King Louis XVI

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

King Louis XVI Monday, February 13, 2017 King Louis XVI Absolute Monarch of France, 1774-1789 - Nineteen years old when he acceded to the throne - Had lots of responsibilities because the government was deeply in debt - He felt extremely unqualified (with good reason) to resolve to situation - As king, he focused primarily on religious freedom and foreign policy - He had intellectual ability, but no firmness and decisiveness - His desire to be loved by his people is evident in the prefaces of many of his edicts that would often explain the nature and good intention of his actions as benefitting the people - Determined to be a good king, so he appointed an experienced advisor named Jean- Frédéric Phélypeaux (comte de Maurepas) who took charge of many important ministerial functions - Signing of the Edict of Versailles • Granted non-Roman Catholics civil and legal status in France and the legal right to practice their faiths • Did not legally proclaim freedom of religion in France, but was an important step in eliminating religious tensions and officially ended religious persecution - Because he became unpopular to both the commoners and the aristocracy, he was only able to impose his decisions and reforms for only a very short amount of time, before revoking them - Louis XVI’s attempts to control the Third Estate resulted in the Tennis Court Oath, the declaration of the National Constituent Assembly, and eventually the Storming of the Bastille Foreign Policy - Louis XVI was persuaded by Pierre Beaumarchais in 1776 to send supplies, ammunition, and guns to the rebels secretly, then to sign a formal Treaty of Alliance in early 1778, and later that year go to war with Britain !1 Monday, February 13, 2017 • They wanted to humiliate Britain and recover lost territory - Louis XVI hoped to use the American Revolutionary War as an opportunity to expel the British from India - He encouraged major voyages of exploration, and in 1785 he appointed La Pérouse to lead a sailing expedition around the world Revolutionary Constitutional Reign, 1789-1792 - Maxililien Radix de Sainte-Foix (noted financier) headed a secret council of advisers to Louis XVI, which tried to preserve the monarchy • These schemes proved unsuccessful and were exposed later when the armoire de fer was discovered - Louis XVI’s indecisions fatally weakened negotiations between the Crown and moderate politicians • Louis was nowhere near as reactionary as his brothers and he repeatedly sent messages to them requesting a halt to their attempts to launch counter-coups • Louis was also alienated from the new democratic government both by its negative reaction to the traditional role of the monarch and in its treatment of him and his family - June 21, 1791 • Louis XVI attempted to flee secretly with his family from Paris to the royalist fortress town of Montmédy • Louis appointed Breteuil to deal with other foreign heads of state in an attempt to bring a counter-revolution • Beyond escape, Louis XVI and the queen hoped to raise an “armed congress” with the help of the émigrés to recapture France - This degree of planning reveals Louis’ political determination; unfortunately, because of this plot he was convicted of high treason • He left a 16-page written manifesto, explaining his rejection of the constitutional system as illegitimate; it was printed in the newspapers • His indecision, many delays, and misunderstanding of France were responsible for the failure of the escape !2 Monday, February 13, 2017 - Within 24 hours, the royal family was arrested at Varennes-en-Argonne after Jean-Baptiste Drouet had given the alert - Louis and his family were taken back to Paris under tight house arrest • Because of this, everyone realized that war was imminent, and they felt betrayed by Louis XVI, and as a result, Republicanism became a dominating philosophy of the rapidly radicalized French Revolution - Louis XVI supported the Legislative Assembly declaring war on Austria - Brunswick Manifesto declared the intent of the Austrians and Prussians to restore the king to his full powers and to treat any person or town who opposed them as rebels to be condemned to death by martial law • Greatly undermined his already highly tenuous position • Taken by many to be the final proof of collusion between the king and foreign powers in a conspiracy against his own country Imprisonment, Execution and Burial, 1792-1793 - Officially arrested on August 13, 1792, and sent to the Temple (an ancient fortress in Paris that was used as a prison) - September 21, 1792: The National Assembly declared France to be a Republic and abolished the monarchy - Two events that led up to the trial for Louis XVI: • After the battle of Valmy on September 22, 1792 - General Domouriez negotiated with the Prussians who evacuated France - Louis could no longer be considered a hostage or as leverage in negotiations with the invading forces • November 1792 - The armoire de fer incident took place at the Tuileries Palace, when the existence of the hidden safe containing compromising documents and correspondence was revealed by François Gamain • This served to discredit the king - January 15, 1793 !3 Monday, February 13, 2017 • Louis was condemned to death by a majority of one vote - January 21, 1793 • Louis XVI was beheaded • Declared himself innocent, praying that his blood would not fall back on France - Buried in mass grave !4.
Recommended publications
  • Nationalism in the French Revolution of 1789
    The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Honors College 5-2014 Nationalism in the French Revolution of 1789 Kiley Bickford University of Maine - Main Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors Part of the Cultural History Commons Recommended Citation Bickford, Kiley, "Nationalism in the French Revolution of 1789" (2014). Honors College. 147. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/147 This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors College by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NATIONALISM IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION OF 1789 by Kiley Bickford A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for a Degree with Honors (History) The Honors College University of Maine May 2014 Advisory Committee: Richard Blanke, Professor of History Alexander Grab, Adelaide & Alan Bird Professor of History Angela Haas, Visiting Assistant Professor of History Raymond Pelletier, Associate Professor of French, Emeritus Chris Mares, Director of the Intensive English Institute, Honors College Copyright 2014 by Kiley Bickford All rights reserved. Abstract The French Revolution of 1789 was instrumental in the emergence and growth of modern nationalism, the idea that a state should represent, and serve the interests of, a people, or "nation," that shares a common culture and history and feels as one. But national ideas, often with their source in the otherwise cosmopolitan world of the Enlightenment, were also an important cause of the Revolution itself. The rhetoric and documents of the Revolution demonstrate the importance of national ideas.
    [Show full text]
  • THE BARBER of SEVILLE” Opened with a Standing Ovation by Iride Aparicio
    OSJ’s “THE BARBER OF SEVILLE” Opened with a Standing Ovation By Iride Aparicio Photos by: Pat Kirk BRIAN JAMES MYER as Figaro SAN JOSÉ, CA -- “Figaro, Figaro, Figaro” According to CESARE STERBINI’s Libretto, written for GIACHINO ROSSINI’s opera “IL BARBIERI DI SIVIGLIA,” everybody calls Figaro in Seville, Spain during the seventeenth Century. Figaro was the town’s witty barber, who aside from shaving men’s beards, and fixing ladies’ hair, fixed everything else, if paid for his help. So, (in the libretto) when Count Almaviva (KIRK DOUGHERTY) disguised as Lindoro, a poor student, asks Figaro (BRIAN JAMES MYER) to help him enter the house of Don Bartolo ( VALERIAN RUMINSKI) the guardian of Rosina (RENÉE RAPIER) the woman he loves, Figaro plans a way that when putting it into effect, keep the audience laughing, the singers acting different comic roles and composer Rossini the opportunity to display his marvelous Bel Canto arias interpreted by the singers. KIRK DOUGHERTY as Lindoro and RENÉE RAPIER as Rosina And here we can add that on the opera's opening night, on November 12 at the California Theatre, the Opera San José’s singers voices were top class. On that night, the whole two acts of the work, moved smoothly. It was one of those rare nights in which all the elements go perfectly on the stage. The orchestra under the baton of ANDREW WHITFIELD, sounded rhythmically, and all the solos of the instruments were played in tune. Stage Director, LAYNA CHIANAKAS, managed natural acting from the singers playing the comic roles.
    [Show full text]
  • The Barber of Seville
    The Barber of Seville Education Kit Opera Australia The Barber of Seville 2019 Education Kit WELCOME In 2019, we are delighted to present The Barber of Seville as Opera Australia’s Schools Tour in Victoria. Singing and drama play an inspiring role in the education of children. We aim to foster a love of the performing arts in people of all ages, engaging them in a combination of music, singing, drama and design. Opera involves its audience visually, aurally and emotionally. For over 20 years, Opera Australia has maintained a strong commitment to bringing high calibre opera into schools; and our Schools Tours have developed a reputation for being some of the finest incursion performances in Australia. This year, 70,000 children will experience the excitement of opera in their own school. We trust that The Barber of Seville inspires your students, and that their engagement with the performing arts encourages their creativity, imagination and learning. Rory Jeffes Chief Executive Officer Opera Australia 1 The Barber of Seville 2019 Education Kit Contents ABOUT OPERA AUSTRALIA ...................................................................................................................... 3 ABOUT OPERA ......................................................................................................................................... 4 OPERA: A HISTORY ............................................................................................................................. 4 THE OPERATIC VOICE ............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Press Kit: the Barber of Seville
    Press Kit: The Barber of Seville Press Release José Maria Condemi Bio Bryan Nies Bio Synopsis Images: Krassen Karagiozov (as Figaro in The Barber of Seville) José Maria Condemi (stage director) Bryan Nies (conductor) News Release Press contacts: Virginia Perry, 408.437.4463 or 650.799.1341 [email protected] Elizabeth Santana, 408.437.2229 [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 13, 2010 “Give Us More Barbers!” – Beethoven The Barber of Seville Opera San José presents Rossini’s comic masterpiece SAN JOSÉ, CA— Opera San José continues its 27th Season with Rossini’s delightful comic opera, The Barber of Seville. The charming tale of a clever young woman, her eager lover, and their resourceful accomplice, Figaro, The Barber of Seville is a tuneful testament to all that’s wonderful about fun and romance. Eight performances are scheduled from February 12 through 27 at the California Theatre, 345 South First Street in downtown San José. Tickets are on sale at the Opera San José Box Office, by phone at (408) 437-4450 or online at www.operasj.org. This production of The Barber of Seville is made possible, in part, by a Cultural Affairs Grant from the City of San José. The madcap story unfolds fast and furious in 18th-century Seville, Spain. Young Rosina is a wealthy orphan and the ward of a grasping old codger, Dr. Bartolo, who is plotting to marry her not only for her beauty, but for her substantial dowry. However, Rosina has two things on her side: the handsome Count Almaviva, who has fallen in love with her, and the town barber, Figaro, her conniving accomplice, who through clever disguises and quick wit succeeds in securing victory for the young couple.
    [Show full text]
  • Shaping Nationalism 2
    TO WHAT EXTENT SHOULD WE EMBRACE NATIONALISM? CHAPTER Shaping Nationalism 2 Figure 2-1 In July 1789, many people in Paris, France, rebelled against the government. They said they wanted liberty and equality for all citizens. In November 2005, young people in some Paris suburbs rioted and burned thousands of cars. They said they wanted equality with other French citizens. The photograph of a firefighter trying to put out a car fire was taken in Paris in November 2005. That same month, Ares, a Cuban artist, created the cartoon on this page to show his thoughts on what was happening in France. CHAPTER ISSUE How do external and internal factors shape nationalism? KEY TERMS ON OCTOBER 27, 2005, two teenagers — 15-year-old Bouna Traore and 17-year-old Zyed Benna — died in an electrical relay station in a suburb revolution of Paris, France. They were electrocuted when they tried to hide from republic French police, who were chasing them. Their families had immigrated collective to France from former French colonies. consciousness After Traore and Benna died, some young French citizens of bourgeoisie immigrant parents in the suburbs of Paris rioted and burned cars. They wanted the same rights and opportunities that other French push factors citizens enjoyed. pull factors Some people agreed that French society discriminated against non- white citizens and immigrants. Non-white citizens and immigrants often have trouble finding jobs. As a result, many end up living in suburban slums and find it difficult to improve their lives. Examine the photograph and cartoon on the previous page, then respond to the following questions.
    [Show full text]
  • Legislative Assembly  Approve Laws/Declarations of War  Must Pay Considerable Taxes to Hold Office
    Nat’l Assembly’s early reforms center on the Church (in accordance with Enlightenment philosophy) › Take over Church lands › Church officials & priests now elected & paid as state officials › WHY??? --- proceeds from sale of Church lands help pay off France’s debts This offends many peasants (ie, devout Catholics) 1789 – 1791 › Many nobles feel unsafe & free France › Louis panders his fate as monarch as National Assembly passes reforms…. begins to fear for his life June 1791 – Louis & family try to escape to Austrian Netherlands › They are caught and returned to France National Assembly does it…. after 2 years! Limited Constitutional Monarchy: › King can’t proclaim laws or block laws of Assembly New Constitution establishes a new government › Known as the Legislative Assembly Approve laws/declarations of war must pay considerable taxes to hold office. Must be male tax payer to vote. Problems persist: food, debt, etc. Old problems still exist: food shortages & gov’t debt Legislative Assembly can’t agree how to fix › Radicals (oppose monarchy & want sweeping changes in gov’t) sit on LEFT › Moderates (want limited changes) sit in MIDDLE › Conservatives (uphold limited monarchy & want few gov’t changes) sit on RIGHT Emigres (nobles who fled France) plot to undo the Revolution & restore Old Regime Some Parisian workers & shopkeepers push for GREATER changes. They are called Sans-Culottes – “Without knee britches” due to their wearing of trousers Monarchs & nobles across Europe fear the revolutionary ideas might spread to their countries Austria & Prussia urge France to restore Louis to power So the Legislative Assembly ………. [April 1792] Legislative Assembly declares war against Prussia and Austria › Initiates the French Revolutionary Wars French Revolutionary Wars: series of wars, from 1792-1802.
    [Show full text]
  • Marie Antoinette
    Louis XVII - CHILD PRISONER 0. Louis XVII - CHILD PRISONER - Story Preface 1. A ROYAL CHILDHOOD 2. THE YOUNG ANTOINETTE 3. WEDDING at the PALACE of VERSAILLES 4. DEATH of LOUIS XV 5. A GROWING RESENTMENT 6. CHILDREN of MARIE ANTOINETTE 7. THE DIAMOND NECKLACE AFFAIR 8. THE FRENCH REVOLUTION 9. EXECUTION of LOUIS XVI 10. THE GUILLOTINE 11. TRIAL of MARIE ANTOINETTE 12. MARIE ANTOINETTE and the GUILLOTINE 13. Louis XVII - CHILD PRISONER 14. DNA EVIDENCE and LOUIS XVII Jean-Louis Prieur (1759-1795) created this illustration of Louis-Charles, the French Dauphin, depicting his treatment in prison. The title of this 1794 work is: Simon le cordonnier et Louis XVII au Temple (“Simon the Shoemaker and Louis XVII at the Temple”). Once his father was executed, royalists referred to the Dauphin as King Louis XVII. The illustration is maintained at the BnF and is online via Gallica (the BnF’s digitized gallery). Louis-Charles, the orphaned son of a king and—to royalists—a king (Louis XVII) himself, would have been better off had his captors simply killed him. Instead, he endured unimaginable conditions in Temple prison, existing in a room above his sister. When first imprisoned, he was a bright, good-looking child: ...his blue eyes, aquiline nose, elevated nostrils, well-defined mouth, pouting lips, chestnut hair parted in the middle and falling in thick curls on his shoulders, resembled his mother before her years of tears and torture. All the beauty of his race, by both descents, seemed to reappear in him. (Campan, Memoirs of Marie Antoinette, Supplement to Chapter IX - scroll down 60%.) An acquaintance of Robespierre, Antoine Simon (often called "Simon the shoemaker"), was charged with caring for the young prince.
    [Show full text]
  • Reinterpreting the French Revolution: a Global-Historical Perspective Bailey Stone Index More Information
    Cambridge University Press 0521811473 - Reinterpreting the French Revolution: A Global-Historical Perspective Bailey Stone Index More information Index aides, 132 Babeuf, “Gracchus”, 210 Aix Parlement, 119 Bailly, Jean-Sylvain, 111 Albisson, J., 87 Baker, Keith, 4, 5, 37 Amar, Jean-Baptiste-Andre,´ 200 Barbaroux, Charles Jean-Marie, 172 American War, 20, 24–25, 40, 46–47, 49; Barere,` Bertrand, 178, 185, 236 see also Necker, Jacques; Vergennes, Barnave, Antoine-Pierre-Joseph-Marie, 57, Charles Gravier, comte de 106, 144–45, 149, 153–54, 162 Anderson, M. S., 70 Barras, Paul, 256 Anglo-French trade pact of 1786, 25, 52, 74, Barthel´ emy,´ Franc¸ois, comte de, 216, 219 76, 97 Basle, Treaty of, 216 Antoine, Michel, 32, 33 Bastille, seizure of, 64, 98–100, 110; see also Antraigues, Emmanuel-Louis-Henri de July Days Launey, comte d’, 87 Baudot, Marc Antoine, 198 Applewhite, Harriet, 143 Beauvau, Charles-Just, prince de, 88 Arc, chevalier d’ (French essayist), 45 Belle-Isle, Charles-Louis-Auguste Fouquet, Argenson, Rene-Louis´ de Voyer, comte de, 16 marquis d’, 15, 37 Bergasse, Nicolas, 57 army: condition of in old regime, 30–31, Bernadotte, Jean-Baptiste-Jules, 257 44–46, 59, 73; overhauled during Bernis, Abbe-Cardinal´ Franc¸ois-Joachim de 1795–99, 238–43; reform of during Pierre de, 16, 30 1789–91, 139–41; reform of during Bertaud, Jean-Paul, 139, 192, 193, 240, 242 1792–93, 190–93; status of in 1789, Bertier de Sauvigny, Louis-Benigne-´ 103–4 Franc¸ois, 101 Artois, Charles-Philippe de France, Bertin, Henri-Leonard-Jean-Baptiste,´ 38 comte d’, 75, 83–84, 163 Besenval,´ Pierre-Victor, baron de, 51 Assembly of Notables: in 1787, 53–55, 58; Bien, David, 5, 6 in 1788, 58, 79, 90 biens nationaux: defined and allocated assignats, 130, 164, 187, 198, 229, 231, 253; during the Revolution, 130–31, 133–34, see also mandats territoriaux 136–38, 190, 206, 231 Augereau, Pierre Franc¸ois Charles, 254 Biro, Sydney, 174, 213, 220 “Austrian Committee”, 122–23; see also Black, Jeremy, 117 Marie-Antoinette, queen of France Blanning, T.
    [Show full text]
  • Lecture 1: a Short History of Thinking on Poverty
    WIDER Conference, Helsinki 2013 The Idea of Antipoverty Policy Martin Ravallion Georgetown University and NBER “Is there anyone today who would not commit to eliminating poverty?” (Jim Yong Kim, 2013) 1 How did we come to think that eliminating poverty is a legitimate goal for public policy? What types of policies emerged over time in the hope of attaining that goal? 2 Three premises are now widely accepted: Premise 1: Poverty is a social bad Premise 2: Poverty can be eliminated Premise 3: Public policies can help do that • But these premises did not have broad scholarly support 200 years ago. • There has been a dramatic change in economic thinking about poverty—a new model of poverty. 3 The evolution in thinking, in four quotes • “The poor … are like the shadows in a painting: they provide the necessary contrast.” (Philippe Hecquet, 1740). • “Everyone but an idiot knows that the lower classes must be kept poor or they will never be industrious.” (Arthur Young, 1771). • “May we not outgrow the belief that poverty is necessary?” (Alfred Marshall, 1890). • “Our dream is a world free of poverty.” (Motto of the World Bank since 1990). This presentation aims to document and understand this huge change in how we think about poverty in the last 200+ years 4 A simple expository model and some definitions 5 Model of personal wealth dynamics • The credit market is imperfect, such that individuals can only borrow up to λ times their wealth. • Each person has a strictly concave production function yielding output h(k) from a capital stock k.
    [Show full text]
  • Black Cosmopolitans
    BLACK COSMOPOLITANS BLACK COSMOPOLITANS Race, Religion, and Republicanism in an Age of Revolution Christine Levecq university of virginia press Charlottesville and London University of Virginia Press © 2019 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America on acid- free paper First published 2019 ISBN 978-0-8139-4218-6 (cloth) ISBN 978-0-8139-4219-3 (e-book) 1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2 Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data is available for this title. Cover art: Jean-Baptiste Belley. Portrait by Anne Louis Girodet de Roussy- Trioson, 1797, oil on canvas. (Château de Versailles, France) To Steve and Angie CONTENTS Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1. Jacobus Capitein and the Radical Possibilities of Calvinism 19 2. Jean- Baptiste Belley and French Republicanism 75 3. John Marrant: From Methodism to Freemasonry 160 Notes 237 Works Cited 263 Index 281 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This book has been ten years in the making. One reason is that I wanted to explore the African diaspora more broadly than I had before, and my knowledge of English, French, and Dutch naturally led me to expand my research to several national contexts. Another is that I wanted this project to be interdisciplinary, combining history and biography with textual criticism. It has been an amazing journey, which was made pos- sible by the many excellent scholars this book relies on. Part of the pleasure in writing this book came from the people and institutions that provided access to both the primary and the second- ary material.
    [Show full text]
  • HSTR 352.01: French Revolution 1789-1848
    University of Montana ScholarWorks at University of Montana Syllabi Course Syllabi Summer 6-2016 HSTR 352.01: French Revolution 1789-1848 Linda S. Frey University of Montana - Missoula, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Frey, Linda S., "HSTR 352.01: French Revolution 1789-1848" (2016). Syllabi. 4242. https://scholarworks.umt.edu/syllabi/4242 This Syllabus is brought to you for free and open access by the Course Syllabi at ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Syllabi by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Summer 2016 Prof. Frey FRENCH REVOLUTION Required Reading Wright, France in Modern Times Tocqueville, The Old Regime and the French Revolution Palmer, Twelve Who Ruled Rowe, “Civilians and Warfare during the French Revolutionary Wars.” (reserve) Holtman, The Napoleonic Revolution Walter, Diary of a Napoleonic Soldier Supplementary readings are available at the reserve desk at the Mansfield Library. Exams This class is only offered for a traditional grade. Midterm (tentative date June 8) will cover Wright pp. 3-56, Tocqueville, Rowe, Palmer, and readings on reserve. Final will cover Wright, pp. 57-122, Holtman, and Walter, and readings on reserve. Papers are due June 13 at the beginning of the class hour. No electronic submissions will be accepted. LATE PAPERS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Length: 5-7 pages double spaced. Style: Chicago Manual of Style, Footnotes. All papers should be submitted with the usual scholarly apparatus, that is, title page, footnotes, and bibliography.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pitiful King: Tears, Blood, and Family in Revolutionary Royalism
    The Pitiful King: Tears, Blood, and Family in Revolutionary Royalism Victoria Murano Submitted to Professors Lisa Jane Graham and Linda Gerstein In partial fulfillment of the requirement of History 400: Senior Thesis Seminar Murano 1 Abstract When the French Revolution erupted in 1789, revolutionaries strove to foster a sense of freedom of expression, guaranteeing a brief freedom of the press. The eleventh article of the 1791 Declaration of the Rights of Man asserts that “The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of man’s most precious rights; all citizens may therefore speak, write, print freely, except to answer for the abuse of this liberty in cases determined by law.” However, as France became further embroiled in the Revolution, it abandoned its allegiance to the universality of these rights, propagating pro-republican thought, and persecuting anyone who did not share these views. The royalist press was a major concern to the new republican government, because it continued to speak out in support of the king and criticize the Revolution. The existence of royalist journalists and writers thus posed a problem for revolutionaries who wanted to establish a monolithically-minded republic. Therefore, over time, they enacted repressive censorship and punishment to crack down on royalist sympathizers. Although they sent many royalist writers to prison or the guillotine, the revolutionaries ultimately failed to silence their political enemies. This thesis uses newspapers, images, and other printed media to explore royalist coverage of three events that diminished royal power: Louis XVI’s flight to Varennes in June 1791, his execution in January 1793, and the death of his nine-year-old son and heir, Louis XVII, in June 1795.
    [Show full text]