Chapter 2

William Hendrick, brimming with self-satisfaction, recounted the overwhelmingly positive public response to his stewardship. His achievements, he believed, were undeniably triumphant. The late 16th and 17th centuries witnessed the meteoric ascent of Dutch maritime dominance, forging a global commercial empire and simultaneously exporting a vibrant culture. This epoch, celebrated as the Netherlands' Golden Age, ultimately yielded to the fortunes of war. A series of bruising naval conflicts with Great Britain, culminating in defeat, and subsequent land losses to France irrevocably diminished the Dutch colonial holdings. Only the East Indies, Aruba, the Antilles, and Suriname remained. The 1830 secession of Belgium, abetted by British machinations, dealt a crippling blow to the Netherlands' European standing and influence. Your Majesty, faced with this calamitous decline, how do you envision restoring the Netherlands to its former glory? The question hung heavy in the opulent air of the Amsterdam Royal Palace.

January 6, 1862.

King William Hendrick, 21, and newly inaugurated Prime Minister Johann Rudolf Tolbek engaged in their inaugural monarch-minister dialogue. Tolbek, deeply intrigued by the young King – eldest son of the late William III and recently crowned Prince – was acutely aware of Hendrick's prior European renown as a literary luminary. The question gnawed at him: how would this Prince, once a source of national pride, navigate the weighty responsibilities of kingship? What vision would guide the Netherlands under his reign? However, Tolbek's immediate challenge was far more practical: securing Hendrick's attention. The King, with a perceptive glance, preempted this difficulty. "To address the Netherlands' current predicament," Hendrick declared, "we must first grapple with the enduring legacy of the 1815 Vienna System."

Tolbek nodded sagely. The Vienna Settlement, the bedrock of the contemporary European order, and the cornerstone of every nation's territorial integrity, was indeed the elephant in the room. Hendrick continued, his voice resonating with conviction, "The system, forged in the crucible of Napoleon's defeat, ostensibly established a new European equilibrium. Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria – the victors – carved up the spoils. Yet, our strategic maneuvering in 1818, a subtle dance of diplomacy, secured the Netherlands' integration into this system, averting isolation. This, however, relegated us to a second-tier status. Without a seat at the negotiating table, how can we expect genuine recognition?" He elaborated, "The Congress of Vienna reinstated the Bourbons in France, Spain, and the Two Sicilies; the Braganza in Portugal; and our House of Nassau in the Netherlands. Austria expanded its dominion, annexing Tyrol, Galicia, and Istria, while receiving Lombardy as compensation. Poland, largely reconstituted, found itself under the Russian Tsar's dominion, with only Krakow enjoying limited autonomy. Prussia, enriched by the spoils of war, consolidated its power through gains in Poland and Saxony, along with territories from Westphalia and Pomerania." Hendrick's words painted a stark picture of the intricate power dynamics shaping Europe's destiny, and the Netherlands' precarious position within it.

The Congress of Vienna redrew the map of Europe, leaving a legacy of both stability and simmering resentment. Britain, a formidable power, annexed strategic islands and territories: Malta and the Ionians from the defeated Napoleonic forces; Ceylon, the Cape of Good Hope, and Guyana from the Dutch; and Saint Lucia, Tobago, Seychelles, and Mauritius from France. This aggressive expansionism wasn't confined to overseas possessions; Britain's influence shaped the continental balance of power. The German Confederation, a patchwork of thirty-four monarchies including Prussia and Austria, alongside four free cities, emerged from the ashes of the Holy Roman Empire. Austria's Habsburgs gained control of Modena and Parma, while the Sardinian monarchy absorbed Genoa, Savoy, and Nice. The Austrian Netherlands were integrated into the newly formed Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Norway entered into a union with Sweden. Denmark secured Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg from Prussia. France, bound by the First and Second Treaties of Paris (1815), was forced to accept its pre-1790 frontiers and pay a crippling indemnity of 700 million francs. Allied troops occupied French territory for several years. Yet, French cunning proved a potent force. By skillfully leveraging other nations' anxieties—particularly Britain's fear of a dominant continental power—France swiftly regained its footing. Hendrick lamented, "The British, with their insidious machinations, outmaneuvered us at every turn. They initially ceded the Netherlands, only to later, through devious means, engineer the creation of Belgium, effectively reclaiming a significant portion of those territories. Our losses, however, extended far beyond Europe. The British Empire seized Ceylon, the Cape, and Guyana—fertile lands now lost to us. The seizure of Ceylon, the strategic jewel of the Indian Ocean, a vital gateway to the subcontinent, is especially galling; a key position usurped, leaving a deep wound upon our national pride." Tolbeck, concurring with Hendrick's astute assessment, subtly remarked, "Your Majesty, considering the precarious state of the Netherlands, what strategy do you propose for the internal administration of that region? And what forms of collaboration do you envision between our nations in this crucial governance?"

Hendrick sensed the weight of Tolbeck's words, a historical tapestry woven with ambition, compromise, and political maneuvering. Tolbeck's career, a whirlwind of Dutch political life, began with a professorship at Ghent University in 1825. His ascent was meteoric: elected to parliament in 1840, he swiftly became the Dutch Liberal Party's leader. His 1844 constitutional reform proposal, a bold attempt to reshape the nation's governance, was thwarted by entrenched conservative forces. Yet, he persevered. In 1849, he attained the apex of power, simultaneously serving as Speaker of the House of Representatives and Minister of the Interior—a position he tragically relinquished amidst religious discord. His subsequent electoral triumph last year, a testament to his enduring popularity, marked a return to the national stage. His platform: free trade, emancipation in the colonies, albeit with a lingering, problematic system of forced labor. Though sidelined during a subsequent administration, his third term commenced in 1872, only to be tragically cut short by illness. The shadow of his father, William III, loomed large over Tolbeck's narrative. William III's initial grand designs were stymied by relentless opposition aimed at curtailing royal authority, creating considerable turmoil. Indeed, William IV, Hendrick's contemporary, even harbored suspicions regarding William III's involvement in Tolbeck's first resignation. Now, however, Tolbeck's resurgence served a strategic purpose: a calculated exchange to neutralize the lingering threat of the former monarch and his allies. William IV's gaze, intense and unwavering, settled upon Tolbeck. "Our clandestine actions, my Prime Minister," the King stated, his voice low and resonant, "are inherently fragile. Secrecy, like a thin veil, cannot indefinitely conceal the truth. Therefore, we must urgently fortify our positions to withstand the inevitable repercussions." Tolbeck voiced a prudent concern: "While I am on the verge of completing cabinet formation, Your Majesty, aligning myself overtly against you might jeopardize your image..." The King dismissed the apprehension with a wave of his hand. "Fear not. The Dutch press is now firmly under my control. Public opinion, my Prime Minister, bends to my will. My immediate challenge is to manage the legacy of my father, William III. Your continued presence is crucial; it allows my father to remain in Luxembourg, a necessary exile for his own—and the nation's—tranquility."

Tolbek bowed his head, a weary sigh escaping his lips. The young king before him, despite his tender years, possessed a chilling decisiveness – the same decisiveness that had sealed Tolbek's fate. Five years prior, with honeyed words and lavish promises, he'd been lured into the king's orbit. He'd become a shadow, his first assignment a treacherous mission: to incite the liberal faction against William III, the crown prince Hendrick's father, and plunge the nation into turmoil. For over half a decade, the conservatives, though fiercely resisting the tide of change, had fought a losing battle. The burgeoning power of European parliaments proved an unstoppable force.

Slowly, pragmatically, they adapted, their allegiances shifting to secure their own influence, ultimately shaping the Dutch political landscape. The sweeping legal reforms of 1848 solidified this new order. The constitution proclaimed the Netherlands a hereditary kingdom, vesting legislative authority in the monarch and parliament, and executive power in the king and his cabinet. The Privy Council, headed by the king himself, became the apex of state consultation, its members appointed at the monarch's discretion. The Prime Minister, the head of government, emerged as the leader of the dominant party in the lower house. And last year, that leader became Tolbek. Thus, the military and political reins of the Netherlands resided, unknown to many, firmly in the hands of King William IV and Tolbek, a clandestine partnership forged amidst the lingering power struggles that had defined the reign of William III. Unbeknownst to the world, these two had been meticulously crafting the Netherlands' trajectory for the next several decades – a vision conceived five years earlier. "Has the cabinet finalized our foreign policy strategy?" William IV inquired. Tolbek responded, "We aim to cultivate strong diplomatic ties with Prussia, while simultaneously securing a mutually defensive alliance with Belgium. Simultaneously, we will intensify collaboration with France." William IV's voice, sharp and insightful, cut through the air. "My father, William III, was repeatedly pressured by Napoleon III to cede Luxembourg. Prussia thwarted each attempt. Has this implacable resistance only fueled Napoleon's resentment?" The weight of history, and the potential for future conflict, hung heavy in the room.