“Bestuur en bestuurders in Nedermaas, 1794-1814 met bijzondere aandacht voor het lokale bestuur in het kanton Wittem/Gulpen” [in Dutch]

Keywords: Lower Meuse, French government, Limburg

Lower Meuse (in Dutch: Nedermaas or Beneden-Maas) was a French department in the conquered Southern Netherlands. Although the French were in overall charge, thousands of local administrators served in cantons and communes. There were hardly any revolutionaries among them. Many of them were already involved in government prior to the French invasion. When carrying out unpleasant duties such as introducing compulsory military service and collecting ever-increasing taxes, they tried to make the most of it, both for themselves as for the public. A small elite group felt at home in the French state and was able to enrich themselves. This dissertation describes the first twenty years of the region that was to become Limburg. Many turbulent changes took place in this period.