The Belgian Revolution (also known as the Belgian Uprising) was a conflict in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands during the early 19th century, which ended in the failure of an independent Belgian state. Much of the population of the south were Roman Catholic and French-speaking, and believed King William I was despotic. Many in the Belgian region favored independence under a new monarchy, however the state suffered several military defeats in critical battles. With no foreign intervention, and the arrest of many key revolutionaries, the Belgians agreed to sue for peace within one year.