How the constitutional monarchy failed

The Monarchists

Political club who advocated for a constitutional monarchy like Britain & wanted ‘men of quality’ in charge rather than the mob. They were the leaders of the early revolution & believed they had completed it & that people should be grateful. Had high membership fee - mainly bourgeoisie. Later became the Feullants.

The Girondins

Supported idea of a republic but also prioritised diplomacy & compromise. Wanted to punish refractory priests & emigres harshly. Aimed to expand the revolution across Europe through a war.

The Cordeliers

More radical than the Girondins & doubted the ability of the Assembly to fight for the people. Known as ‘the friends of the rights of man and the citizen’ & had low entry fee as they operated in a working class area of Paris. Included passive citizens & women.

The Jacobins

Became increasingly radical & led second half of the revolution/the terror. Weren’t as popular as the Cordeliers. Believed moderates like the Fuellants were selling out the revolution.

The effect of Mirabeau’s death

He was Louis’ main adviser & died in 1791, leaving Louis without any advice on hoe to handle the situation of the revolution. He had previously advised Louis to relocate outside of Paris and rally support for a national revolution - creating the idea for the Flight to Varennes.

Causes of the Flight to Varennes

Louis was expected to attend a public Easter mass at the Louvre but didn’t want to as it was being held by a constitutional priest. He planned to go to Saint Cloud instead to have a service with a refractory priest. However, him & his family were prevented from leaving by a hostile mob & kept in their carriage for 2 hours then forced back inside.

Outcome of this

Louis wrote to the Assembly detailing how he should be free to go wherever he wanted, but the Assembly & Danton & the Cordeliers disagreed & refused to let him. Lafayette & the National Guard didn’t but had little power.

Events of the Flight to Varennes

Alex von Fersen & Gustav III of Sweden devised an escape plan for the royal family in May 1791 - carried out June 20th. However delays occurred like, Lafayette & Bailly coming to talk to Louis, Marie Antionette getting lost & the carriage falling - put them 4 hours behind schedule. The King’s escape was later discovered in Paris.

Outcome of Louis’ escape

A local postmaster identified the, 30 miles from Montmedy, in Varennes, & raised the alarm to the Assembly. The family were stopped & arrested and taken back to Paris & Louis was labelled as a traitor. The Assembly put him under ‘temporary suspension’ & it was believed he had disowned the revolution.

Consequences of the Flight to Varennes

The Paris sections & radical journalists began to demand the abolition of the monarchy & advocate for a republic & many turned against the constitution & believed Louis didn’t deserve any power. The Assembly came up with the theory that he had been kidnapped to ignore the problem, however this wasn’t widely believed & worsened when Louis’ farewell note to them were made public.

Causes of the Champs de Mars Massacre - June 24th 1791

Due to frustration over the Assembly’s decision to still pursue a constitutional monarchy & ‘finish’ the revolution by reinstating Louis with limited power (even after Varennes) & pass the new constitution - 30,000 marched on the Assembly’s chambers in the Tuileries with a petition demanding a republic.

Causes of the Champs de Mars Massacre - July 15th 1791

Louis’ ‘abduction’ and suspension was decreed by the Assembly in ‘the Great Lie’ - worsenin his reputation. The Cordeliers & Jacobins had already drafted & were spreading petitions challenging the authority of the Assembly.

The Champs de Mars Massacre - July 17th 1791

Several thousand gathered on the Champ de Mars in defiance of the Assembly & their decree that no club/group could meet without a certificate. Radical speeches were heard & 6000 signed petitions for a republic. By the afternoon, there were 25-50000 people & Bailly & Lafayette marched down with the National Guard after declaring martial law. They were mobbed, insulted & pelted with stones & the soldiers opened fire on the crowd.

Consequences of the Champ de Mars Massacre

30-50 were killed & dozens wounded which created the first martyrs of the revolution. The Assembly blamed the political radicals & radical journalists in the press - causing many to go into hiding to avoid arrest like Marat. The Jacobins split into the constitutional Feuillants & the radical Jacobins. Bailly & Lafayette’s reputations were shattered & a divide formed between the Assembly & the people.

The significance of Coblenz

Became a gathering point in Germany for the nobles who’d fled from France to conduct counter revolutionary military action - including Louis’ brothers. Had money from other emigrees & European royal courts however, many nobles wanted to be officers, leaving a lack of infantry soldiers. 1791 - emigres made up 60% of all pre revolutionary officers.

The origins of war - December 1790

Louis publicly demanded for the Elector of Trier to take action against the forming emigree troops & disperse them, but privately asked him to leave them alone.

The origins of war - July 1791

In response to Marie Antionette contacting him to help end the revolution, Emperor Leopold of Austria (her brother) issued the Padua Circular to get Europe involved in the potential war.

The origins of war - August 1791

Declaration of Pilnitz - Austria & Prussia threatened military support for the king in order to restore his powers. This created mass worry & fear in France as many no longer viewed Louis as loyal to the country.

The origins of war - November 9th 1791

The Assembly declared the banishment of the emigres & the seizing of their property if they refused to return before January 1st.

November 20th 1791

The Assembly decreed all refractory priests must take the oath or be considered traitors.

Why Brissot (Girondin leader) wanted war

He believed it would unite the country & France would win as the enemy soldiers would throw down their weapons & face the true enemy of their aristocratic leaders. He also believed it would force Louis & the counter revolutionaries out into the open & he would choose the enemy side.

Why did Louis & Marie Antionette want war?

They viewed it as a win win situation as if France won, Louis believed he’d be viewed as a hero and if France lost the foreign monarchies could help get rid of the revolution & restore his power.

Why did Lafayette & the generals want war?

He believed it would unite the country & allow him to improve his reputation by becoming a hero again.

Who opposed the war?

Robespierre

The aim of the war

The French army believed they would easily win as they were fighting on French soil & the soldiers were filled with the honour and passion needed to defend the revolution.

The reality of the war

The army was divided between the volunteer soldiers - known as the ‘blues’ - and the aristocratic officers - known as the ‘whites’. They didn’t trust each other as the ‘blues’ lacked experience and the ‘whites’ were often old & incompetent. Many soldiers thought the officers would defect to the enemy side, which many of them did.

The reality of the war - April 1792

The French troops retreated at Lille & later killed an officer who they had accused of treason after several had defected to the Austrian army.

Actions of the Assembly in response to war - 27th May

Decreed the deportation of all refractory priests

Actions of the Assembly in response to war - 29th May

Disbanded the King’s Guard as many suspected the 2000 ‘whites’ in it would celebrate a French defeat & the head of the guard was put on trial.

Actions of the Assembly in response to war - 8th June

Decreed the set up the Federe camp of 20,000 volunteers from all over France who radically supported the revolution. They arrived in great numbers, ready to fight & win, & mixed with the sans culottes & joined in revolutionary festivals.

Louis’ response - 13th June 1792

He vetoed all of the Assembly’s decrees in response to war & later dismissed his government on this date.

The Journee of 20th June 1792

8000 sans culottes marched to the Tuileries & demanded Louis withdraw his vetoes & reinstate all his pro war ministers. Louis appeared before the crowd & placed a bonnet rouge on his head & toasted to the nation, causing the crowd to withdraw.

The Summer of 1792 - 28th June

Lafayette demanded action against the protestors to the war.

The Summer of 1792 - 2nd July

News arrived that the Army of the North was in retreat, justifying the opinions & demands of the sans culottes.

The Summer of 1792 - 11th July

La Patrie en Danger was issued by the Assembly which called on all men to support the war effort.

The Summer of 1792 - 29th July

Robespierre gave a speech in the Assembly arguing for a republic & that both active & passive citizens should be able to vote for a national convention - this was the opinion of the left-wing radicals & the Paris Commune.

The Brunswick Manifesto - 25th July

Published by the Austrian Duke of Brunswick and threatened to kill any captured French National Guardsmen & to burn Paris to the ground if violence or humiliation was committed against the royal family. Was approved by Louis & Marie Antionette as he sent a copy to them 2 days before. This only worsened the view that Louis was a traitor to France.

Events of the Journee of the 10th August 1792

20,000 sans culottes + Federes + National Guards marched on the Tuileries. Louis escaped to the Assembly and hid there, leaving 2000-3000 Swiss guards to defend the palace. Many guards defected & joined the mob however & the fighting lasted 2 hours.

Outcomes of the Journee of the 10th August 1792

1000 sans culottes were killed & nearly all of the Swiss guards were massacred. The King became ‘temporarily suspended’ & was put in the Temple Prison. The Assembly announced elections for a new convention which would be open to both active & passive citizens. Lafayette tried to march to Paris to restore order but had little support - he was captured & replaced by General Dumouriez.

Causes of the September Massacres - failure of the war

Levee en Masse was called on 16th August due to the desperate need for soldiers. The Prussians invaded France on 19th August & the fortress at Longwy was captured on the 23rd along with Verdun which fell on 1st September - 2 big defences of Paris. There were thousands of needed soldiers who were guarding the prisons.

Causes of the September Massacres - the change in power

Thousands of royalist supporters & counter revolutionaries were put into prisons along with Louis (nobles, refractory priests, Swiss guards etc). Paris became split between the Legislative Assembly, the Paris Insurrectionist Commune & the Provisional Executive Council - all were radical. Violence was caused by the rumours of aristocratic plots in Paris & fear of traitors in the jails.

Causes of the September Massacres - actions of Danton

Along with the Commune, he feared for the safety of the rest of Paris & that the war might cause the end of the revolution. He searched houses for weapons on 30th August & took 3000 to the prisons. Then on 2nd September he launched a levee which enforced conscription or death.

Events of the September Massacres

The Federes attacked refractory priests son the 2nd September & the massacre spread to prisoners, including women & children. Monks & nuns were killed & women were raped - carried out by the sans culottes who were encouraged by the National Guard, the Paris Commune & publishers like Marat. 1000-1500 from the jails died over 5 days & similar acts occurred all over France. Wasn’t stopped by the Assembly.

Outcomes of the September Massacres

Foreign countries were horrified at the display of violence & their fears of revolution were confirmed. The Girondins were shocked & turned against the Jacobins. The Assembly & the authorities were seen to be weak while the popularity of leaders like Danton & Robespierre increased.

Outcomes of the September Massacres - 20th September 1792

France won over the Prussians at Valmy & saved Paris

Outcomes of the September Massacres - 22nd September 1792

The new National Convention declared France a republic.

The new National Convention

Elections occurred for it in September 1792 but the voting turnout was very low. Robespierre was the 1st choice for Paris & Danton, Marat & Desmoulins were also elected. The Girondins did bad in Paris but good elsewhere. Many simply elected the same members as before who became members of the Plain.