William I of the Netherlands

Reign: 1815 – 1840
Life: 1772–1843

He fought against the French invasion during the Flanders campaign, and after the Batavian Revolution in 1795, his family went into exile. He briefly ruled the Principality of Nassau-Orange-Fulda before Napoleon French troops' occupation forced him out of power. Following the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, William was invited back to the Netherlands, where he proclaimed himself Sovereign Prince of the United Netherlands. His reign saw the adoption of a new constitution, which granted him extensive powers. He was a strong proponent of economic development, founding several universities and promoting trade. However, his efforts to impose the Reformed faith and the Dutch language in the mostly Catholic and partly French-speaking southern provinces, combined with economic grievances, sparked the Belgian Revolution in 1830.

During William I of the Netherlands' reign, Frederick William III of Prussia ruled Prussia, Francis I of Austria ruled Austria, and Nicholas I of Russia ruled Russia.

Want to learn more? Further reading

Patriots and Liberators: Revolution in the Netherlands, 1780–1813 by Simon Schama

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From the library

Go deeper on William I of the Netherlands

Hand-picked histories and biographies for readers who want more than the timeline: the same era, told in full.

Patriots and Liberators: Revolution in the Netherlands, 1780–1813

Simon Schama

Schama's classic on the Batavian era and the Oranges, essential background to William I's restoration.

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The Pursuit of Power: Europe 1815–1914
Richard J. Evans
Evans places the United Kingdom of the Netherlands in the post-Napoleonic settlement and Belgian revolt.
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