Napoleon in Holland

End September 1811 Napoleon I visited the former Kingdom of Holland; he explained to Armand Augustin Louis de Caulaincourt his goals: a war at sea with England, to form a government, and ordering the "Routes impériales".

The "Corsican" wanted to control every seaport in the area and on 16 March 1810 Bouches-de-l'Escaut and Bouches-du-Rhin became part of the French Empire. King Louis Bonaparte opposed his older brother when Napoleon's troops were not only occupying the coast but went more inland. (Oudinot had arrived with 20.000 soldiers to prevent smuggling and organize the blockade.) After Napoleon threatened to occupy Amsterdam Louis Bonaparte resigned on 1 July 1810 in favor of Napoleon Louis Bonaparte, his son. The Dutch départments were incorporated in the First French Empire by decree on 9 July; "with Imperial coastguards, customs and police allowed to operate the smuggling staunched at last." On 18 August 1810 Napoleon ordered (by decree) the Dutch army ceased to exist, and incorporated it into the French Imperial army.

On 1 January 1811 the country was divided into seven départements Zuyderzée, Bouches-de-la-Meuse, Yssel-Supérieur, Bouches-de-l'Yssel, Frise (1811), Ems-Occidental, and Ems-Oriental. Also the Batavian navy ceased to exist on that day.

On 18 August 1811 Napoleon ordered (by decree) that everybody without a last name had to choose one.

Until 17 November 1813 Charles-François Lebrun, duc de Plaisance served as governor-general of Holland, reorganizing its départements more efficient and law impartial. He was assisted by the prefects Antoine de Celles, and Goswin de Stassart with Alexander Gogel on Finance and François Jean-Baptiste d'Alphonse on Internal Affairs as "Intendant-General". The latter was responsible for the "Aperçu sur la Hollande", published in the end of April 1813, full with statistics and details.

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