HOLF Players' Guild Forum

Holland Revolts! Stadtholder Overthrown!!

A popular uprising led by Cornelis Bol, Jan Van Rijn and Wilhelm Van Bosse has overthrown the stadtholder William V, Prince of Orange and established a revolutionary government in the Netherlands. Details are sketchy, but it appears that Bol and Van Bosse recently returned to Holland from exile in the United States. They had fled there in 1789 when the Dutch Patriot Revolt was crushed by the reactionary forces of King Frederick William II of Prussia. Prussia’s reaction to recent events in Holland is not known at this time.

Van Rijn apparently has been in hiding in Holland for some time. He is credited with establishing clandestine Patriot Clubs in major cities and organizing a paramilitary Free Corps in anticipation of the return of Bol and Van Bosse.

Massive public demonstrations broke out this afternoon in Groningen and Amsterdam, spreading quickly as far south as Brussels. In Rotterdam, the Dutch Navy mutinied and joined the Free Corps in a massive demonstration of revolutionary fervor heretofore seen only in France. Red, white and blue cockades were observed in every hat as Navy and Free Corps alike swore allegiance to the revolution.

When news of the naval mutiny reached The Hague, military commanders there stood down their troops and ordered them to their barracks. Free Corps militia marched on the government center and found the palace of the Prince of Orange empty. William’s whereabouts is unknown at this time, but rumors circulate that he has fled to England on a fishing boat filled with Dutch licorice.

L’Ami du Peuple will follow this story closely and issue bulletins as we receive news.

Death to all tyrants! Long live the Revolution!!

Jean-Paul Marat, Publisher