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== History ==
Main article: [[History of Tussenland]]
=== Early Colonial History ===
''This is summary of New Netherland's history. See [[History of Tussenland]] for the unabridged and complete history''
==== 17thEarly CenturyYears (1624-1655) ====
The Dutch colonial venture in North America started when Henry Hudson, an English-born explorer working for the Dutch, sailed west seeking a northwest passage to Asia. However, he did not find this passage. Instead, he stumbled upon lush land filled with beaver and natives who were interested in trading. As soon as the Dutch States-General heard of this, they sent more sailors and explorers to establish a presence on this uncharted land. Thus, the colony of New Netherland was established, with New Amsterdam as its capital.
Throughout the first half of the 17th century, the Dutch West India Company (GWC) ran the colony. To attract settlers, the GWC established the patroon system: anyone who could bring in at least 50 settlers to the colony would be awarded land grants. This system proved to be successful and bolstered the young colony's population.
==== Dutch Colony under New Netherland ==== ▼In the early years of the Dutch colony, the first settled regions of what is now Tussenland was part of the colony of [[New Netherland]] and governed by the Dutch West India Company's colonial government. Since the region was further up northwest, the region was governed from Fort Orange instead of New Amsterdam. However, as the population increased in New Netherland, the settlers have become disgruntled over the Dutch West India Company's mismanagement over the company. The settlers had protested against the Dutch West India company, and pleaded to the States-General of the Dutch republic to give the colonists a new colonial government. This led to the enactment of the [[History of New Netherland#[PoD] The Municipal Charter of 1656|1656 New Netherland Municipal Charter]], which (1) gave New Netherland its own colonial government, and (2) expelled the Dutch West India company from New Netherland government and policy.
By the 1640s, multiple settlements already hugged the eastern coast, and several ''factorÿen'' (trading forts) dotted the upstream course of the Noordt River. However, as the population grew, so were the settlers' disgruntlement over the GWC's corruption and the colony's mismanagement. The settlers denounced the GWC and pleaded to the Dutch Republic's States-General to establish a more representative colonial government. The States-General heard their demands and enacted the Municipal Charter of New Netherland (1656), which established a popular government and expelled the GWC out of New Netherland.
==== A New Trade Charter (1655) ====
After their expulsion from New Netherland, a new charter was granted to the Dutch West India Company to establish trade posts in the land west of New Netherland and engage in commerce with the Iroquois in what is now the province of Irokesenlandt. This charter effectively split the Dutch American territorial holdings into two. The Dutch West India company would then soon expand southeastward, following the downstream course of the Ohio river and the Mississippi rivers. Throughout the 17th century, the Dutch traders had a stable trade partnership with the Iroquois (Hoodenoshieöné), as well as with the colonial government of New Netherland (now outside the jurisdiction of the Dutch West India company). With the bolstered population within New Netherland, and an alliance with the Iroquois, the Dutch West India company was able to help defend their western territorial holdings during the 2nd Anglo-Dutch War.
▲==== DutchA New Colony : under NewTussenland Netherland(1655) ====
New Netherland's municipal charter forbade the GWC from operating in their territory. Despite this, the company was never disbanded. The company knew the fur trade was too invaluable. They would never let the French up north dominate the fur business. Instead, the company moved further west, away from New Netherland and into the American interior.
The GWC convinced the Dutch States-General to give the company a new trade charter. The new charter allowed them to establish new ''factorÿen'' and engage in commerce with the Iroquois. The charter effectively split the Dutch Republic's territorial holdings in North America into two. On the coast was New Netherland (a settler-oriented colony), and on the interior was the GWC-controlled territory.
The GWC allied with the Iroquois nation (Hoodenoshieöné) and fought against the French trying to expand into the interior. With the French out of the way, the GWC expanded southwestward, following the Ohio and Mississippi rivers' downstream course and into the Gulf of New Spain.
Throughout the 17th century, the GWC maintained a stable partnership with the Iroquois and the colonial government of New Netherland. With the bolstered population of New Netherland and an alliance with the Iroquois, the GWC was able to defend their western territorial holdings against the English during the 2nd Anglo-Dutch War.
==== Treaty of Perpetual Alliance (1658), and the Quiripi Wars (1659) ====
{{Main|Quiripi Wars}}
In 1658, the Dutch Republic signed the Treaty of Perpetual Alliance with the Iroquois confederacy (Hoodenoshieöné). This treaty stipulated the Dutch recognition of the Iroquois nation<nowiki>'s sovereignty, a stronger trade partnership, and a <nowiki>''perpetual''</nowiki> mutual defense treaty. This treaty also allowed the Dutch West India companyGWC to build forts inside of Iroquois territory. The first fort built on Iroquoisnative territoryland was Fort Hedel. Additionally, settlersthe fromtreaty Newforbade NetherlandDutch wouldsettlers nofrom longer be allowed to foundfounding new settlements inside Iroquoisnative claimedland. territory.
In 1659, the Iroquois hadentangled gotten been entangledthemselves in the [[Quiripi Wars]], where they fought against the Quiripi tribe (andplus several other English-allied tribes) near the English frontier. In 1661, after a band of Iroquois was attacked by the Quiripi (orattacked somea otherband English-alliedof tribe)Iroquois, the Iroquois attempted to invoke the Treaty of Perpetual Alliance to get the DutchGWC Westto India compnay tojoin the war on their side. However, the Dutchcompany refused to participate, not wanting to get involved in a futilepetty conflict against England and the other natives. The DutchGWC Westjustified Indiathis companydecision thenby reportedsaying that the Iroquois were the ones who first incited waraggressors, thus rendering the treatyTreaty of allianceAlliance inapplicable. However, the GWC reversed this decision after [[the Second Anglo-Dutch War]] erupted in 1664,; the Dutchwar Westforced Indiathe company was forcedGWC to join the Iroquois in attacking the English-allied tribes. Together with [[New Netherland]] and the Iroquois, theythe hadGWC wonsuccessfully againstrepelled Englandthe English invaders.
==== The name "Tussenland" ====
The region covered by the new Dutch West India companyGWC's trade charter did not have an official name or title during its creation in 1656. However, insome therecords 1690s,show peopleGWC workingpersonnel undercalling the Dutchregion WestTussenland Indiaas companyearly began referring toas the region as Tussenland1690s (''Dutch: ''Tussenlandt)''; meaninglit.: "''landcountry in between''"). ThisHistorians generally agree that this was due to theirthe beliefstraders' belief that athe supposedlyregion unchartedwas between two mountain rangeranges: existedthe westAppalachian ofrange on the region,east puttingand thea itsupposedly rightuncharted inmountain range on the middlewest. ofThere twois mountainno rangesclear (theevidence otherof onewhat beingwestern themountains Appalachianthey range).were Thisreferring mythicto, mountainbut rangehistorians wasgenerally soonagree discoveredthat toit might have bebeen the Rocky Mountain rangeRange.
The name ''Tussenlandt'' first appearsappeared on a Dutch West India CompanyGWC document in 17151702, referring to the region as ''Nederlandse BezittingenBesittingen ter Tussenlandt'' (lit.: Dutch possessions on the Tussenland).[[File:New France in 1745.png|alt=|thumb|A map of New France at her peak in 1749. The contested territory of Mississippi and Pays d'en Haut were officially ceded to the Dutch in 1755.]]
[[File:New France in 1745.png|alt=|thumb|A map of New France at her peak in 1749. The contested territory of Mississippi and Pays d'en Haut were officially ceded to the Dutch in 1755.]]
==== Prince Maurice's War (1750-1755), and Acquisition of Meerenland ====
{{Main|Great Silesian War}}
In 1750, the Great Silesian War had erupted in Europe, due to Prussian ambitions in the Silesian region. This conflict dragged PrussianFrance, alliesa (includingPrussian the French)ally, to a war against Britain and her allies (which included the Dutch Republic). This spawned a colonial war on the North American continent, called Prince Maurice's War (named after the ''stadtholder'' of the Dutch Republic's stadtholder at the time). PrinceThe Maurice's Warwar was one of the largestmost significant colonial warsconflicts in North America, wherepitting the North American colonies of Britain, Spain, and the Dutch Republic were pitted against those of France and her native allies.
In the early years of the war, New France saw significant gains on the Western Tussenland front, occupying key areas. However, Dutch forces soon overpowered the invading French forcestroops and marched northeast towards the Great Lakes region in 1751, capturing several keyimportant forts in the area. Meanwhile, the rest of the French army had marched south from Montreal to invade the Iroquoian homeland, which was a now a protectorate under the Dutch. The French were ultimately unable to take the Iroquoian homelandland, and in late 1752, thecombined cityDutch ofand MontrealBritish wasforces occupied byMontreal. combinedThey Dutchthen and British forces.occupied Quebec and other forts along the St. Lawrence River were occupied in 1753.
The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Vienna on 16 February 1755. As part of the treaty, the French renounced all their claims west of the Mississippi riverRiver (which wasoverlapped alsoTussenland's claimed by the Dutchclaims), and granted the Dutch possession oftransferred the Great Lakes region's possession (''Pays d'en Haut,'') then renamed byto the Dutch to ''Meerenlandt'' or "lake land"'').'' These newly acquired territories were integrated and became part of Tussenland.
==== LateThe 18thFirst CenturyProvinces Expansionof Tussenland ====
To further strengthen the legitimacy of Dutch claims on the newly acquired territories, the Dutch West India company adopted a policy of inviting settlers from [[New Netherland]] (which was starting to experience overpopulation by the 1760s). This policy differed from that of the earlier colonization policies they had set in [[New Netherland]] decades before, as this new policy would have lesser barriers to entry and allowed the upper middle-class to own their own plots of land in the region. This policy had boosted the Dutch population west of the Mississippi and soon new Dutch settlements started sprouting up through the 1760s to the 1780s. This policy, however, was less successful in Meerenlandt, which had a large pre-existing native population as well as a sizeable Francophonic population. ▼
==== Meerenlandt: A Francophone Colony ====
With the French contained to their own land up north, the Dutch in the 1780s began claiming territory far west of territory they had actually controlled and had a presence in.
The newly acquired Pays d'en Haut territory was promptly renamed ''Meeranlandt'' (Dutch for "lake country") and became a separate Dutch colony in 1756. The first Director-General of Meerenlandt, Pieter Evertsz de Vries, ruled over a predominantly French-speaking and Catholic population. De Vries won over the loyalty of the people through a policy of appeasement and placation. He allowed the French to practice Catholicism freely and even participate in the fur trade, a privilege that the GWC did not give to settlers in the GWC-controlled territories.
==== Mississippi: A settler colony ====
▲ToIn further1761, to strengthen the legitimacy of Dutch claims on the newlyMississipi acquired territoriesregion, the Dutch West India company adopted a policy of inviting settlers from [[New Netherland ]], (which was starting to experienceexperienced overpopulation bysince the 1760s ). This policy differed from that of the earlier colonization policiesschemes they had set in [[New Netherland ]] decades before ,. as thisThis new policy would have lesserfewer entry barriers to entry and allowed the upper -middle-class to own their ownland plots of land in the region. This policy had boosted the Dutch population west of the Mississippi River, and soon newmany Dutch settlements started sproutingsprouted up throughthroughout the 1760srest toof the 1780s19th century. This policy, however, was less successful in Meerenlandt, which had a large pre-existing native population as well as a sizeable Francophonic population.
=== An Era of Revolutions ===
==== Fall of the Dutch Republic ====
In 1795, the French Republic subjugated the Dutch Republic in Europe during the French Revolutionary Wars. The neighboring Dutch colony New Netherland had declared independence. Despite this, the Dutch West India CompanyGWC in Tussenland remained loyal to the Dutch Republic government-in-exile in Britain and tried to prevent any revolutionary ideas from spreading from New Netherland. (who had declared independence from the Dutch Republic during this period of turmoil).
Tussenland entered the 19th century without the Dutch Republic. During the republic's absence, the Dutch West India company faced severalan problems,invasion by Britain but were stillwas able to keeprepel theit. colonyThe invictories orderagainst through a series ofthe diplomaticBritish and military actions. Thethe mother country's absence also helped the Dutch West India company toGWC consolidate and exercise greater power over the Tussenland colony. ▼=== 19th Century ===
▲Tussenland entered the 19th century without the Dutch Republic. During the republic's absence, the Dutch West India company faced several problems, but were still able to keep the colony in order through a series of diplomatic and military actions. The mother country's absence also helped the Dutch West India company to consolidate and exercise greater power over the Tussenland colony.
===== The Iroquois Split (1805), and the Irokesenlandt Land Grant Treaty (1816) =====
[[File:1848Irokesenlandt.png|alt=|thumb|A map of the Irokesenlandt Land Grant (1816) and the controversial Virginia Purchase (1848).|425x425px]]Despite the Treatytreaty back in 1658 forbidding the Dutch from creating new settlements inside Iroquois territory, the Dutch settlers from New Netherland were still able to builddo new settlementsso on the interior. This was due to the fact that the Iroquois had leased land to New Netherlander colonists interested in making new settlements. It was illegal to buy or take land from the natives, but the leasing of land was not. There is debate in the historical community regarding these leases. Some historians argue that the Iroquois willingly allowed their landlands to be rented, while others argue that the land was leased after coercion by the [[New Netherland]] elitescolonists.
By 1780, more than half of the Iroquois territory had Dutch settlements. After their independence in 1796, [[New Netherland]] claimed all territory that hadwith Dutch settlements, andto thisbe part of New Netherland territory. This claim included halfparts of the IroquoisIroquoian territoryhomeland. The Iroquois initially remained neutral at first, believinghoping that the Dutch Republic would eventually regain control of New Netherland. However, this did not happen, as the Dutch Republic was subjugated by the French Republic during the [[French Revolution]], and it wouldn't be until 1814 that Dutch rule would be restored in the European low countries.
The Iroquois had to act. The Iroquois Grand Council was convened multiple times throughout the late 1790s and early 1800s over the matter. The Mohawk, Seneca, and Cayuga nations saw it necessary to move south, away from theNew Netherland's influence and land claims of New Netherland, as the only and necessary way to protect their sovereignty. Furthermore, they feared that if they become part of New Netherland, the New Netherland government would stop paying land dues, especially now that the independent New Netherland was no longer subject to Dutch laws protecting the Iroquois. TheHowever, the other Iroquois nations (Onondaga and Oneida), however, wanted to stay in their traditional homeland. With the nations having different opinions on the matter (especially between the Cayuga and the Oneida, who had to reach the same consensus before the process progressesprogressed to the next stage), the Grand Council process was stuck on a deadlock and had to be dismissed and reconvened multiple times. Tensions between the Iroquois nationnations even became more tensetenser as the Onondaga showed interest in the invitation to join New Netherland, offered by the New Netherland government led by [[AdriaenMarÿn van der Donck]]Beeke. Eventually, it became clear that nothe decisiongrand council could benot make madea decision. In 1805, Cayuga, Mohawk, and Seneca migrated south and escaped to the Dutch Tussenland, without the approval of the other Iroquois nations' approval. This effectively marked the end of the Iroquois confederacy.
=== The Third Province: Irokesenlandt (1816) ===
After the Kingdom of the Netherlands was created after the end of the wars in Europe (1814), the fledgling kingdom still recognized the Treaty of Perpetual Alliance dating back to 1658. The kingdom, togetherTogether with the DutchGWC, Westthe India company,Netherlands offered the Cayuga, Mohawk, and Seneca land within the Tussenland colony, which they could rule as their own. In 1816, the Irokesenlandt Land Grant Treaty was signed in Fort Hedel by the Dutch West India Company, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the sachems of the three nations' sachems. The treaty officially recognized the Iroquois nations ruling autonomously within the Tussenland colony.
This land grant put the Kingdom of the Netherlands in a strong position against the Iroquois. The Iroquois' influencestatus startedas toa wanesovereign andnation thebecame moot. The Kingdomkingdom and the Dutch West India company manipulating Iroquois policy would be a common trend throughout the 19th century (including the controversial strong-arming and pressuring of the Dutch to sell the eastern part of Irokesenlandt to Virginia in 1848).
==== The Threefold Dilemmas of Irokesenlandt's Creation ====
The creation of Tussenland's first "nation within a nation"," Irokesenlandt, wasdid not come without problems. New Netherland historian LucileLucille Hopkins had identified three keycritical problemsissues of the Irokesenlandtcreation Landof TreatyIrokesenlandt and their effects on the history of Tussenland, in her book ''A History of Modern Tussenland (1974).'' Although problematic, these problems and their effects are considered to be important factors that shaped future Tussenland policy. These three problems are:
# '''The Amerikaner Settler Dilemma:''' During the creation of the Irokesenlandt, there were already a few Dutch settlers setting up settlements in the area. They were disgruntled with this new land treaty and viewed it as an "eviction notice ." for the Dutch settlers. They were displeased with the Kingdom of the Netherland's favoritism towards the natives instead of themthe Dutch settlers. Despite protests, the kingdom enforced this treaty by coercing Dutch settlerscolonists to move westward , into what is now the predominantly Dutch/Amerikaner provinces of Mississippi. Some of the settlers even went as far as the west coast, in what would become known as the Voortrekker Trails, which would soon form the foundations of the modern nation of the [[Amerikaanse Free State]]. This westward expansion would soonquickly bring the Kingdom of the Netherlands into a conflict with the Spanish Empire , and would culminate in the [[2nd Dutch-Spanish War]] in 1850. ▼# '''The Native Dilemma:''' The borders of Irokesenlandt ignored the pre- exitingexisting native population within. Initially, the Iroquois had adopted a policy of coexistence with these other natives. However, the other natives (most especially the Cherokee, Choctaw, Shawnee, and Chickasaw) were unreceptive to their new landowners, increasing tensions between the native groups. These tensions soon evolved into raids, attacks, and battles between the Iroquois and the other natives, collectively known as the Irokesenlandt Wars. The Iroquois won these wars. The natives, defeated, were forced by the Iroquois to migrate westward, just outside the southwestern borders of Irokesenlandt (in the regions of what would become the modern-day nation of [[Opdamsland]]). In the coming decades, the Opdamsland region would be used by Tussenland as a placedestination for a series of native removals throughout the late 19th century. ▼# '''The Virginian Settler Dilemma:''' Despite being claimed by Tussenland (and part of the new Irokesenlandt), the western regions of Irokesenland were also claimed by Virginia (which was a British colony at the time). Some Virginian yeomen had already migrated to the regionarea since the late 1700s18th century and established settlements there. The creation of Irokesenlandt would only agitate Virginia and would lead Great Britain to send more settlers in the region to reinforce their claims. The Kingdom of the Netherlands warned the Iroquois not to attack these Virginian settlers, as they did not want to get into a conflict with Great Britain. ▼
▲=== 18th19th Centurycentury ===
▲# '''The Amerikaner Settler Dilemma:''' During the creation of the Irokesenlandt, there were already a few Dutch settlers setting up settlements in the area. They were disgruntled with this new land treaty and viewed it as an "eviction notice" for the Dutch settlers. They were displeased with the Kingdom of the Netherland's favoritism towards the natives instead of them. Despite protests, the kingdom enforced this treaty by coercing Dutch settlers to move westward, into what is now the predominantly Dutch/Amerikaner provinces of Mississippi. Some of the settlers even went as far as the west coast, in what would become known as the Voortrekker Trails, which would soon form the foundations of the modern nation of the [[Amerikaanse Free State]]. This westward expansion would soon bring the Kingdom of the Netherlands into a conflict with the Spanish Empire, and would culminate in the [[2nd Dutch-Spanish War]] in 1850.
▲# '''The Native Dilemma:''' The borders of Irokesenlandt ignored the pre-exiting native population within. Initially, the Iroquois had adopted a policy of coexistence with these other natives. However, the other natives (most especially the Cherokee, Choctaw, Shawnee, and Chickasaw) were unreceptive to their new landowners, increasing tensions between the native groups. These tensions soon evolved into raids, attacks, and battles between the Iroquois and the other natives, collectively known as the Irokesenlandt Wars. The Iroquois won these wars. The natives, defeated, were forced by the Iroquois to migrate westward, just outside the southwestern borders of Irokesenlandt (in the regions of what would become the modern-day nation of [[Opdamsland]]). In the coming decades, the Opdamsland region would be used by Tussenland as a place for a series of native removals.
▲# '''The Virginian Settler Dilemma:''' Despite being claimed by Tussenland (and part of the new Irokesenlandt), the western regions of Irokesenland were also claimed by Virginia (which was a British colony at the time). Some Virginian yeomen had already migrated to the region since the late 1700s and established settlements there. The creation of Irokesenlandt would only agitate Virginia and would lead Great Britain to send more settlers in the region to reinforce their claims. The Kingdom of the Netherlands warned the Iroquois not to attack these Virginian settlers, as they did not want to get into a conflict with Great Britain.
==== Creation of the Royal Tussenland Company (1817) ====
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