of the revolution, and receiving the support of some renegade Batavian naval ships, the revolutionaries embark towards Ravaria. The small kingdom is overtaken and the former Stormarkian island to the west is conquered. The Commune, weakened, but a threat to Batavia remains a threat to the Batavian State.

Outcome

Batavian Commune remnants

  • Retreat of Batavian Commune to the northern isles. Remaining a threat to the region and shipping. Openly hostile to the Batavian government.

Political reforms

Faced with financial ruin, prime minister de Withe introduced a number of reforms to calm the political landscape and receive much needed (financial) support.

  • Pressured by the Ultraroyalists and moderate members of the Lagerhuis, it was agreed to keep the throne vacant, until a successor to king Arkadius IV could ascend the Throne. Crown princess Elisabeth was sidelined because of her young age. Eventually, Salome Ylva Octavia was appointed as Staatsholder during the Blanckenhof Accords.
  • The powers of the Hogerhuis were expanded: now equal to the Lagerhuis. This way, all functions of the parliament were given to both houses, except for the rights of initiative and amendment (which remained in the hands of the Lagerhuis). With this, the often more conservative nobles, kept a tighter control over government affairs. The power of the Royal Government over the Free and Royal Cities gave it an increased say in legislative affairs.
  • A reform of the gewesten (provinces) as electoral districts, with a special status for Free and Royal Cities.
  • To limit the danger of a military coup, and push back spending, the military would be limited to a mere symbolic number. Troops were mostly to be deployed in keeping the Commune in check.