Het openen van de sluizen
In August 1799, a joint British-Russian force invaded the province of North Holland. The purpose of their ‘Secret Expedition’ was destabilization of the Batavian Republic and the restoration of Stadtholder William V to power. However, expected reinforcements never arrived and the local population turned against the invading forces. Dutch women and frogs here open the sluices of a new defensive ‘water line’ and wash all the soldiers away.