Louis Bonaparte Became Holland's Rabbit

After Napoleon appointed his brother Louis Bonaparte king of Holland in 1806, Louis tried to address his new subjects in Dutch. According to a popular account, he intended to declare, "Ik ben koning van Holland," meaning "I am King of Holland," but his pronunciation made it sound like "Ik ben konijn van 'Olland," or "I am the Rabbit of Holland." Louis nevertheless gained affection by defending Dutch interests against Napoleon's demands, earning the nickname "Louis the Good."

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