Revolution in Austrian Netherlands

[Ottoman]

Winter of 1787

Background:

The unrest was the product of opposition which emerged to the liberal reforms of Emperor Joseph II in the 1780s. These were perceived as an attack on the Catholic Church and the traditional institutions in the Austrian Netherlands. Resistance, focused in the autonomous and wealthy Estates of Brabant and Flanders was growing. Not helping matters, was the ongoing Dutch republican revolt which was fanning the flames with radical republican pamphlets which inspire the more liberal groups within Flanders and Brabant to call for revolt. These liberal groups create secret society Pro aris et focis and call their faction Vonckists.

By of March of 1787

Riots and uprisings were occuring all Austrian Netherlands, this will be known as Small Revolution (Kleine Revolutie). The Austrian Governor General Albert Casimir, Duke of Teschen calls in the local garrisons to suppress the revolts and restore order. However the loyal of some of the garrison units is questionable at best and soon begin refusing to fire on their countrymen. However there is enough loyal troops to allow the Governor General improse order after quelling some the riots in Brussels.

However a number of Flemish radicals led by fled to Jan Frans Vonck fled to Dutch City of Breda for safe haven.

Economic effects to become apparent as the year progresses...

[Hussam B.]

In response to the growing unrest, the Austrian Crown reinforces its presence with an Expeditionary army raised from forces in Austria. The remainder of the Kaiserliche Armee is dispatched to assist in garrison duty.

Kaiserliche Armee (Expeditionary) - Franz Moritz von Lacy
3 infantry divisions
1 cavalry division
1 artillery battalion
1 support train
1 depot brigade

7 Garrison Divisions
1 Garrison Brigade

The forces are accompanied by Imperial envoys from Vienna who were to meet in Brabant and Flanders and listen to the grievances of the Imperial subjects in hopes of addressing their concerns and avoid a full economic collapse.

[Ottoman]

The Austrian Army from Vienna will reach Flanders after their mobilization by start of July 1786.

Meanwhile the existing Austrian garrisons in Flanders were suffering from desertions...

Army of Austrian Netherlands- peacetime field army 10 garrison divisions* (9 infantry divisions, 1 supply column), 7 garrison brigades (3 cavalry divisions, 1 artillery brigade, 4 artillery battalions)

At least 2 garrison division units worth of troops and their arms have left their post and can't be accounted for...

[Hussam B.]

2 Garrison Divisions from the Austrian reinforcements are used to fill in for the deserters.

[Ottoman]

The forces are accompanied by Imperial envoys from Vienna who were to meet in Brabant and Flanders and listen to the grievances of the Imperial subjects in hopes of addressing their concerns and avoid a full economic collapse.

The local leadership send word to the Imperial envoys, that they reject any attempt of reform by the Emperor. They demand reforms on the judicial system,governance and clerical reforms be repealed for the Austrian Netherlands.

[Hussam B.]

As a show of good faith, the Emperor reverses a key reform regarding the Catholic Church, both in the Netherlands and in Austria.

Other reforms are maintained for now and negotiations move towards reaching a middle ground.

[Ottoman]

By end of July 1786, with the arrival of reinforcements from Austria, unrest in Austrian Netherlands seems to have die down. Most of dissent groups and rebels have went underground or flee to the Dutch Republic....

Many of the local leaders are more incense by the fact the Emperor only reverses one aspect of their demands and ignores the other main issues. They push for those demands be acknowledged as well.

[Hussam B.]

With order restored, the attitude of the local autonomy starts to get troublesome.

It is suggested that the spirit of compromise is the best way forward.

[Ottoman]

The local leaders decided to entertain the Austrian suggestion for compromise and ask what they have in mind.


Meanwhile more Flemish radicals and Wallonians cross into Holland and Northern France near Lille. The Wallonians are welcome as kinsmen by the people of Lille, who turn a blind eye to their activities.

[Hussam B.]

The Emperor's envoys make a case for the desire to implement the values of humanist enlightenment being the core of the reforms.

It is suggested that the core tenets of these reforms could be maintained if the local authorities were to implement them in their own way.

Thus, Vienna is willing to consider proposals from Brabant and Flanders to implement the following:
- Regarding the Catholic Church: The Emperor has already agreed to mollify the stance against the suppression of contemplative monastic orders and the regulation of priestly education. If the local authorities were to present their own proposals regarding the regulations of monasteries and priestly education and it falls within acceptable thresholds of the core values of enlightenment. Then the Emperor will give his blessings. Though the Emperor insists on keeping the Edict of Tolerance of 1781–82.
- Regarding governance: The Emperor will accede to abandon plans for a single General Council of Government under a minister-plenipotentiary. Provided a new plan is implemented to reform the outdated administrative structures which had existed since the rule of Emperor Charles V (1500–58) and establish clear and effective administrative divisions.
- Regarding the judiciary: The Emperor will accede to abandon plans to replace the ad hoc semi-feudal or ecclesiastical courts operated by the states with a single Sovereign Council of Justice to be established in Brussels, with two appeal courts in Brussels and Luxembourg, and around 40 local district courts. As long as the existing system can be reformed and local courts be brought up to date and a regional judicial system is established.

In short, if a palatable alternative can be found, it will be considered.

[Ottoman]

August 28 1787


As the local leaders begin considering the Austrian offer, when words break out of mutiny of the Austrian fleet at Ostend that happen the night before and another incident near the Dutch border....

The 2 Brigs squadrons primary crew with Flemish crewmen and some token Austrian officers.The Flemish crewmen angry at mistreatments of their people by the high handedness of the Austrian army, decide to take matters into their own hands....by committing the act of mutiny. The Crews act quickly to overwhelm the token Austrian and loyalist officers. They set fire to the docks and leave for Great Britain. Which they reach Dover a day later seeking asylum from Austrian authorities.

On the road to Breda, in the Flemish town of Brecht, an Austrian Cavalry encounters a group of Flemish refugees heading towards the Dutch town of Breda. They quickly round them and begin questioning them, suspecting they might heading to Breda to join the rebels. However the local townsfolk don't take it kindly to see the Austrians roughing up their kinsmen. They begun gathering in crowd throwing rocks and materials at the Austrians in bid to free their kinsmen. Soon the Austrian Cavalry officers fearing for their lives, orders a charge to break up the crowd.

The end result was massacre, with over 20 people killed and at least 100 people wounded.  Word spreads quickly in Flanders and elsewhere.

The local leaders react with angry and outage at the turn of events, withdraw from discussions with Austrians Envoys. Meanwhile all over Austrian Netherlands tensions were building even more....

[Galveston Bay]

In Britain, as the Royal Navy in particular but the British Government as well takes a dim view regarding mutiny, the mutineers are arrested and held pending trial. The fate of the officers is the primary factor that will determine the fate of the sailors. In the interim, the Austrian government is invited to come and get their misplaced ships whenever it is convenient for them to do so.

[Hussam B.]

In light of the tragic event near Brecht, negotiations are dropped for now. The Austrian commander is asked to investigate and adjust how matters are approached in the future to avoid such incidents.

For now, the implementation of said reforms is suspended for now.

The British are thanked for their cooperation in the matter and the retrieval of survivors and vessels is underway.

2 Brigs squadrons from Trieste set sail to replace the gutted presence at Ostend.

[Ottoman]

September-December 1787

Tensions remain high, however it is quiet...aside from random reports by Austrian patrols that a number of villages seem to have lower count of young men then they should be at compare official records of the region...

[Ottoman]

In Britain, as the Royal Navy in particular but the British Government as well takes a dim view regarding mutiny, the mutineers are arrested and held pending trial.  The fate of the officers is the primary factor that will determine the fate of the sailors.   In the interim, the Austrian government is invited to come and get their misplaced ships whenever it is convenient for them to do so.

As the trial progress, it was during the discovery phase of the trial which revealed the fate of the Austrian officers that were in charge of the brigs. It turns out they were not killed, but put into lifeboats midway the journey to England. A passing Danish merchant ship found the Austrians and save them. The Danish captain was able to confirm the Flemish crews didn't kill the Austrian Officers, that his ship found them and rescued them.

[Galveston Bay]

In Britain, as the Royal Navy in particular but the British Government as well takes a dim view regarding mutiny, the mutineers are arrested and held pending trial.  The fate of the officers is the primary factor that will determine the fate of the sailors.   In the interim, the Austrian government is invited to come and get their misplaced ships whenever it is convenient for them to do so.

As the trial progress, it was during the discovery phase of the trial which revealed the fate of the Austrian officers that were in charge of the brigs. It turns out they were not killed, but put into lifeboats midway the journey to England. A passing Danish merchant ship found the Austrians and save them. The Danish captain was able to confirm the Flemish crews didn't kill the Austrian Officers, that his ship found them and rescued them.

As a result of the Court of Inquiry, the sailors are given the option of exile for life to South Africa or the British Virgin Islands (formerly Dutch Virgin Islands), or return to the Austrian Netherlands. All are considered guilty of mutiny, a capital offense, and exile is seen as appropriate.

[Ottoman]

In Britain, as the Royal Navy in particular but the British Government as well takes a dim view regarding mutiny, the mutineers are arrested and held pending trial.  The fate of the officers is the primary factor that will determine the fate of the sailors.   In the interim, the Austrian government is invited to come and get their misplaced ships whenever it is convenient for them to do so.

As the trial progress, it was during the discovery phase of the trial which revealed the fate of the Austrian officers that were in charge of the brigs. It turns out they were not killed, but put into lifeboats midway the journey to England. A passing Danish merchant ship found the Austrians and save them. The Danish captain was able to confirm the Flemish crews didn't kill the Austrian Officers, that his ship found them and rescued them.

As a result of the Court of Inquiry, the sailors are given the option of exile for life to South Africa or the British Virgin Islands (formerly Dutch Virgin Islands), or return to the Austrian Netherlands.   All are considered guilty of mutiny, a capital offense, and exile is seen as appropriate.  

The majority of the Sailors opt for exile to South Africa.

[Hussam B.]

Austrian envoys attempt to restart negotiations based on previous terms.

[Ottoman]

For Winter of 1788- Jan-March, the Flemish representatives refuse to re-open talks as public feelings are running too high against the Austrians....they recommend waiting until April to restart talks.

Meanwhile in the countryside, it uneasy occurs for the winter, with no reports of major incidents, aside from some partols being ambushed and not reporting back...

[Ottoman]

Summer of 1788

The exiled Prince Bishop César de Hoensbroeck of Liege arrives in Trier, calling for support from Holy Roman Empire to crush this uprising as soon as possible.

[Lefty]

Prussian emissaries declare their support for the Prince Bishop and the Emperor, but note that their forces are tied up restoring order in the United Provinces. However, should enough funds be made available from interested parties, Prussia would be willing to commit forces to putting down the insurgency.

[Ottoman]

Winter of 1788

The feats of Marquis de Lafayette were spreading like wildfire along the lower nobility of France and the Third Estate, many becoming inspired to join the rebel cause..

Another brigade of French volunteers( militia grade Infantry brigade) led by Jean Baptise Ternant cross into the frontier of Flanders to support the rebel cause.

[Galveston Bay]

Fall 1788
The Regent in Hanover, Prince George (IV) decides that intervention in the Austrian Netherlands is not in the interest of Hanover or Britain and declines to send his army to suppress the Catholic rebellion there. If pressed by the Austrians the Prince tells them that Hanover is concerned about Prussian moves in the Dutch Netherlands, while if pressed by the Prussians, the Prince cites the concern about potential accidental clashes with France.

The British Parliament is very insistent that no action be taken at this time is the actual reason is the reason conveyed to both via back channels.

[Ottoman]

Summer of 1788

The exiled Prince Bishop César de Hoensbroeck of Liege arrives in Trier, calling for support from Holy Roman Empire to crush this uprising as soon as possible.

The other Prince Bishops of the Holy Roman Empire begin lobbying the Emperor court to take action, stating its only matter of time before these dangerous ideas spread to other HRE states.

[Hussam B.]

The Emperor invites the other princes to send aid to the struggle.

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