Legislative Assembly  Approve Laws/Declarations of War  Must Pay Considerable Taxes to Hold Office

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

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. The war begins badly for France --- Prussia advances on Paris The Brunswick Manifesto (July 1792) issued by the commander of the Allied Army (Austrian and Prussian) › Threatens citizens of Paris if French royal family harmed › Enraged Parisians invade Tuileries – massacre guards & imprison Louis, Marie & children France wins stunning victory vs. Prussia & Austria at Battle of Valmy RUMORS spread – supporters of king plan to free him & seize control of Paris And so ………. September Massacres September 1792 - angry mobs attacked prisons Waves of violence in Paris Half the prison population of Paris executed › Traitors: Many of those executed were considered traitors to the revolution. Violence targeted Catholic Church Jacobin Club (Jacobins) › The largest and most powerful political club of the French Revolution › Were the majority in the Legislative Assembly › Initially moderate…eventually increasingly radical Wanted far-reaching changes in France › Jean-Paul Marat (in his newspaper editorials) called for the death of all supporters of the king Girondists- a political faction within the Leg. Assembly. › Not an organized political party. › Advocate a continental war with enemies in Europe › Jean-Paul Marat – Journalist known for his support of the new government and targeted the "enemies of the revolution”. Called for the death of all supporters of the king. His assassination by Charlotte Corday led to the Reign of Terror › Georges Danton -He was a moderating influence on the Jacobins & known for his deotion to the plight of Paris’ poor. Eventually executed. Radicals pressure the Leg. Assembly to set aside the Constitution of 1791 Leg. Assembly declares Louis XVI deposed & now nothing more than a common citizen Then Leg. Assembly set up an emergency gov’t › The National Convention draws up a new constitution. The Constitution › Abolished the monarchy › Declared France a Republic › All adult male citizens had right to vote/hold office › Women excluded despite role they had played The National Convention held executive power The Girondins wanted to keep the king as a hostage Radical Jacobins want Louis to be executed The charge? ……… National Convention tried Louis XVI for Treason On what grounds do they make this accusation? Louis was corresponding with his brother- in-law the Emperor of Austria. Seen as treason › France was at war with Austria. King tried for treason Louis XVI found GULITY Louis XVI was beheaded by guillotine before a crowd of more than 100,000 on January 21, 1793 Marie Antoinette later tried & also executed in October (1793) Jacobins now control in France VIDEO: Execution of Louis XVI (early 1793) Austria & Prussia joined by Great Britain, Holland, Spain & Sardinia France suffers a string of defeats Jacobins order a levee en masse (mass conscription) - raised an enormous citizen army of more than 800,000 men by 1794 The fight against Europe was in question Passion on the side of Revolutionaries › Fought to preserve the revolution Foreign armies weren’t France’s only enemy Jacobins felt they were 1,000s within France too! › Peasants horrified by king’s execution › Priests who wouldn’t accept gov’t control › Rival leaders who were stirring up trouble in the provinces Maximilien Robespierre › Set out to build a “republic of virtue” by eliminating all traces of France’s past Changed calendar 12 mos. of 30 days & renamed all months NO SUNDAYS – religion was old-fashioned & dangerous Closed all churches (July 1793) M. Robespierre becomes leader of the COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY (which had been established by the Nat. Convention) He builds it into a de facto government Governs France with Dictatorial powers Reign of Terror –Sept. 1793 – July 1794 › Chief task was to protect Revolution from its enemies › Period of violence › Four years after the start of the Revolution. WHO? › Opponents of the Jacobins (ex: Girondins) & anyone who challenged his leadership (ex: insurrectionists, Catholic priests, rioters) WHAT? › “Enemies of the revolution” were tried in the morning …. and executed by guillotine (ie, the “National Razor”) in the afternoon A tumbrel (cart) often transported the victims to their execution In 1789 Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin lobbied the National Assembly for equality in a most unlikely area: capital punishment. He argued that it was unfair for common criminals in France to be executed by tortuous methods such as hanging, burning at the stake and breaking on the wheel while aristocratic felons had the privilege of quick decapitations, particularly if they tipped their executioners to ensure swift sword chops. In 1791 the National Assembly made decapitation the only legal form of capital punishment. But they knew that beheading by axe was an “inexact science” Dr. Antoine Louis designed the prototype, which was originally nicknamed the “Louison” or “Louisette.” It was later named after Dr. Guillotin in “honor” of his lobbying for a humane way to perform executions. WATCH: YouTube Guillotine clip Approx. 40,000 People executed › 85% from poor or working class Even Leaders › Robespierre & Danton executed when public opinion turns against them People tired of skyrocketing prices for bread, salt & other necessities 1795: Moderates in the Nat’l Convention form a THIRD gov’t since 1789 Power in the hands of the Middle Class › Called for a 2 house Legislature & an Executive body of 5 men called The Directory › Some of these 5 were corrupt … despite this France began a period of order A new general was found to lead France’s armies ……… VIDEO: song - "The French Revolution" .
Recommended publications
  • 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]
  • The French Revolution in the French-Algerian War (1954-1962): Historical Analogy and the Limits of French Historical Reason
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 9-2016 The French Revolution in the French-Algerian War (1954-1962): Historical Analogy and the Limits of French Historical Reason Timothy Scott Johnson The Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1424 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] THE FRENCH REVOLUTION IN THE FRENCH-ALGERIAN WAR (1954-1962): HISTORICAL ANALOGY AND THE LIMITS OF FRENCH HISTORICAL REASON By Timothy Scott Johnson A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in History in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2016 © 2016 TIMOTHY SCOTT JOHNSON All Rights Reserved ii The French Revolution in the French-Algerian War (1954-1962): Historical Analogy and the Limits of French Historical Reason by Timothy Scott Johnson This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in History in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Richard Wolin, Distinguished Professor of History, The Graduate Center, CUNY _______________________ _______________________________________________ Date Chair of Examining Committee _______________________
    [Show full text]
  • Wars and Battles of Modern Europe Battle Summaries Are from Harbottle's Dictionary of Battles, Published by Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1904
    WARS AND BATTLES OF MODERN EUROPE BATTLE SUMMARIES ARE FROM HARBOTTLE'S DICTIONARY OF BATTLES, PUBLISHED BY SWAN SONNENSCHEIN & CO., 1904. War of Austrian Succession (1740-48) Seven Year's War (1752-62) French Revolutionary Wars (1785-99) Napoleonic Wars (1801-15) Peninsular War (1808-14) Italian Unification (1848-67) Hungarian Rising (1849) Franco-Mexican War (1862-67) Schleswig-Holstein War (1864) Austro Prussian War (1866) Franco Prussian War (1870-71) Servo-Bulgarian Wars (1885) Balkan Wars (1912-13) Great War (1914-18) WAR OF THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION —1740 TO 1748 Frederick the Great annexes Silesia to his domains in opposition to the claims of Austria 1741 Battle of Molwitz (Austria vs. Prussia) Prussians victory Fought April 8, 1741, between the Prussians, 30,000 strong, under Frederick the Great, and the Austrians, under Marshal Neuperg. Frederick surprised the Austrian general, and, after severe fighting, drove him from his entrenchments, with a loss of about 5,000 killed, wounded and prisoners. The Prussians lost 2,500. 1742 Battle of Czaslau (Austria vs. Prussia) Prussians victory Fought 1742, between the Prussians under Frederic the Great, and the Austrians under Prince Charles of Lorraine. The Prussians were driven from the field, but the Austrians abandoned the pursuit to plunder, and the king, rallying his troops, broke the Austrian main body, and defeated them with a loss of 4,000 men. 1742 Battle of Chotusitz (Austria vs. Prussia) Prussians victory Fought May 17, 1742, between the Austrians under Prince Charles of Lorraine, and the Prussians under Frederick the Great. The numbers were about equal, but the steadiness of the Prussian infantry eventually wore down the Austrians, and they were forced to retreat, though in good order, leaving behind them 18 guns and 12,000 prisoners.
    [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]
  • Timeline (PDF)
    Timeline of the French Revolution 1789 1793 May 5 Estates General convened in Versailles Jan. 21 Execution of Louis XVI (and later, Marie Jun. 17 National Assembly Antoinette on Oct. 16) Jun. 20 Tennis Court Oath Feb. 1 France declares war on British and Dutch (and Jul. 11 Necker dismissed on Spain on Mar. 7) Jul. 13 Bourgeois militias in Paris Mar. 11 Counterrevolution starts in Vendée Jul. 14 Storming of the Bastille in Paris (official start of Apr. 6 Committee of Public Safety formed the French Revolution) Jun. 1-2 Mountain purges Girondins Jul. 16 Necker recalled Jul. 13 Marat assassinated Jul. 20 Great Fear begins in the countryside Jul. 27 Maximilien Robespierre joins CPS Aug. 4 Abolition of feudalism Aug. 10 Festival of Unity and Indivisibility Aug. 26 Declaration of Rights of Man and the Citizen Sept. 5 Terror the order of the day Oct. 5 Adoption of Revolutionary calendar 1791 1794 Jun. 20-21 Flight to Varennes Aug. 27 Declaration of Pillnitz Jun. 8 Festival of the Supreme Being Jul. 27 9 Thermidor: fall of Robespierre 1792 1795 Apr. 20 France declares war on Austria (and provokes Prussian declaration on Jun. 13) Apr. 5/Jul. 22 Treaties of Basel (Prussia and Spain resp.) Sept. 2-6 September massacres in Paris Oct. 5 Vendémiare uprising: “whiff of grapeshot” Sept. 20 Battle of Valmy Oct. 26 Directory established Sept. 21 Convention formally abolishes monarchy Sept. 22 Beginning of Year I (First Republic) 1797 Oct. 17 Treaty of Campoformio Nov. 21 Berlin Decree 1798 1807 Jul. 21 Battle of the Pyramids Aug.
    [Show full text]
  • Dépliant Visite De Valmy (GB)
    Visit of the site THE WINDMILL This present windmill is the fourth since 1792. The first one, which was not situated exactly on this spot, was destroyed on the day of the battle under Kellermann’s orders because it was a target point for the ennemy artillery. It was rebuilt with the reparation money, but at the beginning of the nineteenth century, it was demolished, like all windmills in France because it had become of no use. In 1939, on the 150th anniversary of the battle, a windmill which had been bought in Flanders was re-erected but because of the 2nd world war, it was not inaugurated until the 20th of September 1947. During the bicentenary festival, a huge ferris wheel was set up. As it rotated, it symbolized the long forgotten movement of the slats. It had been designed so that it could rotate on its central axis in order to face the wind. But time passed and damages were caused and the windmill had to be placed upon a concrete base and has often been restaured. The windmill was destroyed by the storm on the 26th december 1999. A new windmill, built in the factory of Villeneuve d’Ascq (North of France), has been especially convoyed up to the site on the 1st of april 2005. It is now possible to see it mowing wheat and producing flour like in 1792. THE BATTLE FIELD Four orientation tables show the position of the troops. The center of the ennemy were positioned on the “ Côte de la Lune ” (200m.
    [Show full text]
  • The FRENCH REVOLUTION
    HISTORY IN THE MAKING The FRENCH REVOLUTION BY Georges Pernoud and Sabine Flaissier ,. PREFACE BY ANDRE MAUROIS THE FRENCH REVOLUTION +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ THE FRENCH REVOLUTION by GEORGES PERNOUD and SABINE FLAISSIER with a preface by ANDRE MAUROIS translated by RICHARD GRAVES FOUNDED 1138 G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS NEW YORK FIRST AMERICAN EDITION, 1961 ©196 0 BY MARTIN SECKER & WARBURG LTD. Allrights reserved. This book, or parts thereoI, must not be reproduced without permission. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 60-13673 MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA /"Ii CONTENTS +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE 7 PREFACE 9 PREFATORY EXPLANATION 15 THE FOURTEENTH OF JULY 17 THE FIFTH AND SIXTH OF OCTOBER 56 THE FLIGHT TO VARENNES 70 THE EMIGRES 108 LA MARSEILLAISE 123 THE TENTH OF AUGUST 126 THE SEPTEMBER MASSACRES 142 VALMY 160 THE MISFORTUNES OF THE ROYAL FAMILY 174 CHARLOTTE CORDAY 222 THE COLLAPSE OF THE EMIGRES 233 THE TERROR 242 THE SOLDIERS OF YEAR II 281 LA VENDEE 298 THERMIDOR 320 SOURCES 342 INDEX 347 CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1789 January Louis XVI summons States General May States General meet at Versailles June States General in future called National Assembly July Fall of the Bastille-National Guard formed with Lafayette as Commandant October The Paris mob march on Versailles. King removed to Paris 1790 September Necker resigns as Chief Minister December King gives assent to Civil Constitution of the Clergy 1791 June The flight to Varennes September­
    [Show full text]
  • Ve Battle; from the Limited War of Frederick the Great to the Unlimited Warfare of Napoleon the First
    THE CITIZEN-SOLDIER, A FACTOR IN THE MAKING OF THE DECISIVE BATTLE; FROM THE LIMITED WAR OF FREDERICK THE GREAT TO THE UNLIMITED WARFARE OF NAPOLEON THE FIRST By Edward Schultz Thesis presented to the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Ottawa as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters in History d Ottawa, Ontario, 1977 4ef»* *<V BIBLIOTHEQUES- vlOVv ~r ^A/BK LIBRARIES * ;C) E. Schultz, Ottawa, Canada, 1977 rSify o< w UMI Number: EC55545 INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI UMI Microform EC55545 Copyright 2011 by ProQuest LLC All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr. B. Villa for his guidance and support and the great amount of time and effort he contributed to the realization of this thesis. SUMMARY Warfare at the close of the eighteenth century underwent a tremendous and exceedingly rapid revolution which only now is beginning to fade. Before that date, war was epitomized by the military struc­ ture and means adopted and perfected by Frederick the Great.
    [Show full text]
  • Divine Right and Popular Sovereignty in the French Revolution
    THE KING AND THE CROWD: DIVINE RIGHT AND POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY IN THE FRENCH REVOLUTION Robert G. Hamerton-Kelly Stanford University We French cannot really think about politics or philosophy or literature without remembering that all this— politics, philoso- phy, literature—began, in the modern world, under the sign of a crime. A crime was committed in France in 1793. They killed a good and entirely likable king who was the incarnation of legitimacy. We cannot not remember that this crime was horrible... When we speak about writing, the accent is on what is necessarily criminal in writing. (Jean-François Lyotard, "Discussion Lyotard-Rorty" 583; quoted in Dunn 165) The condemnation of the king is at the crux of our contemporary history. It symbolizes the secularization of our history and the disincarnation of the Christian God. (Albert Camus, The Rebel 120; quoted in Dunn 140) usan Dunn makes a well-documented case that the death of Louis SXVI was unconsciously understood, especially by the Jacobins, as a human sacrifice that was necessary for the founding of the republic. "Louis must die because the patrie must live," said Robespierre at the king's trial, and the representative Carra considered Louis "the source of corruption and servitude . the fatal talisman of all our ills" whose death would cause the people to be "regenerated in morality and virtue" (Dunn 15-37). The king was a monster and the source of all the ills, and his death 68 Robert G. Hamerton-Kelly had the power to alleviate those ills and regenerate the nation. This image of the king as sacrificial victim persisted throughout the first half of the nineteenth century in French literature and politics, sometimes assimilating itself to the image of Jesus Christ who died for the sins of the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Memoirs of the Prince De Talleyrand
    MEMOIRS OF THE PRINCE DE TALLEYRAND - and The price of this book is 21 net, the terms on which it is supplied to the bookseller do not admit of his deducting any discount, jfff CHARLES MAURICE DE TALLEYRAND-PERIGORD, PRINCE DE BENEVENT. {After F. Gerard.) MEMOIRS OF THE PRINCE DE TALLEYRAND EDITED, WITH A PREFACE AND NOTES, BY THE DUC DE BROGLIE Of the French Academy TRANSLATED BY Mrs. ANGUS HALL VOLUME III WITH A PORTRAIT GRIFFITH FARRAX OKEDEN AND WELSH NEWBERY HOUSE, CHARING CROSS ROAD, LONDON AND SYDNEY 1 89I The Rights of Translation and Reproduction are Reserved. CONTENTS. PART VIIL— Continued. CONGRESS OF VIENNA. 1815. Talleyrand wins over Lord Castlereagh—The Emperor of Russia wishes the King of Saxony to form a kingdom on the left bank of the Rhine— Talleyrand proposes further alliances in case of war — He denies the right of Spain to demand satisfaction for the dismissal of M. Casa Florez—Prussia wishes to absorb the whole of Saxony— Lord Castle- favours her demands— reagh — Bavaria, Hanover and Holland join the Triple Alliance Lord Castlereagh— is brought to see the necessity of preserving a Saxon Kingdom His utter ignorance of military topo- graphy and continental geography—Anecdote of Prince Kaunitz— of — Account the expiatory ceremony of— the 21st January at Vienna All the sovereigns present attend— it The Austrian Emperor's want of confidence in Metternich Talleyrand's reasons for disapproving of the proposed marriage between the Due de Berry and the Arch- duchess Anne of Russia— King Louis's satisfaction at the Duke of
    [Show full text]
  • Testing the Narrative of Prussian Decline: the Rhineland Campaign of 1793
    Selected Papers of the Consortium on the Revolutionary Era (2020). Testing the Narrative of Prussian Decline: The Rhineland Campaign of 1793 Ethan Soefje University of North Texas On 14 October 1806, the Prussian army, long considered Europe’s best, collided with Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte’s Grande Armée at the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt. In these engagements, Prussia suffered one of the worst military disasters in modern history. In a single day, the Prussian army effectively ceased to exist as a fighting force. In the following year, Napoleon forced Prussia to accept a peace that made it little more than a subordinate ally. However, over the next six years, a group of Prussian officers attempted to reform the Prussian army and state at almost every level in order to liberate Prussia from Napoleon’s control. They increased the army’s light infantry, adopted combined arms divisions as well as a new General Staff system, and endeavored to create a national army similar to the French model. While not all of their measures were successful, they produced a powerful modern army that played a leading role in driving Napoleon from Germany in 1813. This story of Prussia’s defeat and subsequent reform has dominated the historiography of Napoleonic Prussia. While Napoleon has received the vast majority of historical attention, those who have written on Prussia have focused on the Prussian reform movement or the Prussian army’s campaigns against Napoleon. Historians such as Peter Paret, Gordon A. Craig, and T. C. W. Blanning all argue for the ineffectiveness of the Prussian army before the reform movement.1 These historians present the Prussian army before 1807 as an ossified relic, a hopelessly backward and rigid army commanded by a series of septuagenarians.2 The complete collapse of the Prussian army in 1806 has colored historians’ understanding of it from the end of the Seven Years War to the Jena campaign.
    [Show full text]
  • University of Florida Thesis Or Dissertation Formatting
    CROSSING BOUNDARY LINES: RELIGION, REVOLUTION, AND NATIONALISM ON THE FRENCH-GERMAN BORDER, 1789-1840 By DAWN LYNN SHEDDEN A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2012 1 © 2012 Dawn Shedden 2 To my husband David, your support has meant everything to me 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS As is true of all dissertations, my work would have been impossible without the help of countless other people on what has been a long road of completion. Most of all, I would like to thank my advisor, Sheryl Kroen, whose infinite patience and wisdom has kept me balanced and whose wonderful advice helped shape this project and keep it on track. In addition, the many helpful comments of all those on my committee, Howard Louthan, Alice Freifeld, Jessica Harland-Jacobs, Jon Sensbach, and Anna Peterson, made my work richer and deeper. Other scholars from outside the University of Florida have also aided me over the years in shaping this work, including Leah Hochman, Melissa Bullard, Lloyd Kramer, Catherine Griggs, Andrew Shennan and Frances Malino. All dissertations are also dependent on the wonderful assistance of countless librarians who help locate obscure sources and welcome distant scholars to their institutions. I thank the librarians at Eckerd College, George A. Smathers libraries at the University of Florida, the Judaica Collection in particular, Fürstlich Waldecksche Hofbibliothek, Wissenschaftliche Stadtsbibliothek Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg Universitätsbibliothek Mainz, Landeshauptarchiv Koblenz, Stadtarchiv Trier, and Bistumsarchiv Trier. The University of Florida, the American Society for Eighteenth- Century Studies, and Pass-A-Grille Beach UCC all provided critical funds to help me research and write this work.
    [Show full text]