What roles did religion and nationalism play in the Belgian Revolution of 1830
What roles did religion and nationalism play in the Belgian Revolution of 1830?
Nergiz De Baere
FYE: Legacy of the Mediterranean
Sonam Singh
In world politics, Belgium is not a powerful player. It does not have a major army and its divided government is, at the moment, unable to make important decisions regarding its own country, That being said, its geographical location has made sure that Belgium was not ignored in history, and it now hosts EU and NATO headquarters. Division of cultures and conflict is deep-rooted in Belgian history and culture, leading back to a tug of war between France and the Netherlands where Belgium was caught in the middle. Fundamental differences - such as religion - between the French and the Dutch disgruntled the Belgians, and the indecisive strife between all three countries led to increases in nationalistic sentiment in Belgium. A fateful showing of Daniel Auber’s La Muette de Portici on 25th August 1830 in Brussels led to a revolution, which then caused the establishment of Belgium as an independent state. This paper will demonstrate that in the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Belgians’ motivation to revolt against the Netherlands was unduly influenced by nationalism, and less so by religion.
Events leading up to the Revolution
The tug of war mentioned earlier was not a novel concept for Belgians. The small country was always a part of a larger empire such as the Carolingian Empire in 800 A.D. (Cook 5) or divided up and given to other surrounding countries. Its location in Europe, along with its potent and fertile marshlands ensured that many a conqueror was attracted to the region. It was under the rule of Julius Caesar in 50 B.C. and then went on to become a Roman province. It is safe to say that Belgian rulers have suffered for centuries at the hands of their more powerful and domineering neighbours. Perhaps the most gruesome of the occupations was that of the Spanish Crown, which caused Belgium and other surrounding areas to be
Nergiz De Baere
FYE: Legacy of the Mediterranean
Sonam Singh
In world politics, Belgium is not a powerful player. It does not have a major army and its divided government is, at the moment, unable to make important decisions regarding its own country, That being said, its geographical location has made sure that Belgium was not ignored in history, and it now hosts EU and NATO headquarters. Division of cultures and conflict is deep-rooted in Belgian history and culture, leading back to a tug of war between France and the Netherlands where Belgium was caught in the middle. Fundamental differences - such as religion - between the French and the Dutch disgruntled the Belgians, and the indecisive strife between all three countries led to increases in nationalistic sentiment in Belgium. A fateful showing of Daniel Auber’s La Muette de Portici on 25th August 1830 in Brussels led to a revolution, which then caused the establishment of Belgium as an independent state. This paper will demonstrate that in the Belgian Revolution of 1830, Belgians’ motivation to revolt against the Netherlands was unduly influenced by nationalism, and less so by religion.
Events leading up to the Revolution
The tug of war mentioned earlier was not a novel concept for Belgians. The small country was always a part of a larger empire such as the Carolingian Empire in 800 A.D. (Cook 5) or divided up and given to other surrounding countries. Its location in Europe, along with its potent and fertile marshlands ensured that many a conqueror was attracted to the region. It was under the rule of Julius Caesar in 50 B.C. and then went on to become a Roman province. It is safe to say that Belgian rulers have suffered for centuries at the hands of their more powerful and domineering neighbours. Perhaps the most gruesome of the occupations was that of the Spanish Crown, which caused Belgium and other surrounding areas to be