How did France become a
republic?
September 1791 – August 1792
1. What was the Declaration of Pillnitz of 27 August 1791?
How was it an instance of the growing threat of foreign
intervention that would influence the course of the
Revolution?
1. What was the Declaration of Pillnitz of 27 August 1791?
How was it an instance of the growing threat of foreign
intervention that would influence the course of the
Revolution?
Answer:
“Disturbed by the imprisonment of the royal family
after the Flight to Varennes, however, he [Austrian
Emperor Leopold II] demanded their safety…
warned that European monarchies might restore
Louis’ authority.”
Understood by the Revolutionaries as a declaration
of intent to make war on France.
2. How were Leopold and
Marie-Antoinette related?
2. How were Leopold and
Marie-Antoinette related?
Answer: Siblings
3. The Legislative Assembly, which first sat on
October 1, 1791, was divided between members
of the Feuillants Club on the one hand (like
Lafayette) and Brissotins/ Rolandists/ Girondins.
What was the basic difference between these
two groups in terms of their attitude to the
Revolution?
3. The Legislative Assembly, which first sat on October 1, 1791, was
divided between members of the Feuillants Club on the one hand (like
Lafayette) and Brissotins/ Rolandists/ Girondins. What was the basic
difference between these two groups in terms of their attitude to the
Revolution?
Answer:
Feuillants Club: Constitutional monarchists who
believed the Revolution had gone far enough.
Brissotins/ Rolandists/ Girondins: More radical and
ardent proponents of the Revolution. Republicans
or, at least, concerned about the extent of power
the King retained under the new constitution.
4. How did the ongoing tensions with
the clergy cause the Revolution to
become more extreme.
4. How did the ongoing tensions with
the clergy cause the Revolution to
become more extreme.
Answer:
Refractory priests who refused to swear an oath
of loyalty to the nation were declared suspect,
subject to police surveillance and/or deported.
A precedent of harsh methods against dissidents
was established.
5. How did the emigration of counterrevolutionary nobles lead to the
radicalisation of the Revolution?
5. How did the emigration of counterrevolutionary nobles lead to the
radicalisation of the Revolution?
Answer:
- 6000 army officers had fled France by late 1791
- Émigré nobles joined the armies of the countries they fled to.
- They also lobbied for foreign intervention to halt the Revolution (the
Declaration of Pillnitz was partly a reaction to such pressure).
- Émigrés did not accept an offer of amnesty: it was clear they were
implacably opposed to the Revolution.
- The Assembly was faced with a fundamental threat to the Revolution.
Brissot and the Brissotins proposed: confiscation of property; war
against countries harbouring emigres; the death penalty for nobles
who did not return by January 1, 1792.
The counter-revolutionary threat lead the Revolution to adopt
increasingly harsh, violent and totalitarian measures.
6. How did the King prevent the harsh laws designed
to stamp out counter-revolution? How did this
approach feed in to the radicalisation of the
Revolution?
6. How did the King prevent the harsh laws designed
to stamp out counter-revolution? How did this
approach feed in to the radicalisation of the
Revolution?
Answer:
- Louis used the suspensive veto granted him by the
Constitution.
- Louis, who had of course already tried to flee the
country, appeared to be blocking emergency measures
necessary to sustain the Revolution. In other words, he
appeared to be on the side of the counterrevolutionaries.
- The extent of the King’s power under the Constitution
of 1791 was made apparent, inspiring republican
feeling.
7a. What were the series of events
that led to the outbreak of war in April
1792?
7a. What were the series of events
that led to the outbreak of war in April
1792?
Answer:
- 14 December 1791: ultimatum to German princes harbouring
emigres.
- 21 December 1791: outraged Austrian emperor promises to
defend German princes against France
- Legislative Assembly cancelled Austrian-French peace treaties,
instructed Austria to renounce hostile treaties or face war
- February 1792: Austria signs military alliance with Prussia against
France
- March 1792: pro-war Brissotin ministry sworn in
- Only seven deputies in the Legislative Assembly voted against the
declaration of war. Robespierre was opposed to war but had
excluded himself from the Legislative Assembly (presumably, on his
Republican principles?).
- 20 April 1792: Louis declares war.
7b. What were the major reasons why
the revolutionaries, led by the
Brissotins, rallied for war?
7b. What were the major reasons why
the revolutionaries, led by the
Brissotins, rallied for war?
Answer:
- Response to the émigré threat
- Spread the Revolution to oppressed people
throughout Europe: ideal of universal rights;
outflank foreign monarchs without any real
popular support
- Use appeal to patriotic feeling to recover
revolutionary unity
8. How did the war lead to further
radicalisation of the Revolution?
8. How did the war lead to further
radicalisation of the Revolution?
Answer:
- By May 1792, the French had experienced a number
of defeats and fear of foreign invasion was high.
- Suspicion that the King was sympathetic to the
invaders and supporting them was high.
- Foreigners in Paris were placed under political
surveillance.
- King’s use of veto, particularly against disbanding his
bodyguard and bringing 20,000 National Guard to
Paris, further placed him under suspicion.
- Brissotin ministry dismissed, Lafayette cracks down on
radical Parisian clubs, suspected of planning coup
9. On 20 June 1792, the Parisian popular
movement in association with the radical
Cordeliers Club, organised a mass protest. What
were their objectives and methods?
9. On 20 June 1792, the Parisian popular
movement in association with the radical
Cordeliers Club, organised a mass protest. What
were their objectives and methods?
Answer:
- Objectives: removal of active/ passive
distinction; defense of the revolution from its
enemies (eg Lafayette); opening of National
Guard to anybody with a pike
- Methods: marched on the Legislative Assembly;
sang bloodthirsty songs; paraded a calf’s heart
impaled on a pike, labelled ‘The Heart of an
Aristocrat’.
10. How did the Duke of Brunswick’s
manifesto (25 July 1792) escalate the
situation?
10. How did the Duke of Brunswick’s
manifesto (25 July 1792) escalate the
situation?
Answer:
- Commander of the Austrian-Prussian army, the
Duke of Brunswick, declared the population of
Paris personally responsible for the safety of the
royal family. “If the family were harmed, Austrian
troops would subject the entire city to ‘military
execution’, meaning destruction.” (Adcock 2009:
147)
- Provoked outrage and anger against the King
11. How was the monarchy
overthrown on 10 August 1792?
11. How was the monarchy
overthrown on 10 August 1792?
Answer:
- The 48 local councils of Paris had formed one body first known as the
Paris Commune and then as the Insurrectionary Commune.
- 20,000 people marched on the Tuileries Palace, which was defended by
900 Swiss guards, 700 royalist volunteers and 2000 National Guards.
- The National Guards joined the demonstrators but the Swiss guards
refused to acquiesce and fired on the crowd.
- Crowd surged into the palace: 800 Swiss guard killed, many in cold blood
- Demanded universal male suffrage and that the King be handed over to
the people.
- Legislative Assembly suspended the King; imposed all laws held up by
royal veto; facilitated creation of National Convention elected on
universal male suffrage.