The pachtersoproer was a Dutch rebellion in the 18th century. The origin of the uprising was to be found in the economic malaise of the 1740s. It was the system of the rural tax-collection that brought serious complaints, combined with deep dissatisfaction at the way in which the regents and the landed gentry exercised their power.
Contents |
The riots began in Friesland and Groningen (Bergum) in the spring of 1748 (March 17 in Groningen and in May ). Its immediate cause was perhaps the birth of William V on March 8, 1748. The houses of the landadel (great-men) and the tax-collectors were attacked, particularly those who had not sufficiently demonstrated their loyalty to the Orange regime. The orangist Daniel Raap threw himself into the riot as a leader of the Doelisten.
In the city of Leeuwarden 72 points for reform were put forward. Frisian skippers brought the news to Amsterdam. On June 17 the Botermarkt, now Rembrandtplein, called together a crowd to offer such a threat that the collectors of the butter tax saw themselves forced out of office several hours earlier than normal to conclude a peace. The riots spread rapidly to Haarlem and Leiden. On June 23 the stadholder forbade gatherings for plays and fairs.
In Amsterdam riots fully broke out on Monday June 25 at the Botermarkt. Pavements were broken up and stones were thrown. People ran through the houses of the lessees, breaking open and looting everything, and throwing crates of money and expensive porcelain from the bridges into the water. 36 houses in total were looted, and three people were killed and wounded.
The riots lasted until Tuesday evening. On Wednesday morning all lease were suspended for a period of six months. On Friday, June 28, two men and one woman would be hanged from the window of the Waag on the Dam. The onlooking crowd began to move in to be able to watch better, or possibly to try to free the convicted. Suddenly shooting was heard from the direction of Kalverstraat, and panic broke out. Many people were looking for shelter and jumped into the water from the Damrak. Contemporary local chronicler Braatbard suspected around two hundred men either got trampled or drowned.