Tussenland Upheavals
The Tussenland Upheavals (1859-1861) was a series of revolts in Tussenland that led to radical change within Dutch Tussenlandic government and society. This period saw the transformation of Tussenland from being colony operated by the Royal Tussenland Company into a loose confederation of several states known as the Federation of Tussenland.
Context
During the rebellions in 1859-1861, the multiple uprisings were originally viewed by the Kingdom of the Netherlands as separate and isolated conflicts. It was not until mid-1860 that the Dutch States-General viewed the conflict as a major revolution in their colony, when the French-speaking Meerenland rebels allied themselves with the revolutionaries in the Dutch protectorate of Irokesenlandt. On March 16, 1860, the Meerenland and Irokesenlandt signed the Instrument of Confederation, the founding of the Federation of Tussenland.
Unrest in Meerenland
Corruption under Casimir van Boetsselaer, Director of Meerenland
The colony of Meerenland already had calls for a more responsible government as early as the 1830s. However, severe protests began when Casimir van Boetsselaer was appointed Director of Meerenland in 1854. Van Boetsselaer was described as "an out-of-touch and aloof statesman." He was one of the few Directors in Meerenland history, unable to speak a word of French. However, his refusal to learn the language made him infamous in Meerenland. In 1855, he penned Meerenland's controversial Dutch Language Act (Amerikaens: Ackt op de tallen v'n de Mîrenlandt), which designated Hollandic Dutch the only official language of government and recognized the Amerikaens variant of Dutch. Although the act mentioned nothing prohibiting the French language nor limiting its usage outside government, this act had upset the French-speaking elites and commonfolk alike.
Corruption in Meerenland peaked during his rule. Activists petitioned the Dutch States-General to relieve Van Boetsselaer from his post in 1856 but this had fallen under deaf ears. In 1858, the weekly political publication Courrier de Mirélande publicized a letter penned by Van Boetsselaer to his cousin in South Holland that acknowledged his siphoning of tax revenue. Van Boetsselaer called the letters as poltiical smear tactic carried out by insurgents.
Initial Violence, and the Detroit Incident
When Boetsselaer announced his refusal to resign from his post, a mob of French Meerenlanders stormed the government building in Detroit. Already aware of the mob presence, Van Boetsselaer had already fled south prior to the event. Dutch troops from Fort Sevres fired upon the mob killing several Frenchmen. The Dutch troops had underestimated the crowd and were forced to retreat and come back the next day with more reinforcements. The government house was eventually cleared and Van Boetsselaer came back and denounced the act of violence on both the Meerenlanders and the Dutch troops alike. Van Boetsselaer refused to give reparations to the families of the killed Meerenlanders and denounced them as traitors to the Dutch crown. This event had fueled more negative sentiments against the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Van Boetsselaer's government.
Unrest in Irokesenland
Ever since Irokesenland became a protectorate in 1816, the Kingdom of the Netherlands had put a Dutch High Commissioner in place to manage Irokesenland indirectly. The High Commissioner was often at odds with the interests of the Irokees majority. Tensions grew further in 1847 when the Dutch forcibly removed the governor of Irokesenland after he refused to sell West Irokesenland to Virginia (still a British colony at this point). Multiple protests occurred in Irokesenland but eventually died down in intensity.
During the 2nd Dutch-Spanish War (1850-1855), many Irokees soldiers fought under the Dutch flag. However, Irokees regiments suffered heavy losses during the war. After the Dutch lost in 1855, the Irokees started demanding Dutch aid to rehabilitate their cities. The Dutch were only able to give a small amount due to financial ruin caused by the war.
For the Irokees, the defeat during the war proved the Kingdom of the Netherlands' inability to protect Irokesenland. In a poll conducted by New Netherland observers, most Irokees thought that a protectorate status under the Dutch was unnecessary.
By 1857, only two years after the war, pan-Iroquoian nationalism was at an all-time high. In another survey, most Irokees are willing to break the Dutch suzerainty and want Irokesenland to become an independent state. Tensions came to a head when a nationalist mob rallied outside the residence of the Dutch High Commissioner. With only a few men to protect him, the commissioner agreed to flee Irokesenland for the meantime, fearing his safety. When news of the Dutch High Commissioner's departure reached the governor, the governor finally decided to act on the people's will. On September 14, 1858, the governor declared Irokesenland free from Dutch sovereignty.
The Dutch colony of Meerenland, which was already under siege by Dutch troops after revolting against their Director, offered an alliance with the new Irokesenland state. The governor of Irokesenland accepted.
Unrest in Daesemus
The Suyderling Revolt
The Suyderlings (English: Southerners) were a group of wealthy former plantation and slave owners who fled from South Tussenland's slave insurrection in the 1850s. In 1850, South Tusssenland formally declared its independence and the majority of African descent took over the reins of government in South Tussenland. As a result, white plantation owners were driven off or killed by their former slaves. Those who managed to escape sought refuge in Daesemus, positive that the Kingdom of the Netherlands would eventually retake South Tussenland and return their plantations. However, after the 2nd Dutch-Spanish War ended in 1855, Spain forced the Kingdom of the Netherlands to recognize the independence of South Tussenland. This upset the plantation owners now in Daesemus. They began demanding the Dutch government compensation for their losses in South Tussenland, and the States-General agreed to their demands. However, the Kingdom of the Netherlands was in economic ruin after the war and was unable to give the Suyderlings the promised reparations.