Utrecht During The French Period

After the Romains,
the Spaniards and the German
you should easily forget that

Holland was also "visited" by the French

At the Ledig Erf in Utrecht is a statue on which you see the flight of the French from Holland in 1813.

On January 16 1795 the French of Napoleon, crossed the frozen rivers under command of General Pichegru to occupy the Netherlands.
It was the sign to the stadtholder Prince Willem V to flee to England.

In Holland started the Bataafs-French period (1975-1813)

This period was – how curious –not too bad for Holland.

Besides the black side of the war, the French modernized political and social sectors and reorganized the government. Among others the Code Civil was introduced.

In 1806 the Netherlands became a kingdom under the first King , Napoleon’s brother Lodewijk Napoleon.
This kingdom lasted till 1810 when Napoleon annexed Holland.

In 1813 the Cossacks and Prussians liberated the Netherlands from the French and chased the French over the border (see also the first picture near the Wittevrouwenpoort near the Biltstraat).

The son of stadtholder Willem V became king Willem I.

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Text in the plaquette: "De Fransen verlaten Utrecht den 23 november 1813" (The French leave Utrecht 23 November 1813).