Editing History of the Netherlands (section)

===Constitutional monarchy===
[[File:Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (tot 1830).png|thumb|left|'''The [[Netherlands]], [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]] and [[Duchy of Limburg (1839–1867)|Limburg]] in 1839'''<br />'''1''', '''2''' and '''3''' United Kingdom of the Netherlands (until 1830)<br />'''1''' and '''2''' [[Netherlands|Kingdom of the Netherlands]] (after 1839)<br />'''2''' [[Duchy of Limburg (1839–1867)]] (in the German Confederacy after 1839 as compensation for Waals-Luxemburg)<br />'''3''' and '''4''' [[Belgium|Kingdom of Belgium]] (after 1839)<br />'''4''' and '''5''' [[Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]] (borders until 1839) <br />'''4''' [[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Province of Luxembourg]] (Waals-Luxemburg, to Belgium in 1839)<br />'''5''' [[Grand Duchy of Luxembourg]] (German Luxemburg; borders after 1839)<br />In blue, the borders of the [[German Confederation]].]]

William I, who reigned from 1815 to 1840, had great constitutional power. An [[enlightened despot]], he accepted the modernizing transformations of the previous 25 years, including equality of all before the law. However, he resurrected the [[Estates of the realm|estates]] as a political class and elevated a large number of people to the nobility. Voting rights were still limited, and only the nobility were eligible for seats in the upper house. The old provinces were reestablished in name only. The government was now fundamentally unitary, and all authority flowed from the center.

William I was a Calvinist and unsympathetic to the religious culture and practices of the Catholic majority. He promulgated the "Fundamental Law of Holland", with some modifications. This entirely overthrew the old order of things in the southern Netherlands: it abolished the privileges of the Catholic Church, and guaranteed equal protection to every religious creed and the enjoyment of the same civil and political rights to every subject of the king. It reflected the spirit of the French Revolution and in so doing did not please the Catholic bishops in the south, who had detested the Revolution.<ref>Godefroid Kurth, "Belgium" in [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02395a.htm ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' (1907) online]</ref>

William I actively promoted economic modernization. The first 15 years of the Kingdom showed progress and prosperity, as industrialization proceeded rapidly in the south, where the [[Industrial Revolution]] allowed entrepreneurs and labor to combine in a new textile industry, powered by local coal mines. There was little industry in the northern provinces, but most overseas colonies were restored, and highly profitable trade resumed after a 25-year hiatus. Economic liberalism combined with moderate monarchical authoritarianism accelerated the adaptation of the Netherlands to the new conditions of the 19th century. The country prospered until a crisis arose in relations with the southern provinces.