kingdom · France and the Low Countries

Kingdom of Holland

1806 CE – 1810 CE · capital Amsterdam

Napoleon's client kingdom for his brother Louis, who tried to rule as a Dutch king and was removed for defending his subjects.

Origins

In 1806 Napoleon replaced the Batavian Republic with a kingdom and installed his brother Louis Bonaparte as king. Louis learned Dutch, made Amsterdam the capital and turned its town hall into a royal palace.

Rule and society

Louis founded the Royal Institute and a national museum, introduced a civil code and took a sympathetic line toward Dutch interests. He resisted conscription and enforced the Continental System only loosely, which allowed smuggling with Britain. The economy suffered nonetheless, and the British landed on Walcheren in 1809.

Decline and legacy

Napoleon, angry at Louis's independence, forced him to abdicate in July 1810, and the kingdom was annexed to the French Empire. French rule ended in 1813, leading to the Sovereign Principality of the United Netherlands.

Lineage

Batavian Republic 1795 CE – 1806 CEKingdom of HollandFrench Empire 1534 CE – 1980 CE

Connections (1)

More states of France and the Low Countries →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Holland. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-holland
MLA
“Kingdom of Holland.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-holland. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Holland.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-holland.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Holland’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-holland (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻