Radical Revolution Citizens, did you want a revolution without a revolution? – Robespierre

The “Second” French Revolution  The National Convention:  Girondin Rule:  Jacobin Rule: [“Reign of Terror”]  Thermidorian Reaction:  The Directory 

THE CIVIL CONSTITUION OF THE CLERGY The National Assembly confiscated land from Roman Catholic Church To finance the new government ABOLISHED THE TITHE The French government would now pay the salary of the clergy Bishops and priests elected by the people Oath of allegiance? FRANCE or THE CHURCH

What are the issues with this? "Pious VI at the Stake."

The Royal Family Attempts to Flee

THE KING’S FLIGHT Amidst great fear and diminishing power, Louis and family attempt to flee Helped by the Swedish Count Hans Axel von Fusen. June 20, 1791 –Louis is arrested in Varennes and sent back to Paris (was only miles from the border) –King abandoning people - counterrevolutionary Some argue that the King’s flight = TREASON (JACOBINS)

Bringing the Baker, the Baker ’ s Wife, and the Baker ’ s Son Back to Paris

The news of the King's flight destroyed the last of the King's popularity with the people of Paris. The popular press portrayed the royal family as pigs and public opinion plummeted. Increasingly there were demands for an end to the monarchy and the creation of a new kind of government, a republic

ROAD TO WAR Leopold II and Frederick William II Austria, Prussia  fear republics- Issue the Declaration of Pillnitz joining forces- August 1791 Brunswick Manifesto – July 1792 (If Royal family is harmed so will the people of Paris) Intervene if French revolutionaries infringed on Louis XVI’s rights and did not restore him to power French revolutionaries take this as threat, and declare war on Austria (April 20, 1792) PROBLEM = CIVIL WAR /FOREIGN WAR

THE FIRST COALITION AUSTRIA PRUSSIA BRITIAN SPAIN PIEDMONT DUKE OF BRUNSWICK - “if the royal family is harmed France will be leveled”

Simple Solutions: San Culottes ■ Though the activity of the sans-culottes had been growing, after the King's flight to Varennes, they were spurred to greater political activity. ■ They were uninterested in the complexities of politics, and looked for simple solutions.

Opposition to the New Government European monarchs feared that revolution would spread to their own countries In the uproar, the Commune took control of Paris – Commune was led by Danton, a member of the Jacobin political party Voters began electing representatives for a new convention which would write a republican constitution for France – A republic is a government in which the people elect representatives who will create laws and rule on their behalf – Meanwhile, thousands of nobles were executed under the suspicion that they were conspirators in the foreign invasion

The Storming of the Tuilieres: August 9-10, 1792 This was triggered in part by the publication in Paris of the August 3 Brunswick Manifesto, which confirmed popular suspicions concerning the king’s treason.

Tuilieres Palace

Let’s get the king!!! Paris crowds attack the kings palace. In this depiction of the King’s arrest, the Queen risks her body to save her son, the crown prince.

SHIFT TOWARDS RADICALISM Why did the revolution become more radical after 1792? (MULTIPLE RESAONS) Threat from foreign nations to restore the monarchy Counterrevolutionaries Attempted escape of royal family Bad ECONOMY Rapid inflation High $$$ of bread more drastic measures need TO BE taken

Attitudes & actions of monarchy & court The Causes of Instability in France Fear of Counter- Revolution Religious divisions Economic Crises War Political divisions

POLITICAL SPECTRUM 1790s: Montagnards (“The Mountain”) The Plain (swing votes) Girondists Monarchíen (Royalists) Jacobins

The Politics of the National Convention ( ) Montagnards Girondists  Power base in Paris.  Main support from the sans-culottes.  Would adopt extreme measures to achieve their goals.  Saw Paris as the center of the Revolution.  More centralized [in Paris] approach to government.  Power base in the provinces.  Feared the influence of the sans-culottes.  Feared the dominance of Paris in national politics.  Supported more national government centralization [federalism].

Georges-Jacques Danton, a revolutionary leader, rose in the Assembly on September 2nd 1792 and boomed out these memorable words in his deep bass voice: "When the tocsin sounds, it will not be a signal of alarm, but the signal to charge against the enemies of our country... To defeat them, gentlemen, we need boldness, and again boldness, and always boldness; and France will then be saved."

Many took his words to refer to enemies within France. The radical press took up the cry, "Let the blood of the traitors flow," and within hours of Danton's speech the streets of France did indeed run with blood. Many thought the prisons held counter-revolutionaries so mobs of citizens invaded the prisons, held mock trials, and slaughtered many of the inmates. Many of the inmates were clergymen who had refused to swear the oath which they felt put the state over the Pope. By September 7, over 1000 were dead.

Convention ( ) On September 22, 1792, the Convention met for the first time Established the First French Republic Faced domestic opposition and strife –Girondists were moderates who represented the rich middle class of the provinces –Jacobins (led by Marat, Danton, and Robespierre) represented workers Faced opposition from abroad –Austria, England, Holland, Prussia, Sardinia, and Spain formed a Coalition invading France

The Jacobins  They held their meetings in the library of a former Jacobin monastery in Paris.  Started as a debating society.  Membership mostly middle class.  Created a vast network of clubs.  There goal was to crush counterrevolutionary forces and replace the constitutional monarchy with a more democratic government.

Two Radical Groups ■ During the constitutional monarchy there were two radical groups vying for power, the Girondins and the Jacobins. ■ Although both groups were more radical in their views than the moderates who had designed the constitutional monarchy, the Girondins were somewhat less radical. ■ In late 1791, the Girondins first emerged as an important power in France.

United in their Views ■ At first the two parties were united in their views. – The Girondins were concerned about the plight of the blacks in France's colonies and were instrumental in passing legislation granting equal rights to all free blacks and mulattoes. – They wanted the declaration of war against Austria in early 1792 in the hopes that a show of strength would give them leverage with the King.

RADICALS IN CONTROL Maximillian Robespierre ( ) –“Terror is nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, inflexible” Goerges Jacques Danton ( ) –“Revolutions cannot be made with rose water” Jean Paul Marat ( ) –“Five or six hundred heads cut off would have assured your repose, freedom, happiness”

Abolishment of the Monarchy The Convention abolished the monarchy –As long as the royal family lived, the monarchy could be restored –Put the royal couple on trial for treason Convictions were a foregone conclusion –Louis XVI was guillotined on January 21, 1793 –Marie Antoinette was guillotined on October 16, 1793 –Son Louis-Charles, a.k.a. Louis XVII (lived ) was beaten and mistreated until he died in prison

Trial “Louis, the French people accuses you of having committed a multitude of crimes in order to establish your tyranny by destroying its liberty.” Vote in favor of death c The trial of the king was hastened by the discovery in a secret cupboard in the Tuilieres of a cache of documents.  They proved conclusively Louis’ knowledge and encouragement of foreign intervention.

Trial of King: Move to Terror

Guillotine

The execution of Louis XVI marked a turning point in the French Revolution, ushering in a new period of brutality known as the Reign of Terror. But the excesses of the Revolution could be seen as early as 1790, even before the first French Constitution.

Execution of Louis XVI "I forgive those who are guilty of my death."

The Death of “Citizen” Louis Capet Matter for reflection for the crowned jugglers. So impure blood doesn’t soil our land!

Trial of Marie Antoinette After a two–day trial, she was convicted and executed the next day, 16 October 1793.

The French people viewed the Revolution as the triumph of reason over an illogical and unfair system of privilege that benefited the Catholic Church and old Feudal Lords.

The National Convention wanted to sweep away all of the old, irrational traditions and remake the world according to logical, rational principles.

The Rise of the Jacobins ■ When the constitutional monarchy fell and he King was put on trial for treason in December, the Girondins argued against his execution. ■ The Jacobins thought he needed to die to ensure the safety of the revolution. ■ When the Jacobins were successful the tide turned against the Girondins. ■ The Jacobins in the National Convention had 22 Girondin leaders arrested and executed. The Jacobins had won.

Religious Terror: De-Christianization ( )  The Catholic Church was linked with real or potential counter-revolution.  Religion was associated with the Ancien Régime and superstitious practices.  Very popular among the sans-culottes.  Therefore, religion had no place in a rational, secular republic!

The National Assembly replaced the Catholic Church with a Cult of Reason, which they saw as opposed to the superstitions of Christianity. Cathedrals were turned into temples of Reason, and festivals were celebrated in honor of rationality.

The De-Christianization Program 1.The adoption of a new Republican Calendar: eabolished Sundays & religious holidays. emonths named after seasonal features. e7-day weeks replaced by 10-day decades. ethe yearly calendar was dated from the creation of the Republic [Sept. 22, 1792] The Convention symbolically divorced the state from the Church!!

The Festival of Supreme Being A new secular holiday

The year of Louis XVI’s beheading was renamed Year I, and all events were dated in relation to this historic event.

New NameMeaningTime Period VendemaireVintageSeptember 22 – October 21 BrumaireFogOctober 22 – November 20 FrimaireFrostNovember 21 – December 20 NivoseSnowDecember 21 – January 19 PluvioseRainJanuary 20 – February 18 VentoseWindFebruary 19 – March 20 GerminalBuddingMarch 21 – April 19 FlorealFlowersApril 20 – May 19 PrairialMeadowMay 20 – June 18 MessidorHarvestJune 19 – July 18 ThermidorHeatJuly 19 – August 17 FructidorFruitAugust 18 – September 21

CRISIS Committee of Public Safety ( ) Revolutionary tribunals – trial and execution Consisted of 12 members GOAL: “Crush enemies of the Revolution” WHO WERE THE ENEMIES? LAW OF SUSPECTS (Sept. 17, 1793) This law was so widely drawn that almost anyone not expressing enthusiastic support for the republic could be placed under arrest! Conscription of anyone yrs old Conscription of anyone yrs old Army of 1 million to fight! Levée en masse - Army of 1 million to fight! EQUALITY IN THE MILITARY!

Committee of Public Safety

Jean Joseph Weerts’painting of "The Vision of Robespierre."

The Guillotine: An “Enlightenment Tool”? Oh, thou charming guillotine, You shorten kings and queens; By your influence divine, We have re-conquered our rights. Come to aid of the Country And let your superb instrument Become forever permanent To destroy the impious sect. Sharpen your razor for Pitt and his agents Fill your divine sack with heads of tyrants.

Different Social Classes Executed 28% 31% 25% 8% 7%

The “Monster” Guillotine The last guillotine execution in France was in 1939! The last guillotine execution in France was in 1939!

Catholics, conservatives, and now even Girondists began to fight back against the radical measures of the Jacobins. After a well known Jacobin, Jean-Peal Marat, was assassinated by a Girondist, the Convention established a Revolutionary Tribunal to try and execute “enemies of the Revolution” known as counterrevolutionaries.

The Assassination of Marat by Charlotte Corday Paul Jacques Aimee Baudry, 19 c [A Romantic View]

All told, between 15,000 and 40,000 people were killed for engaging in counterrevolutionary activities. What would each of the following philosophers have said about the Reign of Terror? Locke? Voltaire? Montesquieu? Rousseau? Hobbes?

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End of the Reign of Terror Members of the Girondist political party tried to end the Reign of Terror initiated by the Jacobin political party –This opposition to the Committee of Public Safety caused many Girondists to be tried and executed for treason Eventually, even Georges Danton wanted to end the executions –This resulted in Danton being tried and executed for treason Maximilien Robespierre became leader of the Committee of Public Safety –He continued the executions –Convention came to blame Robespierre for the Reign of Terror Thermidorean Reaction –July 27, 1794 – ended the Reign of Terror –Convention sent Robespierre and other members of the Committee of Public Safety to the guillotine Robespierre was guillotined on July 28, 1794

However, after an assassination attempt, Robespierre became more and more suspicious of everyone around him. Ultimately, he had even Danton guillotined.

The “Purifying” Pot of the Jacobin

The Arrest of Robespierre

The Revolution Consumes Its Own Children! Danton Awaits Execution, 1793 Robespierre Lies Wounded Before the Revolutionary Tribunal that will order him to be guillotined, 1794.

CONSEQUENCES Overthrow of the monarchy Weakened power and wealth of nobility Secularization of the state More equality before the law Radical reorganization of the military Prolonged instability Great Britain emerged as global superpower Rise of Napoleon