Hendrik Van der Noot

Hendrik Karel Nicolaas van der Noot (Brussels, 1731-01-07 - Strombeek, 1827-01-12) was a jurist, lawyer and politician from Brabant. He was one of the main players of the Brabant Revolution (1789-1790) against the Austrian rule of Emperor Joseph II). This revolution led to the short-lived existence of the United States of Belgium (11 January 1790 - December 1790).

Two lawyers, Jan Frans Vonck en Hendrik Van der Noot were the leaders of the revolt but each represented a different faction. The Vonckists were inspired by the French Revolution (1789 - 1799) and sought a link-up with the people and the patriot army. De Statists led by Van der Noot strived for the restoration of old privileges of the nobility and the church such as the "Joyous Entry", the "Blijde Inkomst" and sought cooperation with the Dutch Republic.

In contrast to Vonck, who was of the opinion that the Belgian people themselves had to fight against the Austrian despot, Van der Noot had more confidence in obtaining foreign support. In 1788 Van der Noot travelled to England, the Dutch Republic and Prussia to get attention for the cause of Brabant liberty. Only Prussia, that itself had beaten the Dutch patriots in 1787, was inclined to support the Belgian patriots as they were at that time anti-Austrian. Van der Noot had less success seeking support from the last Grand Pensionary of Holland, Laurens Pieter van de Spiegel.

In October 1789 Van der Noot and General Vander Meersch with a small patriot army from Breda captured the entire province of Brabant. In his first concurred (or freed) town, Hoogstraten, Van der Noot published his Manifesto of the Brabant People on 24 October 1789. The document explains why the people of Brabant have the right to disobedience against a ruler. The main argument is that the will of a nation is the highest law and if that is violated by a ruler the nation has the right to revolt against the ruler.

Van der Noot captured Turnhout, defeating the Austrians in the Battle of Turnhout on October 27 and Ghent was taken on November 13. On November 17 the imperial regents Albert of Saxony and Archduchess Maria Christina fled Brussels. The remains of the imperial forces withdrew behind the citadel walls of Luxembourg and Antwerp.

Van der Noot declared Brabant independent, and all other provinces of the Austrian Netherlands with the exception of Luxembourg soon followed suit. On January 11, 1790 they signed a pact, establishing a confederation, headed by Van der Noot, under the name Verenigde Nederlandse Staten / États-Belgiques-Unis (United States of Belgium).

When Prussia abandoned the revolt after the signing the Convention of Reichenbach (27 juli 1790) with Austria the fragile state soon came under attack by the Austrian troops of Emperor Leopold II. In November of 1790 Van der Noot had to flee to the Dutch Republic and thereafter to England. In 1792 he made an appeal for cooperation with the French occupiers (1794 - 1815). He returned to Brabant but was arrested 1796 and imprisoned in 's Hertogenbosch.

He died in 1826 in Strombeek and his tomb is located in the wall of the vicar's compound of the Sint-Amandsparochie in Strombeek-Bever.

External links

* [http://www.lib.kbr.be/collections/manu/nouveautes/iv1289/iv1289_vandernoot.html Manuscript of Van der Noot on his captivity in 1796]