The Batavian Revolution: typical French, typical Dutch or typical Atlantic

With the exception of Simon Schama's monograph on Dutch Patriots and French 'Liberators', the Batavian Revolution (1795-1806) has usually been interpreted as French-inspired and thus as 'alien' to the Netherlands. The original Dutch revolutionary achievements are underestimated as are those in the Patriot Revolution (1781-1787). In this article, both periods are investigated and (re)placed in the context of the contemporary revolutions in America and France to better understand their mutual interactions. The focus lies on the political and cultural transfers between these three nations in revolution.