Brabant Revolution The Brabant Revolution ( January 1789 – December 1790 ) was a populist revolt which broke out in the Austrian Netherlands against the radical reforms of Emperor Joseph II . Starting out as a movement of protest , the violence developed into a movement for independence . After defeating Austrian forces at the Battle of Turnhout in 1789 , a short - lived republic was formed , the United States of Belgium . The Holy Roman Empire ( of which Austria was part ) took some time to respond to the crisis as it was embroiled in a war with the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans . However , by the end of 1790 , the revolutionaries , wracked by internal division between the " Vonckists " and " Statists " , were defeated and the rebellion crushed . Background . Under the Austrian rule , the territory was divided into varies smaller separate territories , each with their own regional identities : Reforms of Joseph II . In 1786 the Emperor Joseph II began launching a series of liberal reforms in the Austrian Netherlands along the lines of those already introduced in other states of the House of Habsburg , such as the Duchy of Milan . His first reforms included a reform of seminaries in the provinces , followed was the abolition of the Council of Brabant ( replaced by a supreme court ) in which provoked widespread rioting and even a rising in Brussels known as the " Small Revolution " in May 1787 . The suppression of this revolt allowed the Emperor to abolish the Joyous Entry and the rights of the Duchy of Brabant and the County of Hainault in June 1789 . Opposition in Exile . By 1789 , the imperial government lacked the necessary means to repress political opposition , as for about a year it ' s full military resources were committed to the Austro - Turkish War . The Emperor was unable to prevent political dissidents fleeing from his territory to the neighboring United Provinces to organize resistance . In the city of Breda , the rebels were able to form a kind of government in exile and to organize militarily . In addition to the United Provinces , the rebels were also supported by the Principality of Liège after the revolutionaries in Liège overthrew their Prince - bishop and declared a republic in August 1789 . Battle of Turnhout . Rebel incursions along the Austrian Netherlands ' border with the United Provinces began in the Summer of 1789 . On 24 October , a column of Rebel soldiers crossed the border into Austrian territory . After capturing the town of Hoogstraten on 24 October , one of the revolt ' s leaders , Henri Van der Noot , read a declaration of independence for Brabant known as the Manifesto of the People of Brabant and declared the Austrian government invalid . The rebel army , led by Jean - André van der Mersch , moved further into the Austrian Netherlands and fought a battle with a numerically superior force at Turnhout on 27 October . Van der Mersch lured the Austrian force sent against him into the town and bitter street fighting ensued . After five hours of fighting , the Austrian force withdrew from the combat . The commanding general of the imperial army in the Austrian Netherlands , Richard d ' Alton , was quick to react , giving orders to his subordinate , Lieutenant - Field Marshal von Arberg , retaliate in force in order to revenge the defeat and annihilate the military threat . Van der Mersch retreated across the border but not before the night of 10 November . Revolution . Following the Austrian defeat at Turnhout , riots began in major cities in the Austrian Netherlands . Unable to maintain control in the face of both the Patriot army and the rebels , Austrian forces retreated from the territory to the Duchy of Luxembourg in the south . On 26 December 1789 , the state of Brabant declared its independence from the Holy Roman Empire in Brussels .