In 1787, the Prussian invasion put an abrupt end to the democratization of the Netherlands and thousands of patriots fled abroad.
After years of exile and an ‘underground’ patriot movement in France, the revolutionaries returned in 1795 and the democratic revolution continued. In the Batavian Revolution, Netherland democracy was founded from 1795 onwards and the foundation was laid for the ‘Netherland unitary state’.
Engraving, made by R. Vinkeles in 1795
The revolution party on 4 March 1795 in Amsterdam, in the first year of the Batavian Revolution. A ‘freedom tree’ was planted on Dam Square. Planting the freedom tree symbolized the removal of the old order and the establishment of the new order. The revolution was celebrated exuberantly, with citizens dancing hand in hand with the soldiers around the planted freedom tree.
