page_title: Exercitiegenootschap
hierarchical_section_title: Exercitiegenootschap
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: Exercitiegenootschap 'De Vrijheid' 1783 te Dordrecht - Stadsarchief Dordrecht
context_page_description: An exercitiegenootschap or militia was a military organisation in the 18th century Netherlands, in the form of an armed private organization with a democratically chosen administration, aiming to train the citizens and the lower bourgeoisie in use of muskets. Exercitiegenootschappen were propagated by Joan van der Capellen tot den Pol, who translated an old book by Andrew Fletcher on arming a nation's citizens and so got the idea from Scotland. He also saw them as necessary due to the serious decline in the existing, Orangist schutterijen.
context_section_description: An exercitiegenootschap ([ɛksərˈsitsi.ɣəˌnoːtsxɑp], exercise company) or militia was a military organisation in the 18th century Netherlands, in the form of an armed private organization with a democratically chosen administration, aiming to train the citizens and the lower bourgeoisie in use of muskets.  Exercitiegenootschappen were propagated by Joan van der Capellen tot den Pol, who translated an old book (1732) by Andrew Fletcher on arming a nation's citizens and so got the idea from Scotland.  He also saw them as necessary due to the serious decline in the existing, Orangist schutterijen.
caption: An exercise company in 1783
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