Lecture
The 'Batavian Revolution'
the emergence of Dutch democracy
At the end of the 18th century, a major revolution took place, laying the foundations of Dutch democracy. It was a drastic change and a fundamental break with the medieval past. For the first time in Dutch history, a national parliament convened during the ‘Batavian Revolution’, and in 1798, the first Dutch Constitution was adopted.
Mr. Jurriaan Paulus van Pauwvliet, founder of Centrum 1795, will take us back to the 18th century and, in this lecture, will describe the turbulent struggles and events that led to the birth of Dutch democracy. Using beautiful historical illustrations, he will explore the background of the revolution and demonstrate that our democracy was not always a given.
The first Dutch parliament in 1796
Themes
The lecture will address the following topics:
the 18th-century climate of the revolution's origins
the patriot period in the Netherlands
1781 - 1787
the Prussian invasion
1787
the preparations for the counterrevolution from France
1787 - 1795
the Batavian Revolution:
the establishment of the Dutch parliament (the 'First National Assembly')
1 March 1796
the Batavian Revolution:
the creation of the first Dutch Constitution
1 May 1798
the consequences of the revolution for modern Netherlands
Jurriaan Paulus van Pauwvliet
Centrum 1795 in Oosterhout
The speaker
The lectures will be given by Jurriaan Paulus van Pauwvliet, Ms. He is the founder of Centrum 1795 in Oosterhout.
Jurriaan Paulus van Pauwvliet is a lawyer by training who has transformed his interest in the background of law and democracy into education and conservation. After studying Dutch law at Erasmus University, he worked for seven years as a practicing lawyer and then for four years as a mediator. His work took a turn when, starting in 2021, he dedicated himself to amassing a large collection of historical prints and objects related to the 18th-century patriot period and the Batavian Revolution.
This led to the establishment of Centrum 1795, a museum and knowledge center dedicated to the origins of Dutch democracy. The center offers a permanent exhibition that showcases one of the most fascinating and formative periods in Dutch history: the late 18th century and the subsequent Batavian Revolution.
Drawing on his expertise and commitment, Jurriaan Paulus van Pauwvliet gives lectures throughout the Netherlands, telling the story of the turbulent struggle and the fundamental break with the medieval past that led to the first national parliament in 1796 and the first Dutch Constitution in 1798.
His work sheds light on a relatively underexposed, yet crucial, period in Dutch government. He demonstrates that the democracy we know today is not a given, but rather the result of a revolutionary upheaval at the end of the 18th century.
Jurriaan Paulus van Pauwvliet enthusiastically and expertly makes the history of the Batavian Revolution and the origins of Dutch democracy accessible to a wide audience. With this, he aims to contribute to a better understanding of the roots of our current society.