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Adel in 1780 - 1880 Kuiper, Yme Berend

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Publication date: 1993

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Citation for published version (APA): Kuiper, Y. B. (1993). Adel in Friesland 1780 - 1880. s.n.

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Download date: 12-11-2019 x aan dr rgde eeuw. De tiid, aan SUMMARY ' ( rg87; tweede n d,enstaat". Het bger lerlandm (Arnsterdam Johan Huizinga haspointed out that Dutch culture alreadyin the Golden Age had a bourgeois character; and indeed it is not easy to fit the Dutch into the picture of Dutch cultural history. Itisindubitable thatthe leadingelite ofthe SevenProvinces in the r 7th and r 8th century consisted of the patricians in the cities of the province of who had acquired great wealth in the trade capitalism which made the small Republic an economic and na'valworld power. In Holland, the selÊconsciouspatricians saw themselves as the equals of the nobles, yet even in this province, nobility and patriciate differed in life style and rarely intermarried. After r 65o the nobilityofHolland began to decrease in numbers and gradually dwindled into insignificance, because no more ennoblements took place. Recent studies by English, French and German historians have analysedthe important differences between regional aristo cracies within France, Germany and England. Accordingly the study of the Dutch nobility must take provincial diversities into account. In line with the socalled Wageningen school in the study of Dutch rural history, this study of the Frisian nobility emphasizesis existenceas a separateregional elite. Concentrating on a regional nobility asa social group implies a detailed study of the main aspectsofthatgroup, such assize, composition, patterns of landownership and inheritance, political power and collective mentality. In order to give an adequate analysisof these complex phenomena, Max Weber's well-known model for studying social inequalitywill be used. This model includes four dimensions: the 'size' demographic conditions and composition of the nobility ( ) , its economic position ('class'),ia political power and influence ('pa.ty') and, finally, its social and cultural position ('status') as expressed in is style of living, its honour and its mentality. Before the of rTgg,Frieslandwas one of the sevenindependent provinces of the Republic of the United . In the rgth century,'the it became a province of the centrally governed Kiágdom of Netherhnàs. The Frisian nobility of the Anci.en,Róg* comprised mainly a rural elite. Around r 7 8o, the nobility in Friesland wasa powerful ruling class. Their modestbut characteristiclifestyle was an important criterion of trre aristocratic descent. The wealthiest families lived mainly on the land, which they rented to farmers producing for the market. This market consisted largely of trade in dairy products and formed the backbone of a relatively prosperous agricultural economy that was both commercialised and specialised.Frisian noblemen had their stately homes in the counry and, together with the wealthy families of non-noble descent, administered jusrice and ruled the thirty rural districts (gnetÊnijen)of the province. Unlike the nobility of Holland the Frisian nobility dominated their provincial parliament, *re Statesof Friesland,

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during the . The Frisian cities were much less primogeniture. Bycoope powerful than the citiesofHolland. Theyearlyconvention of the could avoid divisionofthr took place in the provincial capital, Leeu- this, thisflexible practicec warden, where the whole Frisian nobility assembled.The dele- became increasinglyha gates of the province of Friesland in the States-Generalof the individualizariono[ fami Republicwere alsonoblemen. Like the patriciate ofHolland, the r8th century and wasto Frisian nobility of around r 78o wasa closed and ruling oligarchy. decreasein child mortali Traditionally, the Frisian nobles were very classconscious: they an important factor whi' deliberately avoided marriages with wealthy Frisian burghers. Therswere of coursesul The central question of this book is how the nobility succeeded noble families. By demog: in maintaining its political, social and cultural heeemony in erty could takeplace. The n Frieslandbetween r 78o and r 88o. Like the English aristocracy to be difficult, but it tendt and the elitesin other Dutch provinces,the Frisiannobilitywe nt vidual interests than by a through a demographic crisisin the r 8th century. The deathrate Between r78o and r, among aduls and children washigh, whereasthe frequencyof divided. From r 78o un marriages declined becausestrict social endogamy wasmain- various political position, tained in the choice of marriage partners. During the rgth his part on this politicalsr century, demographic conditions becamemore favourableagain, within the province. but and the number of noble families dying out declined. The managed to createabonc establishment of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in r 8 r 3 wasan Frisian aristocracy.Most I important fact for the continuity of Dutch nobility. King William primu s int erp ares and th ey I and King William II gave many patricians a noble status.This too powerful. policy did not impart a more aristocratic character to Dutch and The Batavian 'national Revoluti Frisian society,however. In fact, a kind of elite', came Frisian nobility and of th, into existence which upheld distinct bourgeois virtues. The the next decadethe aristr members of this elite had privileged accessto important and estates,but after thesedifl representative posts in the bureaucracy and constituted the noblemen again began I m4jority in parliament and government. In the province of positions.Nevertheless, th Friesland too, the old and the new nobility, though still overre- role and its daysas a virtr presented in provincial and local government during the rgth since r 8 r3, when William century, increasinglytended to conform to this bourgeoislifestyle. establisheda centralized Paradoxically, the drastic shrinking of the Frisian nobility at Belgium). the end of the r Sth century had favourable consequencesfor its During the period r8r economic position during the rgth century: the remaining Frisian elite seemto havc families inherited the possessionsof those families that died out political power. Loyal to t and thus increased theirwealth. The nobility also acquired large Frisian nationalist sentimr fortunesbecause ofachange in the marriage strategy,whichnow in local and provincial made allianceswith patriciansandwealthy burghers an acceptable infl uence ofrevolutions el bargain. Economically, the increasing demand from England to a very liberal constitur for butter and meat favoured the big landowners. Moreover,the around r 86o onwards,tht growth of the and the strong demand for land liberals and conservativ enabled the latter to raise rents steadily.Just as in the English parliament and only thr form of rent capitalism, the Frisian noble landowners carefully positions. Increasingly,tl avoided pruning away the profits of their tenants. Nonetheless local administration in the they had large incomes from their estatesand around r85o the decadesafter r86o it had majority of the Frisian landed nobiliry belonged to the wealthiest class, totally dedicated tr families of the Netherlands. provincial nobilitywho dir In order to keep their estatestogether, Frisian familiescould an academic degree in or not fall back on those legal systemsof inheritance (still in force political network. elsewherein r gth century Europe) which ensured someform of The CreatDeoressiorr

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1 cities were much less primogeniture. By cooperating closely,however, family members Fearlyconvention of the couldavoiddivision oftheirpropertyforquite some time. Despite rovincial capital, Leeu- this, this fl exible practice of inheritance and property management ty assembled.The dele- became increasingly harder to maintain on account of the e States-Generalof the individualization of family life which had already begun in the atriciateofHolland. the r8th century and was to increase during the rgth century. The edandrulingoligarchy. decreasein child mortality, which led to larger families, also was :ry classconscious: thev an important factor which led to the division of large estates. LlihyFrisian burghers.' There were of course substantial differences in wealth between w the nobility succeeded noble families. By demographic chance sudden transfersofprop cultural hegemony in ertycould take place.The managementoflargepropertieshrmed out the English aristocracy to be difficult, but it tended to be motivated more by shared indi- he Frisian nobilitywent vidual interests than by a policy inspired by aristocratic class. century.The deathrate Between r78o and r88o the Frisian nobility was politically rereasthe frequency of divided. From r78o until r7g5 rir,al factions competed for I endogamy was main- r,arious political positions. Stadholder Prince William V played ners.During the rgth his part on this political scene.He did not have sovereignpower :more favourableagain, within the province, but through his system of patronage he ng out declined. The managed to create a bond between himself and a minority of the rerlandsinrSr3wasan Frisian aristocracy.Most Frisian nobles preferred to seehim asa r nobility. King William primus intrr paresand they were concerned that he would become ms a noble status.This too powerful. :haracter to Dutch and 'national TheBatavianRevolutionof r 795 ended thepowerofboth the f elite', came Frisian nobility and of the Stadholder and his clientèle. During ,ourgeois virtues. The the next decade the aristocracy had to live a life of leisure on its cessto important and estates,but after these difficult ten yearsan increasing number of / and constituted the noblemen again began to accept political and administrative rt. In the province of positions. Nevertheless,the nobility had to assumea more modest ity, though still overre- role and is days as a virtual ruling classwere over, particularly ment during the rgth since r 8 r 3, when William I, son of the former stadholder, finally thisbourgeois lifestyle. established a centralized government in the Netherlands (and :the Frisian nobility at Belgium). leconsequencesfor its During the period r 8 r 3 - r 848, most nobles of the provincial ntury: the remaining Frisian elite seem to have become reconciled to the lossof their : families that died out political power. Loyal to their sovereign and possiblybecause of lityalsoacquired large Frisian nationalist sentiments, they accepted numerous positions gestrategy,which now in local and provincial administration. In 1848, under the rurghersanacceptable influence of revolutions elsewherein Europe, William II gaveway :mand from England to a very liberal constitution. After 1848, and especially from )wners.Moreover, the around r 86o onwards, the Frisian nobility divided politically into rg demand for land liberals and conservatives. Only liberals were elected into fust as in the English parliament and only they were appointed in governmental landowners carefully positions. Increasingly, the Frisian nobility turned away from tenants. Nonetheless local administration in the rural districts, and especiallyin the two md around r85o the decades after r 86o it had all the characteristics of a real leisure rged to thewealthiest class, totally dedicated to a doke far niente. Members of the provincial nobilitywho d;idaspir e to apolitical career, had to have Frisianfamilies could an academic degree in order to gain accessto a supraregional :ritance (still in force political network. nsured some form of The GreatDepression in European agriculturebetween r 873

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and r896 did not make the Frisian nobility sell its land, but the (Alleen ver-wijzingennaar hoo social unrest during this period causedan increasing absenteism rekst) on the part of the big landowners. In addition, the traditional Daternalistic ties between landlord and tenant became weaker. Aalbers,J.2b,27,30 After 186o, and particularly after r88o, noble families began to absenteïsme16g, zr t, zz3, z3 Accama,B. en M. q7z leave Friesland. The m4jority settled in or in the adel: neighborhood ofArnhem,where socialismwasno threat to their - adeldom 68, r I 7 - adelsverheffing life of leisure. 92. zg5 - beeld van de As an estate,the Frisian nobility never had any real privileges. Frieseadel 3 388 Its socialprestige derived mainly fiom the admiration and respect - Britse adel gg, gg, ro4, rc with which itwas looked upon by the rich burghers and farmers Lrg, r27 - ,Adel of the Frisian middle class.Especially in the r gth century, some definitie in Frieslan< extremely wealthy burgher families tried to assumethe life style - Drence adel zq of the rural nobility, though without a similar identification with - edelman'6769,gr,9z - rural society.The rural nobility accepted the duty of noblcsseoblige EngelsetandadÁl óS, , oA, rl2. rlg. l?9,136 though its interpretation of itwas undoubtedly paternalistic. The - Gelderseaael zg. ro - provincial nobility, at leastin the countryside, wasculturally dom- gewestelijkeadel 26, 29, g1 - inant, but, significantly enough, increase in wealth was only to a Groninger adel zz6 - minor degree turned into statusconsumption. Newly built stately Hessenseadel rog, r zo - hofadel en landadel r r4 homes, for instance, remained relatively modest in Friesland. - Hoge Raad van Adel zgi During the rgth century the Frisian nobility underwent a - Hollandse ad,elzb, - 94 processof change, particularly concerning its cultural forms and katholieke adel in Fiieslan< mentality. At the end of this century the differences of lifestyle L21, r22, t30, 372 between the Frisian upper middle class and the nobility had - Limburgse adel qo - almost disappeared. Indeed, the nnbaurgeoisnnnrtof the nobility Ommelander adèl z9 nieuwe adei89, 9, manifested itself in various domains. A typical example is the ;:ï0.." - strong decrease in interest for a military career among Frisian oude Frieseadel g5, 89, gz noblemen. Ever more commonly noble families chose the roó, r2() - Overijsselse provincial capital astheir permanent residence.As regards family adel 3o - patrilineaire life, a certain convergence between nobility and upper middle vererving titelT predikaat 9o instance - classcustoms can be detected, for in the waysin which protestantse adel in Frieslar feelings of love between husband and wife were expressedand in r2.r 22, ,-r 392-3gg the degree towhich parents participated in the education oftheir - tltulatuur go - Utrechtse adel 26, qo children. - - Venetiaanseadel r iq At face value, descent and family tradition the two criteria - verburgerlijking,u which helped to distinguish the nobility fiom the upper middle anoourgeozselnenÍvan adel r 5, class- remained intact. But, whereas the father was still a tlpical 400 - landed nobleman who regularlyvisited his tenants and preferred W^esrÍaaiseadcl gg. gg. r 04, talking about horses and hounds, his sons or daughters might roó. I r9. t2b, t2q Adema. familie/eeslaihr radically break with family tradition. The son, llke a bourgeoir r zc Aebinga van Humalda. flamilie,u gentilhomnz,locked himself up in his study to read the Classics. geslacht zoo Whereas the mother preferred a religious meeting in the family Aebinga van Humalda, Binnert circle, her daughter paid social calls or travelled abroad. At the Philip zrg, z5,r rgth Aebinga van Humalda,Ca(hanna end of the century, wealth, education and social position r78 determined the lifestyle of a Frisian noble family, not descent. Aebinga van Humalda, Idzerd gz, B.G. Niebuhr described the Frisian nobility as the one with the 93, 2og, zr9_22o,227,25\, most simple lifestyle in all Europe. With this characterization we 265, 266, 267,z7o,27r, z7Z, can agree, and we may add that the Frisian nobility also became z7g. 2n7,288.292. 2g7. 2g9. the most bourgeois one in all Europe. - 3oo,3b2,394 atÍectief individualisme: zie individualisering agrarisch-am bach teli jk

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