The territory of the Batavian republic was originally known as "the low countries" and was divided between Spanish and Austrian possessions. Following the French Revolution, large groups of republicans began to agitate (often violently) for some form of autonomy. During the Republican Wars, it became a de facto protectorate of the new French Republic following its unification. Over the years it has managed to achieve a greater independence although it is still one of the closest and most loyal allies of the Gallican Republic.