The French Revolution Ancien Regime the Reign of

The French Revolution: Ancien Regime & the Reign of Terror 1787 – 1799 ‘Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité’ www. historyvault. ie

‘Ancien Regime’ • Known as the ‘Old Regime’ (order), it existed throughout much of Europe during 18 th Century. • In this society, division between three groups (estates) was clear and unbalanced: the largest group (peasants & bourgeoisie) paid most of the taxes of France, yet had very little power. • The ‘Estates-General’ (picture), was a meeting between all three sections of French society: - 1 st Estate (Clergy) - 2 nd Estate (Nobility) - 3 rd Estate (Bourgeoisie & Peasants) • Eventually, tensions rose when increased taxes and food shortages caused French peasants to revolt. www. historyvault. ie

Absolutism ‘Divine Right to Rule’ The belief that kings were chosen by God to rule over their people and states. www. historyvault. ie

The Enlightenment was a movement away from tradition towards a more critical understanding of man’s place in society. The ideas & concepts of the Enlightenment included: • Rationality: Reasoned thought will lead to the truth & freedom. • Universality: All humans are equal by nature. • Secularism: Religion & spirituality should be private and never inform public actions in politics, economics etc. • Progress: Mankind is driven by making improvements to his individual self and to society in general. • Representative Government: People can and must be ruled by themselves in fair systems that rely solely on the will of the people. The Enlightenment: Age of Reason www. historyvault. ie

The Estates-General • The ‘Estates-General’ was a meeting held between all three groups of society. • Each group only had one vote, regardless of the difference in size of the groups. • Therefore, it was easy for the 1 st & 2 nd Estates to out-vote the 3 rd Estate • - 1 st Estate (Clergy) - 2 nd Estate (Nobility) - 3 rd Estate (Bourgeoisie & Peasants) www. historyvault. ie

Royal Palace at Versailles www. historyvault. ie

King Louis XVI - Married Marie Antoinette - Indecisive - Disinterested in state affairs (preferred his own personal interests) www. historyvault. ie

1 st Estate: (Catholic Clergy - 140, 000) 3 rd Estate: - 1% of population - owned up to 20% of land - paid no taxes - collected the tithe - controlled education - held privileged positions (Farmers, peasants, labourers, doctors, lawyers - 25, 000) - paid the Tithe (Church tax) - paid Taille (land tax) - Did all the work - No benefits - Unprivileged 2 nd Estate: (Nobility - 400, 000) -2% of population -Owned up to 25% of land -paid no taxes -Held privileged positions www. historyvault. ie

France aids Americans in their War of Independence www. historyvault. ie France joins war in 1777

Cost of War Estates-General Meeting • • By 1789, France’s involvement in the American War of Independence had almost bankrupted the state. King Louis XVI decided to call a meeting of the Estates-General to raise taxes to pay this debt. This meeting would provoke serious divisions between the 3 rd Estate and the 1 st & 2 nd Estates. 1 st Estate (308 members - 1 vote) 2 nd Estate (285 members - 1 vote) 3 rd Estate (621 members - 1 vote) The Third Estate wanted each member of each Estate to get one vote each, rather than one vote only for each Estate. www. historyvault. ie

“not to separate, and to reassemble wherever circumstances require, until the constitution of the Kingdom is established” When the 3 rd Estate was locked out of the Estates. General meeting, they moved to the royal tennis court. Here, they all swore an oath to remain united until a democratic constitution was created for France. *576 of 577 members present swore the oath. Tennis Court Oath 20 th June 1789 www. historyvault. ie

The National Constituent Assembly 13 th June – 9 th July 1789 • King Louis XVI now saw that the selfproclaimed ‘National Assembly’ was a serious threat to his rule, so he ordered the 1 st & 2 nd Estates to join the 3 rd Estate in the National Assembly so that he appeared to remain in control. www. historyvault. ie

Fall of the Bastille 14 th July 1789 • On 14 th July 1789, a mob grew outside the Bastille Prison in Paris. The Bastille was infamous as a place where dissidents were imprisoned, but it also usually held a large store of weapons, ammunitions and food. • Food shortages and high prices were common at this time. The self-styled militia of Paris the ‘National Guard’ – attacked the prison and killed the governor. • This was in direct response to the King stationing huge numbers of soldiers in Paris. The mob went looking for weapons & gunpowder to defend the National Assembly from the King’s soldiers. King Louis relented and called off his soldiers. www. historyvault. ie

“So, is there a rebellion? ” - King Louis XVI “No, Sire, a revolution!” - Duke de La Rochefoucauld www. historyvault. ie

Declaration of the Rights of Man & of the Citizen 26 th August 1789 National Assembly cancelled the tithe tax and abolished the privileges of the nobility. The Declaration of the Rights of Man & of the Citizen declared: • All men are born free and equal (‘universality’) • People have rights to liberty, property & security • Every citizen is equal before the law • Freedom of Speech was guaranteed for all citizens. • Slavery was abolished www. historyvault. ie

Under this new law, all church land came under state control to be sold and all members of the clergy had to swear an oath to the Republic. The tithe was abolished also. Clergy would have to be elected = Privileges of the 1 st Estate now evaporated Pope Pius VI condemned this act and the Declaration of Rights of Man Civil Constitution of the Clergy 12 th July 1790 www. historyvault. ie

King Louis, Marie Antoinette and the Princess Royal all attempted to escape as tensions rose in France. They were attempting to reach Montédy near the Belgian border (part of the Austrian Empire at this time) Flight to Montédy 20 th June, 1791 www. historyvault. ie

Dressed as servants, the King and his family were recognised at Varennes Capture at Varennes 21 st June 1791 www. historyvault. ie

Historic marker of the place where King Louis & his family were captured www. historyvault. ie

Republicanism Erupts Benevolent King Flight to Varennes Traitor to the Revolution! King Louis XVI and his family brought back to Paris under guard and imprisoned in the Palace of Tuileries. Now considered a traitor, many felt the need to establish a complete republic, without a monarchy. www. historyvault. ie

France declares war on Prussia & Austria on 20 th April 1792. Prussia & Austria now attack France, threatening to destroy Paris if the King was harmed in any way. The French eventually drove the Prussians and Austrians back. Revolutionary France under attack 1792 www. historyvault. ie

10 th August 1792: Storming the Palace of Tuileries As France fought off the Prussian & Austrian armies, many people in France saw their attack as proof of King Louis’ treason to his own people. The ‘National Guard’ revolutionaries attacked the Palace of Tuileries and arrested the King. The King was now tried for treason to the French Republic www. historyvault. ie

The National Assembly: – The Convention – declares France a Republic & abolishes the Monarchy 21 st September 1792 King Louis XVI was beheaded by guillotine on 21 st January 1793. Marie Antoinette was also later guillotined. The execution of the King rallied other European countries against France: Britain, Spain, Holland, Austria & Prussia all declared war on the First French Republic. www. historyvault. ie

“Terror is only justice: prompt, severe and inflexible” - Maximilien Robespierre The Reign of Terror 1793 - 1794 www. historyvault. ie

The Reign of Terror: Committee of Public Safety • Committee of Public Safety formed in early 1793. • Made up of twelve men, lead by Maximilien Robespierre, known as ‘The Incorruptible’. • Under Robespierre’s leadership, a large army was created and successfully defended France from other European nations. • Everyone came under suspicion, with the Committee trying tens of thousands and executing 40, 000 people as enemies of the revolution. • Ultimately, Robespierre wanted to continue with the trials & executions (even after the danger to France had subsided) and so was arrested himself and executed by guillotine. www. historyvault. ie

Napoleon Bonaparte: Emperor of France 1769 - 1821 • A French army general, Napoleon Bonaparte, made himself ruler of France. • In 1804, he was crowned as the Emperor of France. • As Emperor, Napoleon had many of the powers of the old Kings of France. • The French Revolution had finally ended after war, social upheaval, widespread societal suspicion and mass executions. www. historyvault. ie

France dominates Europe Napoleonic Europe 1804 - 1815 www. historyvault. ie