Joseph's reforms are deeply unpopular within the…
April 1787 CE
The Enlightenment has made few inroads into the territory, and it is widely distrusted as a foreign phenomenon that is incompatible with traditional local values.
The majority of the population, especially influenced by the Church, believes the reforms to be a threat to their own cultures and traditions that will leave them worse off.
Even in pro-Enlightenment circles, the reforms cause discontent, as they are seen as not sufficiently radical and not far reaching enough.
Popular opposition is centered on the provincial states, in particular Hainaut, Brabant and Flanders, as well as their law courts.
There is a wave of critical pamphleteering.
In some towns, riots break out and the militia has to be called to suppress them.
The Estate of Brabant calls a lawyer, Hendrik Van der Noot, to defend their position publicly.
Van der Noot publicly accuses the reforms of violating the precedents established by the Joyous Entry of 1356, which is widely regarded as a traditional bill of rights for the region.