Batavian Republic, French République Batave, Dutch Bataafse Republiek, republic of the Netherlands, established after it was conquered by the French during the campaign of 1794–95. Formalized in a constitution of 1798, it possessed a centralized government patterned after that of the Directory in France and was bound to France by alliance. In March 1805 Napoleon changed the system of government once more: the Batavian Republic was renamed Batavian Commonwealth, and executive power was given to a kind of dictator called the council pensionary. In June 1806, however, the Batavian Commonwealth was replaced by the Kingdom of Holland under Napoleon’s brother Louis; this monarchy lasted until July 1810, when the northern Dutch provinces were incorporated into the French Empire.
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