Friday, August 9, 2013

Utrechtse Vroedschap

In last week's post, as part of a listing of historic events that have happened on my birthday, the name Utrechtse Vroedschap was mentioned. At the time, I didn't know anything about the person, other than the fact that he "fled" on the second day of August, 1786.

With my curiosity piqued, I turned to the World Wide Wackfest to educate me on this fleet-footed individual.

The first shocking discovery was that The Seat of All Knowledge, Wikipedia, has no entry for Utrechtse Vroedschap.

The second discovery is that, except for the same one-line notice of the date of his "fleeing" on different history-list sites, all mention of good ol' Utrechtse are in Dutch.

So, with thanks to mechanical translator Babelfish, here's what I've learned:

1. Utrechtse Vroedschap isn't a person at all, but is the council of a city named Utrechtse.


2. From the website for the University of Utrecht: The name or the Utrecht University had in Amersfoort. In the seventeenth century wanted to both Utrecht and Amersfoort a University. The provincial government supported Amersfoort, Utrecht afleyding because "too many youth would provide to the line supervisor won't." In 1634 the Utrecht City Council decided therefore itself a Illustre School for higher education. This illustrious School of Utrecht had three faculties – theology, law, and philosophy – and four professors.

3. Yeah, I know...still nothing about any August 2, 1786 fleeing.

4. According to http://www.sporenvanslavernijutrecht.nl, Quint Ondaatje was one of the founders and leaders of the Civil Pro Patria et Libertate which amply offset the increasing power of the Utrecht city council, the town council. In 1785, came the patriots, supported by the Utrecht inhabitants rebelled against the corruption of the Utrecht city fathers. The regents admitted.

However, once the danger had passed, the Utrecht directors blah, blah, blah....

In 1786, it came to a new uprising. After several months the militia sent the town council home, and was a Patriot board to power.

So, it wasn't so much fleeing as it was being chased out of town. And I am still left with the burning question...

Why has this local skirmish in the 18th century made it onto lists of Important Events on This Date??!?!?

The world may never know...and probably doesn't care.

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