French Revolution

1789-1799

Significance in European History

The French Revolution (17891799) was a

period of radical social and political upheaval in
French and European history. The absolute
Monarchy that had ruled France for centuries
collapsed in three years. French society
underwent an epic transformation as feudal,
aristocratic, and religious privileges evaporated
under a sustained assault from liberal political
groups and the masses on the streets. Old ideas
about hierarchy and tradition succumbed to new
Enlightenment principles of citizenship and
inalienable rights.

Causes

The main factors were economic in nature

including famine and malnutrition on account of
rising food prices. There was also deliberate
starvation in the most destitute parts.
Another cause may have been France's near
bankruptcy as a result of the many wars fought
by Louis xv.
The national debt amounted to almost two billion
Livres.
At the same time, the Roman Catholic Church,
the largest land owner, levied an additional food
crop tax, which further worsened the conditions
for the poorest segment of the society.

Background Conditions

Louis XVI ascended to the throne amidst a financial crisis;

the nation was nearing bankruptcy and outlays outpaced
income.
In 1776, Jacques Necker, a foreigner, was appointed
Director-General of Finance. He was not made a minister
because he was a Protestant, and could not become a
naturalized French citizen. Necker realized that the country's
tax system subjected some to an unfair burden; numerous
exemptions existed for the nobility and clergy.
He argued that the country could not be taxed higher, that
tax exemptions for the nobility and clergy should be
removed, and proposed that borrowing would solve the
country's fiscal problems.
This was not received well by the King's ministers and
Necker, hoping to solidify his position, argued to be accepted
as a minister.
The King refused, Necker was fired

National Assembly 1789

The Estates-General
was organized into
three estates,
respectively: the
clergy, the nobility,
and the rest of France.
On 10 June 1789 Abb
Sieys moved that the
Third Estate, proceed
with verification of its
own powers and invite
the other two estates
to take part, but not
to wait for them.

The Tennis Court Oath

In an attempt to keep control of the process and prevent

the Assembly from convening, Louis XVI ordered the
closure of the Salle des tats where the Assembly met,
making an excuse that the carpenters needed to prepare
the hall for a royal speech in two days.
Weather did not allow an outdoor meeting, so the Assembly
moved their deliberations to a nearby indoor real tennis
court, where they proceeded to swear the Tennis Court
Oath (20 June 1789), under which they agreed not to
separate until they had given France a constitution.
A majority of the representatives of the clergy soon joined
them, as did 47 members of the nobility.
By 27 June, the royal party had overtly given in, although
the military began to arrive in large numbers around Paris
and Versailes.

Significance

The Oath signified the first time that French citizens

formally stood in opposition to Louis XVI, and the National
Assembly's refusal to back down forced the king to make
concessions.
The Oath also inspired a wide variety of revolutionary
activity in the months afterwards, ranging from rioting
across the French countryside to renewed calls for a written
French constitution.
Moreover, the Oath communicated in unambiguous fashion
the idea that the deputies of the National Assembly were
declaring themselves the supreme state power.
From this point forward, Louis XVI would find the Crown
increasingly unable to rest upon monarchical traditions of
divine right.

National Constituent Assembly

(17891791)

Necker had earned the enmity of many members of the

French court for his support and guidance to the Third
Estate.
On 11 July 1789, after Necker suggested that the royal
family live according to a budget to conserve funds, the
King fired him, and completely reconstructed the finance
ministry at the same time.
Many Parisians presumed Louis's actions to be the start of a
royal coup against the Assembly and began open rebellion
when they heard the news the next day. They were also
afraid that arriving soldiersmostly foreigners under
French service rather than native French troopshad been
summoned to shut down the National Constituent
Assembly. The Assembly, meeting at Versailles, went into
nonstop session to prevent eviction from their meeting
place once again. Paris was soon consumed with riots,
chaos, and widespread looting.

Storming of the Bastille

On 14 July, the insurgents set their eyes

on the large weapons and ammunition
cache inside the Bastille Fortress, which
was also perceived to be a symbol of
monarchist tyranny.
After several hours of combat, the prison
fell that afternoon. Despite ordering a
cease fire, which prevented a mutual
massacre, Governor Marquis Bernard De
Launav was beaten, stabbed and
decapitated; his head was placed on a pike
and paraded about the city.

Significance

Although the fortress had

held only seven prisoners
(four forgers, two
noblemen kept for immoral
behavior, and a murder
suspect), the Bastille
served as a potent symbol
of everything hated under
the Ancien Regime.
Returning to the city hall,
the mob accused the
mayor Jacques De
Flesselles of treachery and
he was shot.

Consequences

The King and his military

supporters backed down,
at least for the time being.
La Fayette took up
command of the National
Guard at Paris.
The King visited Paris,
where, on 17 July he
accepted a tricolour
cockade, to cries of Vive la
Nation [Long live the
Nation] and Vive le Roi
[Long live the King].
Necker was recalled to
power, but his triumph was
short-lived.

Working toward a constitution

On 4 August 1789 the

National Constituent
Assembly abolished
feudalism, in what is
known as the August
Decrees. In the course of a
few hours, nobles, clergy,
towns, provinces,
companies, and cities lost
their special privileges.
On 26 August 1789, the
Assembly published the
Declaration Of the Rights
of Man and of the Citizen,
which comprised a
statement of principles
rather than a constitution.

Women's March on Versailles

On 5 October 1789 crowds

of women first marched to
the City Hall, demanding
that city officials address
their concerns.
7,000 women joined the
march to Versailles,
bringing with them
cannons and a variety of
smaller weapons. The
attacked the palace, killing
several guards.
On 6 October 1789, the
King and the royal family
moved from Versailles to
Paris.

Church

Under the Ancien Regime, the Church had

been the largest single landowner in the
country, owning about 10 percent of the
land in the kingdom.
The Church was exempt from paying taxes
to the government, however it levied a
tithe- a 10% tax on income, often
collected in the form of crops.
The power and wealth of the Church was
highly resented.

Royal flight to Varennes

Louis XVI cast his lot with General Bouill, who

condemned both the emigration and the
Assembly, and promised him refuge and support
in his camp at Montmedy.
On the night of 20 June 1791 the royal family fled
the Palace wearing the clothes of servants.
However, late the next day, the King was
recognized and arrested at Varennes. He and his
family were brought back to Paris under guard,
still dressed as servants.
When they reached Paris, the crowd remained
silent. The Assembly provisionally suspended the
King. He and Queen Marie Antoinette remained
held under guard.

War and Counter-Revolution

(17921797)

The politics of the period inevitably drove

France towards war with Austria and its
allies. The King wanted to wage war, as
any result would have increased his power.
France declared war on Austria (20 April
1792) and Prussia joined on the Austrian
side a few weeks later.
By this time, France stood in turmoil and
the monarchy had effectively become a
thing of the past.

Execution of Louis XVI

Prussian armies threatened

retaliation on the French
population if it were to
resist their advance or the
reinstatement of the
monarchy. This made Louis
appear to be conspiring
with the enemies of
France. 17 January 1793
saw Louis condemned to
death for "conspiracy
against the public liberty
and the general safety.
Louis XVI was executed by
guillotine on 21 January
1793.

War

Shocked at the royal executions, neutral countries

joined the war against France.
When war went badly, prices rose and the sans
culottes poor labourers and radical Jacobins
rioted; counter-revolutionary activities began in
some regions.
This encouraged the Jacobins to seize power
through a parliamentary coup, backed up by force
effected by mobilizing public support.
An alliance of Jacobin and sans-culottes elements
thus became the effective centre of the new
government.

Economy

Widespread shortages and

famine ensued. The
Committee reacted by
sending dragoons into the
countryside to arrest
farmers and seize crops.
This temporarily solved the
problem in Paris, but the
rest of the country
suffered. By the spring of
1794, forced collection of
food was not sufficient to
feed even Paris and the
days of the Committee
were numbered.

Reign Of Terror

The Committee of Public Safety came under the

control of Maximilien Robespierre, a lawyer, and
the Jacobins unleashed the Reign of Terror
(17931794).
On 13 July, the assassination of Jean Paul Marat
a Jacobin leader and journalist known for his
bloodthirsty rhetoric by a Girondin, resulted in
further increase of Jacobin political influence.
The revolt and its suppression (including both
combat casualties and massacres and executions
on both sides) are thought to have taken
between 117 000 and 250 000 lives.

Guillotine

The guillotine became

the symbol of a string
of executions.
Thousands were
condemned to death,
while the mob would
beat others up.
At the peak of the
terror, the slightest
hint of counterrevolutionary thoughts
or activities could
place one under
suspicion.

White Terror

On 27 July 1794, the Thermidorian Reaction led

to the arrest and execution of Robespierre.
The new government was predominantly made up
of Girondists who had survived the Terror, and
after taking power, they took revenge as well by
persecuting even those Jacobins who had helped
to overthrow Robespierre, banning the Jacobin
Club, and executing many of its former members.
In the wake of excesses of the Terror, the
Convention approved the new "Constitution of the
Year III" on 22 August 1795, which lasted for 4
years.

End

On 9 November 1799
Napoleon Bonaparte
staged the Coup of 18
Brumaire which
installed the
Consulate.
This effectively led to
Bonaparte's
dictatorship and
eventually (in 1804)
to his proclamation as
emperor, which
brought to a close the
French Revolution.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 5 May

1821) was a military and political leader of France
and Emperor, whose actions shaped European
politics in the early 19th century.
In the first decade of the nineteenth century, the
France under him engaged in a series of conflicts
the Napoleonic Warsinvolving every major
European power.
The French invasion of Russia in 1812 marked a
turning point in Napoleon's fortunes. His army
was badly damaged in the campaign and never
fully recovered.