RE: Question for Arthur
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 08-01-03 AT 05:18Â AM (GMT)]You are right Brad, that happened in 1667, the second Anglo-Dutch war, under the command of Michiel de Ruyter. Anyway, the Dutch lost that war and had to give up New Holland (Oz) and New Zealand in favour of the British. The Anglo-Dutch wars have only weakened both countries, the Dutch had to give up their position as leading nation in Europe, and the British had to wait another 100 years before they could catch up with the French (both in terms of military, economy and colonialism, England became an empire after the Seven-year war). At that time, France was undoubtly the leading nation of Europe, ruled by Louis XIV (first Mazarin), who was seen as an enemy for most other European nations. After Louis XIV, France was in a big crisis, which eventually ended in the French revolution in 1789 and the Napoleonic area. In january of 1790, Belgium declared itself independent, and became a republic under the name of the `Republic of the United Dutch States`, much like the Republic of the United Provinces (Netherlands). In november of the same year, the Austrians regained controll over Belgium. From 1794-1815 we were part of France (much like the rest of western Europe), and in 1815, after the Vienna-treaty, the Netherlands and Belgium were united in one state, known as the United Netherlands. In 1830, this ended in another civil war between the North and the South.
At least at that time Brittons still felt like Europeans (eventhough if that meant making war :D).
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