The Age of the Patriots, spanning from 1780 to 1792, was a time of significant revolutions that set the stage for the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. The Patriots, disenchanted with the absolute rule of Stadtholder William V, Prince of Orange, sought democracy. Their ideals were fueled by Enlightenment thoughts and democratic movements in France. Clashes between the Patriots and the Orangists, who supported William V, were frequent. Although many Patriot-led revolts were suppressed by military forces, notably those from Austria under the Habsburgs, their efforts were not in vain. They sparked the Batavian Revolution, ultimately leading to the fall of the Dutch Republic.
The Age of the Patriots
The Age of the Patriots was inspired by the revolutionary ideas of the Enlightment. However, the American Revolutionary Wars inspired the Dutch Republic, and they were compassionate with the American cause, raising feelings of democracy and, subsequently, patriotism.