oa Orangisten tegen Oranje

Orangists vs. Orange. The Struggle for the Orangist Restoration, 1787-8

In the year following the Orangist victory over the Patriots in September 1787 the stadholder faced surprisingly strong opposition not from former Patriots but from his own supporters. This article investigates why this was the case, arguing that after the Patriot defeat the Orangist camp was divided over questions of retribution and reconciliation. By following the Orangist civic movement from its inception in early 1787 to its repression by the restored regime over the course of 1788, this article shows that a new interpretation of Orangist burghers’ motivations is needed in order properly to understand this little-known episode in Dutch revolutionary history. To do so, it builds on various types of sources written by these burghers themselves, including petitions, letters, and commemorative works. It also explores the relevance of this particular case to broader questions of transitional justice in societies divided by civil conflict.