Revolution and the failure of Constitutional Monarchy 1789-93

What happened in October 1789 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• Early co-operation between Luis and the deputies of the National Assembly

• Louis agreed to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen and to the abolition of feudalism

What happened in November 1789 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• The National Assembly nationalised all Church property but collaboration with the King was hampered by the decision to bar National Assembly Deputies from being royal ministers

What happened in February to June 1790 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• The National Assembly passed a range of reforms

  • France was reorganised into 83 departments, Paris into 48 sections

  • Abolitions of lettres de cachet, the gabelle and hereditary nobility

What happened in April to June 1790 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• Counter-revolutionary uprisings in Nimes, Montauban, Toulouse and Vannes

What happened in July to August 1790 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• The National Assembly made more reforms - the Civil Constitution of the Clergy completely reorganised the Catholic Church in France, the legal system was also reorganised

What happened in November 1790 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• As relations between the deputies and the King declined, Louis began secret negotiations with other European countries.

• A National Assembly Decree ordered priests to take the oath to the Constitution

What happened in February 1791 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• The political temperature was raised by the ‘Chevaliers du poignard’ conspiracy - the Tuileries were temporarily invaded by armed young nobles, counter-revolutionaries who may have been planning to abduct the King

What happened in April 1791 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

Two events made a successful constitutional monarchy even less likely

• Mirabeau, whose influence with Louis many believed would make constitutional monarchy work, died

• The people of Paris prevented the Royal Family from leaving for Saint-Cloud for Easter

What happened in June 1791 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• The Royal Family failed in their attempt to flee to Varennes

• All trust between the King and deputies had broken down

What happened in July 1791 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• The emergence of the idea of Republicanism led to a split in the Jacobin Club

  • Pro-Constitutional monarchists formed the Feuillant Club and took control in the aftermath of the Massacre of the Champ de Mars

What happened in August 1791 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• In signs of deepening divisions, a National Assembly Decree ordered all émigrés to return to France within one month whilst in the Pilnitz Declaration, Leopold II of Austria and Frederick-William II of Prussia threatened a combined military intervention in French affairs on behalf of the French monarchy

What happened in September 1791 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• Louis accepted the new Constitution and the National Assembly met for the last time

What happened in October to November 1791 in terms of constitutional monarchy?

• Brissot and his republican supporters in the new Legislative Assembly passed two laws directed against those clergy who refused to swear an oath of loyalty to the Constitution and against émigrés which led to Louis using his veto

What was the Great Fear?

• Many rural disturbances in the 1770s and 80s e.g. Flour Wars were often a result of failed harvests and rising grain prices

• Events in Paris gave rural discontent a new stimulus

• In July and August 1789, uprisings were reported in almost every province of France

• Peasants were taking up arms against the manor of their lords - the source of their oppression

• Targets included storehouses of grain that had been collected as rent, feudal dues and tithes

• Main features of rural protests:

  • Grain stores were looted

  • Chateaux were attacked and frequently burnt

  • Documents listing peasant obligations were seized and destroyed

• The ‘Great Fear’ (20th July-6th August 1789) centred on rumours of an aristocratic conspiracy which suggested the nobility were gathering militia forces to suppress the peasantry, overturn the revolution and defend their power

• Fear of nobility destroying harvests created such violence

• Peasants took up arms to await the brigands, and when they did not appear, they turned the anger on the landlords

How did the Constituent Assembly initially respond to the Great Fear?

• Increasingly concerned

• Began considering abolition of feudalism to appease peasantry

• Duc D’Aigullon encouraged nobles to declare an end to feudalism

• Some renounced own privilege

• Constituent Assembly then introduced the August Decrees

What were the August Decrees?

• Abolished many privileges of the nobility including venality

• Church, military and civil positions opened to all

• End to the payment of tithes and equality of taxation across the Three Estates

• Much more opportunities

In what way was the impact of the August Decrees limited?

• Did not bring about a sudden transformation

• Abolishing in principle not the same as abolishing in practice

• Decrees were a statement of intent to cast aside privileges of ancien regime and promise a more equal society

What were the Declarations of the Rights of Man and when were they issued?

• Issued 26th August 1789 by the Constituent Assembly, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen was not a constitution itself, but a list of principles and core values that were to underpin the new constitution (wilidly paraphrased)

1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights

2. The aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man - these rights are liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression

3. No body nor individual may exercise any authority which does not proceed directly from the nation

4. Each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights

5. Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society and no one may be forced to do anything not provided for by law

6. Law is the expression of the general will - every citizen has a right to participate personally or through his representative

7. No person shall be accused, arrested or imprisoned except in the cases and according to the forms prescribed by law.

8. The law shall provide for such punishments only as are strictly and obviously necessary and no one shaall suffer punishment except it be legally inflicted in virtue of a law passed and promulgated before the commission of the offense

9. All persons are held innocent until they shall have been declared guilty

10. No one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views, provided their manifestation does not disturb the public order established by law

11. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by law

12. The security of the rights of man and of the citizen requires public military forces. These forces are, therefore, established for the good of all and not for the personal advantage of those to whom they shall be intrusted

13. A common contribution is essential for the maintenance of the public forces and for the cost of administration. This should be equitably distributed among all the citizens in proportion to their means

14. All the citizens have a right to decide, either personally or by their representatives, as to the necessity of the public contribution.

15. Society has the right to require of every public agent an account of his administration

16. A society in which the observance of the law is not assured

What does the Declaration of the Rights of Man reveal about the principles behind the new constitution?

• Equal rights

• Not abusing systems put in place

• Freedom of speech

• Aimed towards the bourgeois

What caused the October Days?

• Food Shortages

  • Women are buying food and fed up being hungry

• Louis voiced objection to Declaration of Rights of Man

• Rumours that Louis’ officers stomped on a revolutionary pamphlet

What happened during the October Days?

• 6000 or 7000 armed women marched upon Versailles to demand bread

• Following a tradition of the Ancién Regime where they presented flowers to the Palace of Versailles

• Broke into the palace, killed a number of royal guards

• Lives of monarchs spared by arrival of Lafayette

• Royal family escorted by National Guard to the centre of the city to Tuileries Palace in Paris

• Flanders regiment called to Versailles

• Deputies of Assembly also relocate to Paris

Who took part in the October Days?

• 6000-7000 women

• 20000 National Guard under Lafayette

• Royal Family

  • Escorted from the Palace of Versailles

What was the significance of the October Days?

• Gave a sense of victory of the revolution over the ancién regime

• Common people of Paris had taken political events into their own hands

• Journeé - revolutionary march

Reforms of the Constituent Assembly 1789-91

• New voting rights established active and passive citizens

• Church lands nationalised

• Ended old tax system

• Local government reorganised

• New legal system and penal code

• Civil constitution of the clergy

• Priests made to swear oath to the Constituent Assembly

• Internal tariffs abolished

• New tax system

• New Constitution accepted - changed power of the monarch

• Le Chapelier law banned trade unions
  

Reforms - New voting rights established active and passive citizens

• December 1789

• Grant full civil rights to Protestants

• Males over 25 with the equivalent of 3 days unskilled labour allowed to vote

• Active citizens - allowed to vote

• Passive citizens - no right to vote

• Active citizens vote for electors who choose deputies

• Electors have 10 days of unskilled labour

Reform - Church Lands nationalised

• 2nd November 1789

• Constituent Assembly nationalised all land belonging to the Catholic Church

• Sold that lands and land belonging to all emigrés

• Half bought by bourgeoisie

• Lots bought by peasants

• Some pamphlets celebrated selling of the church

• Considered an attack on God

• Church Land worht 400 million livres

• Issued assignat

  • Bonds which will buy you land

  • Paper currency

Reform - Ended Old Tax System

• End of 1789

• Taille, gabelle, tithes, feudal dues all abolished

• State monopolies and tax farmers eliminated

Reforms - Local Government reorganised

• December 1789, February and May 1790

• France divided into 83 departemnts

• Departments subdivided into 547 districts and 43360 communes

• Communes divided into cantons where justices of the peace had their courts

• All except cantons run by elected individuals

• Paris - local government reformed into 48 sections

Reforms - New legal system and penal code

• August 1790

• All areas of France were put under the same system

• Parlements and lettres de cachet were abolished

• Judges were elected

• Torture and mutilation were abolished - more humane penal code

Reforms - Civil Constitution of the Clergy

• 12th July 1790

• Put the Church under state control

• Priests and Bishops paid by the state and elected by the citizens of France

• Seen as a challenge of the Pope’s authority

• Catholics believed only the Pope could appoint priests and bishops

• Destroys consensus of the revolution

Reforms - Priests made to swear oath to the Constituent Assembly

• 27th November 1790

• 7/83 bishops took the oath

• ½ parish priests refused

• Those who refused became known as refractory priests

Reforms - Internal Tariffs Abolished

• October 1790

• Internal tariffs abolished - national market created for the first time

• Goods could move freely without needing internal customs

• Created a system of measurement - metric system

Reforms - New Tax System

• Proportional to wealth - all direct taxes

• Three new taxes called

  • Transfer of goods

  • Tax on commercial/business profits

  • Universal land tax from which no one was exempt

Reforms - Le Chapelier law banned trade unions

• June 1791

• Coalition of 8000 Parisians working threatening a general strike to obtain higher wages

• Assembly passed the Le Chapelier law, banning Trade Unions

• Collective bargaining, picketing and striking banned until 1864

Reforms - New Constitution accepted - changes powers of monarch

• Monarchy should remain

• Stripped of all significant legislative power

• No longer initiate new laws or taxes

• Power of a suspensive veto - allows him to delay or suspend laws created by Constituent Assembly for 4 years

• Granted 25 million livres to lead a befitting life

• Retained rights to appoint ministers, ambasssadors and military commanders

How accurate is it to say that the measures introduced by the National Assembly in the years 1789-91 reformed France?

• Feudla rights (1789-90) and the nobility (1790) were abolished, and the principle of democracy was introduced at all levels by the extension of the voting right (to ‘active citizens’), then the widest franchise in Europe

• The tax system was reformed (via the abolition of most indirect taxation, the removal of exemptions and the introduction of three new direct taxes), making it in overall terms more just

• A single, more enlightened legal system was created (free, fair and available to all with a jury system) which abolished torture, hanging and branding, and reduced the number of crimes punishable by death

• Some of the abuses in, and privileges of, the Church were removed (e.g. tithes were abolished, pluralism forbidden and Protestants/Jews were granted civil rights) and the Church was made subservient to the State

How accurate is it to say that the measures introduced by the National Assembly in the years 1789-91 did not reform France?

• In practice, democracy was restricted and indrect which meant that only 61% of men and no women could participate in the first stage of elections and far few males could vote at the second stage

• Some measures perpetuated social divisions, e.g. the distinction made between ‘passive’ and ‘active’ citizens, and the banning of trade unions and strikes only benefited the affluent bourgeoisie

• The reforming potential of the constitutional monarchy was undermined by the unreliability of Louis XVI, e.g. the flight to Varennes (1791)

• The National Assembly viewed poor relief as a state responsibility but lacked the financial resources to introduce any meaningful reform in this area

What were the views of the Sans Culottes?

• Most radical political group

• Radical demands for the revolution to go further

• Pressured the process of trying to make constitutional work

What was the role of the Sans Culottes in French politics in the 1790s?

• Many did not qualify to be active citiznes

• Stormed Palace of Versailles

• Livelihoods threatened by high food prices

• Strikes and riots for rights to vote

What were the views of the Girondins?

• Extreme revolutionaries who demanded Louis XVI’s execution

What was the role of the Girondins in French politics in the 1790s?

• Originally Jacobins but they left

• AKA the Montagnards

• Held power from 1793 until Robespierre was overthrown

• Leading figures - Danton and Robespierre

• Countered views of the more moderate deputies of the Legislative Assembly

What were the views of the Jacobins?

• Associated with violence and extremism of the radical period

• Initially, wanted to preserve gains of the revolution

• Protect property and interests of the Bourgeoisie

• Pressure group, first for patriot and then for radical ideas

What was the role of the Jacobins in French politics in the late 1790s?

• 1791 - Jacobin Club split into Jacobins (led by Robespierre) and Feuillants

• Became a Republican faction with Robespierre as leader

• Discussed issues that arose within the National Assembly

What were the views of the Paris Commune?

• Views change with circumstances

• Wanted to seize power from Louis but were then fearful of the Sans Culottes and the violence

What was the role of the Paris Commune in French politics in the 1790s?

• Replaced with a much more radical revolutionary commune in August 1792

What were the views of the Feuillants?

• Opposed to republicanism and in favour of a constitutional monarchy

What was the role of the Feuillants in French politics of the 1790s?

• By August 1791 they were the dominant group in the National Assembly and were key to the creation of the new constitution

• However, once the constitution was signed, the Constituent Assembly was dismissed and new elections took place

• No member of the Constituent Assembly could stand for the new Legislative Assembly and although they had 264 deputies, the Feuillants could no longer dominate

What were the views of the Cordeliers?

• Interest in constitutional monarchy failing

• View that principles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man fell further than Constituent Assembly did

What was the role of the Cordeliers in French politics in the 1790s?

• Politically educating the common people

• Lynched two “spies” - National Guard and Lafayette summoned and opened fire

• Between 12 and 50 killed and the rest fled, were arrested or went into hiding

What were the views of the Club Monarchique and the emigres?

• Political far right

• Counter-revolutionary group

• Fostered links with emigres

What was the role of the Club Monarchique and the emigres in French Politics in the 1790s?

• Nobility and upper bourgeoisie

• Louis’ younger brother set up court in Turin and plotted to overthrow the revolution

• Louis viewed their actions as jeopardising his negotiating position

• Called on foreign rules for military help

Who was Mirabeau?

• Honore Gabriel Riqueti, Comte de Mirabeau

• Elected to Estates General for Third Estate (Member of Second Estate)

• Opposed ancien regime

• Imprisoned by lettre de cachet, wrote books against it afterwards

• Favoured constitutional monarchy

• Distributed leaflets about enlightenment

• Anti-slavery

• Freemason

• Major politician in Constituent Assembly

• Helped create new constitution

• Supported monarchy

• Opposed Declaration of Rights of Man as too radical

• Die 2nd April 1791

Who was Brissot?

• Jacques-Pierre Brissot

• Son of a pastry cook

• Opposed radical Jacobins

• Committed republican - wanted to get rid of monarchy

• Leader of the Girondins

• Wanted a war against Austria as a crusade for the good of France and of humanity

• Tried and failed to prevent the suspension of the monarchy

• Launched a successful paper called ‘the French Patriot’

Who was Robespierre?

• Maximilien Robespierre

• Lawyer

• Elected to Estates General 1789

• Deputy in the Constituent Assembly

• President of Jacobins

• Wanted democratic reforms

• Opposed death penalty when he was a lawyer

• Dedicated himself to his work for the people - lived in one room rented from working Parisian family

• Lived an austere life - called ‘The Incorruptible’

• Attacked the monarchy

• August 1792 - elected first deputy of the National Convention which sought to abolish the monarchy and put Louis on trial

• Saw Terror as necessary to preserve the gains of the revolution

• Tried to change religion - ‘Cult of the Supreme Being’

Who was Danton?

• George-Jacques Danton

• Lawyer

• Founder of the Cordeliers Club

• Close association with the sans culottes, known as a man of the people

• Renowned for excessive spending, love of fine clothes, drinking, expensive luxuries and women

• Felt the Constituent Assembly did not represent Third Estate - set up Cordeliers to watch over the government

• Enrolled in National Guard after Fall of Bastille

• First President of the Committee of Public Safety

Who was Desmoulins?

• Camile Desmoulins

• Promoted republicanism

• Advocated a policy of Terror, called for enemies of the Republic to be executed

• Accused of being a counter-revolutionary traitor and was executed on 5th April 1794

• Credited ass the agitator most responsible for the storming of the Bastille

• Forced to go into hiding after Champs de Mars massacre

• Reversed his support for Terror, bringing him into conflict with Robespierre

Who was the Triumvirate?

• Adrien Duport, Antoine Barnave and Alexandre, Comte de Lameth

• Trying to find compromise with the King and to lead the assembly in continuing to pursue the course of moderate constitutional monarchy

• Tried to bridge the divide between the bourgeoisies, the nobility and the monarchy

How far was the flight to Varennes the key cause of counter-revolutionary activity?

• Although, in Sprin 1791, there was still significant support for the constitutional monarchy, by the end of September 1792, the King had been overthrown, the Constitution of 1791 had been abandoned and France had been declared a republic.

• This major shift in policies can be attributed to a number of events and factors.

• One of the most commonly cited causes is Louis’ failed attempt to flee France in June 1791.

• This flight to Varennes, the town where Louis was apprehended, significantly damaged the reputation of the Royal Family

• Constitutional monarchy, though, still survived and it was not until the war with Austria that events accelerated and the king was forcibly removed

What was Louis’ plan to escape Paris and what actually happened?

• Plan:

  • Get to the Belgian border to a French fronier town called Montmiedy

  • Get safety and support from his wife’s family and a number of influential emigres

• Happened:

  • About 160 km in, a postmaster recognised him in Varennes, who reported him to the National Guard

  • Royal Family arrested and escorted back to Paris among a large procession of both military and civilian personnel
    

Why did Louis attempt to flee in June 1791?

• Civil Constitution of the Clergy - appalled by it and angered that he couldn’t attend Easter Mass because the Priest was refractory

• After Mirabeau’s death, support in the Constituent Assembly was waning

• Rumours circled that Austria was planning to invade France to restore absolute power

• Story that Lafayette spread was that he has been kidnapped

What was the reaction in Paris to news of Louis’ escape and his return?

• Posters were displayed reading: ‘Whoever applauds the King shall be flogged. Whoever insults him shall be hanged.’ - return to the Tuileries with an immense silent crowd

• Political clubs began to intensify protests, stating Louis should abdicate

According to Louis, who was to blame for the crisis?

• The Political Clubs of Paris “the mentality of the clubs dominated everything”

• “you want anarchy and the despotism of the clubs to replace the monarchical form of government”

• Accuses them of anarchy and despotism in comparing them to himself

Consequences of the Flight to Varennes - The Emergence of Republicanism

• The political clubs of Paris, in particular the Cordeliers, intensified their protests, calling for Louis’ abdication. The Jacobins, who had been moderate in their view to this point began to radicalise, leading to a split, those who did not want the King deposed - and this included nearly all the members who were deputies - left the club and set up a new club, the Feuillants, which for the moment had control over the Assembly. It seemed as thougb the Jacobins had destroyed themselves. However, only 72 of the provincial Jacobin clubs in France defected from the control of the Parisian club, and most of these drifted back in the next few months.

• In the Constituent Assembly, views were divided. Many continued to argue for constitutional monarchy - fear that the revolution would devolve into chaos. Others supported the call of the Cordeliers - used radical press in the demands for abdication. Compromise was reached - Louis’ powers would be temporarily suspended until the constitution came into force.

• To legitimise its decision, the Assembly put out the story that Louis had been kidnapped by enemies of the revolution. This was undermined by the fact that Louis had written a declaration, left at the Tuileries, declaring that the political situation in France was an unworkable one. The Declaration was published in his absence and it wrecked the King’s reputation because it showed he didn’t believe in constitutional monarchy.

• 30000 people marched on the Constituent Assembly calling for the King’s dismissal. But the Constituent Assembly, led by Barnave, continued to oppose republicanism. 290 deputies abstained from voting on the proposal to suspend the King’s power. There was protest at such an action they feared would only fuel the republican cause.

Consequences of the Flight to Varennes - Counter-Revolutionary Activity

• Rumours of an ‘Austrian Committee’ developed. There was a belief that there was a group of traitors led by the Royal Family and Marie Antoinette in particular. They sought to restore the King’s power through Austrian intervention.

• Traitors - Refractory priests, emigrés, anyone too close to the Royal Family, Barnave, Lafayette

• Due to suspicion of the Royal Family, a large crowd gathered at Champs de Mars in support of a petition created by the Cordeliers and demanding the King’s abdication. Accounts vary between 6000 and 50000 people involved. Protests descended into violence. Royalist spies were followed by protesters, sparking a riot. Other accounts blame it on the 10000 National Guard led by Lafayette.

• The violence at Champs de Mars resulted in a strong clampdown by the Constituent Assembly. Paris Commune declared Martial Law, allowing the Civil Liberties of Parisians to be suspended. Freedom of the Press curtailed. Printing Presses shut down. Radical Journalists - Marat, Desmoulins and Danton went into hiding.

• With the suppression of the Cordeliers, republicans and the radical press, it would be easy to state that the moderates had won and could now work out a compromise with the King without facing mob violence. It took nearly a year for the popular movement to recover. Yet it was not as simple as that. The events of June and July 1791 represent an increasing gap between attitudes of those in the Constituent Assembly and the attitudes of popular societies and clubs in Paris, particularly the sans-culottes. As far as the extremists were concerned, only the overthrow of the monarchy would satisfy their demands.

• The Feuillants were more determined than ever to make an agreement with the King. Although they did not trust him and had lost popular support, for the moment they controlled Paris and the Assembly. Their long-term success, however, depended on the co-operation of Louis, and this was far from certain.

Splits in the Legislative Assembly - 1791

• September 1791

  • New Constitution came into force, the Constituent Assembly was dissolved to be replaced by the Legislative Assembly, a body that ruled France for a year. The self-denying ordinance, proposed by Robespierre in an attempt to undermine his opponents, stated that no deputy who served in the National Assembly could serve in the Legislative Assembly

  • The election results were not what Robespierre had hoped. Of the 745 deputies elected, 264 were members of the Feuillant Club and 136 were Jacobins and Girondins. The remaining deputies were unaligned. The balance of the Legislative Assembly was against Republicanism.

  • But Brissot and Girondin associates fought to win over unaligned deputies to the Republican cause. The Girondins’ message was a radical one, based upon the ideas of the Enlightenment, denouncing emigres as traitors and supporting anticlericism. In contrast, with Lafayette and Barnace excluded due to the self-denying ordinance, the Feuillants lacked the powerful leadership necessary to dominate the Legislative Assembly.

Splits in the Legislative Assembly - 1792

• September

  • Elections to the Convention, all men over 21 could vote. 749 = 180 Girondins and 300 Jacobin, 250 uncommitted (the Plain). 47% of Deputies were lawyers

  • Monarchy abolished

• 21-22nd September

  • Until 2nd June 1793 the Convention saw struggle between the Girondins and the Jacobins (known as Montgnards ‘the Mountain’ or the Left). At first the Plain supported the Girondins.

  • Jacobins insisted on trial of the King, Girondins trief to prevent a trial and made two attempts to save Louis’ life - firstly they suggested that the King’s fate should be decided by referendum and then when this was rejected, and the King was found guilty and sentenced to death, they proposed a reprieve.

  • Sentence - 387 voted unconditionally for the death penalty, 288 for imprisonment, Convention voted against a reprieve 380 to 310. Voting pattern reveals a sold bloc of moderates in the Convention, reluctant to support the execution of the King.

Splits in the Legislative Assembly - 1793

• 21st January 1793

  • Louis executed, Girondins destroyed as a political force. Although half of the Girondins had voted for the death penalty, they were branded as royalists and counter-revolutionaries. By securing Louis’ execution, the Montagnards gained an ascendancy in the Convention. Brissot hardly spoke after the trial.

  • Split within the Montagnards - Hebertists, Old Cordeliers, Dantonists (Moderate)

  • Both destroyed by Robespierre

The Impact of war with Austria and Prussia - Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II

• Reluctant to get involved - fighting other war and revolts

• In the Declaration of Pillnitz (27th August 1791) Austria and Prussia stated that they were willing to restore a monarchical order in France by force, on the proviso that other European states would also intevene. French Royal Family saw this as a betrayal

The Impact of war with Austria and Prussia - Marie Antoinette and the Austrian Committee

• Believed of potential benefits and danger of French invasion of Austria

• In favour of war - defeat France and restore power

The Impact of war with Austria and Prussia - Louis XVI

• Believed France could be defeated in war and then the Austrians would restore his power in France

• Win-win situation

The Impact of war with Austria and Prussia - Marquis de Lafayette

• Reputation ruined for involvement in Champs de Mars massacre

• Could provide him with an opportunity to regain status and position

The Impact of war with Austria and Prussia - Brissot

• Leading pro-war side of the debate

• Argued the war case in revolutionary terms, believing that a war would flush out those not truly loyal to the cause

The Impact of war with Austria and Prussia - Girondins

• Believed people from neighbouring states were just waiting to be liberated from the despotism and tyranny of monarchy

The Impact of war with Austria and Prussia - Robespierre

• One of the most vocal critics of the war proposal

• Due to economic problems and fleeing officers - France was not in a position to launch an attack

• Suspicious of Royal Family’s and Lafayette’s motives for supporting the war argument

Why was war declared in 1792?

• The Royal Family, Girondins believed it was somehow the most efficient route to political power

• Austria refused to remove its troops from Austria French border

• Fear of counter-revolution - threatened by Austria

• Austria and Prussia to become allies to intimidate France

• Louis dismisses Prussia to become allies to intimidate France

• Louis dismisses Feuillant ministers to replace them with radical government and some Girondins

How well prepared was France for the war in 1792?

• Very badly prepared:

  • Economic crisis

  • Fleeing officers

  • Royal Family and Lafayette in it for personal gains

  • 140000 soldiers had no training

  • Poorly organised army

Trial and execution of Louis - December 1792-January 1793

• Put on trial for Crimes against the Revolution

• Guillame - Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes - minister and lawyer - offered to lead Louis’ defence and presented him and attempted reforms well

• Couldn’t defend letters to Austrian Royal Family - 693 declared Louis guilty out of 721

• Girondins wanted imprisonment, Jacobins wanted execution

• 321 voted for death, 319 for prison

• 21st January 1793 - Louis publicly executed by guillotine

September Massacres 1792 (2nd-6th September)

• Sans-Culottes hunted anyone who may have betrayed the revolution and butchered them

• Lots occurred in prisons - refractory priests, counter revolutionary priests, fallen aristocrats

• Mass killings, bloodlust, torture, mutilation

• 1400 people killed - mainly common criminals

• Danton didn’t do anything - Jacobins don’t condemn it - violence is accepted

• Caused the Plain to swing towards the Girondins

The National Convention (elections August-early September, first met Sept 21st 1792)

• Legislative Assembly dissolved in September 1792 - end of August had begun election for the National Convention

• First met on 21st September 1792 - far more left wing and included Jacobins, Cordeliers e.g. Robespierre, Marat, Danton etc.

• Mainly lawyers but also represented all social classes and much younger

• Two principle factions broke out:

  • Jacobins - Robespierre + La Montagne - around 300 were Jacobins

  • Girondins - Brissot e.g. Le Plaine - around 150

Storming of the Tuileries, 10th August 1792

• Jérome Péton (mayor of Paris) called on the Legislative Assembly to depose Louis and declare a republic

• Sans-Culottes led by leading Cordeliers took over Hotel de Ville and established revolutionary commune

• Toscin was sounded - march upon Tuileries - 30000 citizens (National Guard, Féderic, Sans-Culottes)

• Guards fled - bloodbath - 1000 Swiss guards chased and butchered 600/1000 murdered

• Decision for new assembly through male suffrage

• National Convention declared

• Monarchy abolished

  • END OF CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY!!!

Brunsiwck Manifesto 25th July 1792

• Charles, Duke of Brunswick, commander of the advancing Prussia army issued proclamation to the French people (Brunswick Manifesto) promising freedom to those who did not oppose him and threatened those who opposed him or harmed King Louis or any of the Royal Family

• Portrays Louis as a counter-revolutionary

Journeé 20th June 1792 - the invasion of the Tuileries

• Group of 8000 sans-culottes incited by the Cordeliers club stormed the Tuileries demanding Louis to reverse his vetoes

• Louis wore a red cap but refused a reversal or to recall his ministers

• 11th July - National Assembly declared state of National Emergency - Louis lost his right of veto

• Showed his strength of character but his diminishing power

Veto of new laws June 1792

• 19th June 1792 - Refuses to sanction laws, deport all refractory priests, disband the King’s royal guard, establishment of a camp of 20000 National Guard a.k.a fédérés to protect Paris

• Used his suspensive veto - made it look as though the king wanted to undermine the legislative assembly

• Dismissed some Girondin ministers - causing outrage - accomplice of conspirators

Declaration of Pillnitz August 1791

• After the flight to Varennes, Leopold felt that he had to make some sort of gesture in support of Louis XVI.

• In the declaration of Pillnitz Austria and Prussia stated that they were willing to restore a monarchical order in France by force, on the proviso hat other European states would also intervene.

• French Royal Family saw this as a betrayal

Political consequences of the September Massacres

• Reaction was divided, some politicians, most notably Danton, turned a blind eye

• Danton is arguably to blame for the violence, as minister of justice, he took no action to stop the violence

• The massacres caused The Plain to swing towards the Girondins, who condemned the violence throughout

• Some Jacobins, such as Marat, actively encouraged the violence and bloodshed

• Robespierre refused to condemn, seeing it as a necessary act towarsd the revolution

• As a result, many deputies felt the Jacobins had gone too far, causing them to lose support in the Convention

Creation of the National Convention

• Legislative Assembly dissolved in September 1792

• Royalist members flee, moderate members removed

• With only the radical members left, radical changes are made

• Royal family are imprisoned, Danton is appointed minister of justice, creating radical laws e.g. deportation of refractory priests

• With the assembly dissolved, new elections begin to create the National Convention

• All males over 21 have the right to vote and the right to stand to be a deputy

• However, given the atmosphere, only the brace participated. Fewer than 6% of eligible candidates stood

• As a result, the Convention was far more left-wing than the assembly had been

Two Factors of the National Convention

• The Jacobins, led by Robespierre, sat on the highest benches, to the left of the hall, and gained the nickname La Montagne (Mountain or Montagnards)

• Of the 749 deputies of the Convention, 300 were Jacobin. Considerably the largest faction

• The other faction, the Girondins, were led by Brissot and numbered about 150

• The remaining deputies were known as La Plaine (the Plain)

• The plain supported the Jacobin or Girondins faction

Differences between Girondins and the Jacobins

• Both the Jacobin and GIrondins had similar values

• Both republican, both hold true revolutionary backgrounds

• The significant difference, is their attitude towards the Sans-Culottes

• The Girondins saw themselves as protectors of legal justice, and opposed the brutality of the Sans-Culottes

• Whereas the Jacobins saw their actions as legitimate part of the revolutionary process. The people were the revolution

• One of the first actions of the Convention was to formalise Louis’ deposal

• 21st September, monarchy was abolished, a republic is declared, and King Louis XVI simply became citizen Louis Capet

The Terror

• Nine months after the death of her husband, Marie Antoinette and the remaining royals follow Louis to the scaffold

• THe execution of remaining royals is just one part of the revolution known as the Terror

• Between Sept 1793-July 1794, over 15000 people were executed

• These killings were not unlicensed murders like the September massacres had been

• They were part of an intentional and highly organised state policy of Terror

• Drivenby a new body of government known as the Committee of Public Safety (CPS) = de facto government during the Terror

• The CPS ordered the Terror in an attempt to preserve the gains of the revolution and destroy enemies of the revolution