CHAPTER XX

FROM THE PEACE OF NIMEGUEN TO THE PEACE OF UTRECHT

A.D. 1678—­1713

State of Europe subsequently to the Peace of Nimeguen—­Arrogant Conduct of Louis XIV.—­Truce for Twenty Years—­Death of Charles II. of England—­League of Augsburg—­The Conduct of William—­He invades England—­James II.  Deposed—­William iii. proclaimed King of England—­King William puts himself at the Head of the Confederacy against Louis XIV., and enters on the War—­Military Operations—­Peace of Ryswyk—­Death of Charles II. of Spain—­War of Succession—­Death of William iii.—­His Character—­Duke of Marlborough—­Prince Eugene—­Successes of the Earl of Peterborough in Spain and Portugal—­Louis XIV. solicits Peace—­Conferences for Peace—­Peace of Utrecht—­Treaty of the Barrier.

CHAPTER XXI

From the peace of Utrecht to the incorporation of Belgium with the French republic

A.D. 1713—­1794

Quadruple Alliance—­General Peace of Europe—­Wise Conduct of the Republic—­Great Danger from the bad State of the Dikes—­Death of the Emperor Charles VI.—­Maria Theresa Empress—­Her heroic Conduct—­Battle of Dettingen—­Louis XV. invades the Netherlands—­Conferences for Peace at Breda—­Battle of Fontenoy—­William IV.  Stadtholder and Captain-General—­Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle—­Death of the Stadtholder, who is succeeded by his Son William V.—­War of Seven Years—­State of the Republic—­William V. Stadtholder—­Dismemberment of Poland—­Joseph II.  Emperor—­His attempted Reforms in Religion—­War with England—­Sea-Fight on the Doggerbank—­Peace with England, 1784—­Progress of Public Opinion in Europe, in Belgium, and Holland—­Violent Opposition to the Stadtholder—­Arrest of the Princess of Orange—­Invasion of Holland by the Prussian Army—­Agitation in Belgium—­Vander Noot—­Prince Albert of Saxe-Teschen and the Archduchess Maria Theresa joint Governors-General—­Succeeded by Count Murray—­Riots—­Meetings of the Provisional States—­General Insurrection—­Vonckists—­Vander Mersch—­Takes the Command of the Insurgents—­His Skilful Conduct—­He gains the Battle of Turnhout—­Takes Possession of Flanders—­Confederation of the Belgian Provinces—­Death of Joseph II.—­Leopold Emperor—­Arrest of Vander Mersch—­Arrogance of the States-General of Belgium—­The Austrians overrun the Country—­Convention at The Hague—­Death of Leopold—­Battle of Jemmappes—­General Dumouriez—­Conquest of Belgium by the French—­Recovered by the Austrians—­The Archduke Charles Governor-General—­War in the Netherlands—­Duke of York—­The Emperor Francis—­The Battle of Fleurus—­Incorporation of Belgium with the French Republic—­Peace of Leoben—­Treaty of Campo-Formio.