4. War, Revolt and Overthrow of the Monarchy

Question 1

Who supported the war (3 main arguments)?

Answer 1

1. Marie Antoinette - believed that armed force created France’s problems, so only armed force can solve them.
2. Army commanders (eg. Lafayette and Dunouriez) - wanted the authority of the king to strengthen, so that their prestige could increase as generals, so they could dictate their own terms to the King and Assembly.
3. Brissotins - wanted a republic and believed the war would reveal the King’s sympathy (for or against the revolution) and any traitors to the revolution.

Question 2

How did Jacques Brissot obtain a majority for the calling of war?

Answer 2

He waged a campaign in October 1791. The cases for this were:

1. War would rouse enthusiasm for the revolution, and show the permanence of the regime.
2. Revolutionary ideas could be spread abroad.
3. French armies would have the support of their enemies subjects.
4. European powers were unlikely to unite against France - Russia was occupied with Poland, and England would only join if directly threatened.

Question 3

What was the opposition to war?

Answer 3

Politicians (eg. Robespierre) argued that the main threat lay with generals (eg. Lafayette) who still had popular support to mislead the public. He also argued that war would be more complicated than Brissot suggested, because foreign subjects would not rise up in support.
As a result of this, he became an isolated and unpopular figure.

Question 4

Why did Austria and Prussia expect little resistance from the French army (3)?

Answer 4

1. France was considered weak from internal division.
2. The loss of army officers (émigrés) would undermine France’s ability to defend itself.
3. France’s nature of finances would limit the per chase of munitions.

Question 5

Why did the king dismiss the Feuillant ministers in March 1792, and what was the consequence of this?

Answer 5

Austrian threats and Girondin attacks on the ‘Austrian committee’ led to their dismissal.
As a result, Louis appointed a more radical government with some Girondins. The new ministers obeyed the assembly. The government and the assembly now wanted war, and with the new foreign minister being Dumouriez, this was allowed to happen.

Question 6

What did the Austrians and Prussians do after the flight of Varennes?

Answer 6

In 1791, the Austrians and Prussians wanted to support the king by issuing the Declaration of Pillnitz. This was significant, because it appeared to be a threat to France’s internal affairs. However, in reality, there was no threat, because other powers (eg. Britain) wouldn’t join). The assembly didn’t debate it and newspapers ignored it.

Question 7

Who declared war and when?

Answer 7

The French on 20th April 1792, only seven deputies voted against it. The French hoped to fight only Austria, however Prussia declared war in June and took the lead in the campaign under the Commissioner-in-Chief the Duke of Brunswick.

Question 8

What did the Revolutionary war result in?

Answer 8

1. The loss of 1.4 million french people
2. The change in the direction of the revolution
3. It would last 10 years, until the Treaty of Amiens in 1802

Question 9

How did the military crisis influence the overthrow of the monarchy?

Answer 9

Marie Antoinette had sent details of French military plans to the Austrians. This caused tension especially when French forces advanced into the Austrian Netherlands, were faced with determined opposition and were forced to retreat to Lille. This was due to half of France’s 12000 army officers had emigrated and the discipline of the regular army was destroyed by desertion and revolutionary propaganda.

Question 10

How did royal vetoes influence the overthrow of the monarchy?

Answer 10

Louis refused to approve laws passed by the Assembly on 27th May 1792. These laws were to deport refractory priests (who wanted to restore the authority of the Church and monarchy) and to disband the King’s Guard from the provinces. When Roland protested against the king, Louis dismissed him and other Girondin ministers on 19th June.

Question 11

How did the rise of the sans culottes influence the overthrow of the monarchy?

Answer 11

Louis’ weakness, and the strength of the sections, was exploited by the armed demonstration of the leaders of the Paris Sections on 20th June in response to the royal vetoes, and for the anniversary of the Flight to Varennes and the Tennis Court Oath. The assembly recognised the growing importance of the sans culottes.

Question 12

What tension in Paris led to the overthrow of the monarchy(2)?

Answer 12

Fédérés, national guardsmen from the provinces, were militant revolutionaries and republicans. Their patriotism was displayed in their war song, LA MARSEILLE, (sung by the fédérés of Marseille on the March to the capital-with numbers of 5000, calling for the removal of the king). Robespierre, who was cooperating with the central committee of the fédérés, did a speech on 29 July proposing:

1. To abandon the constitution of 1791
2. The overthrow of the monarchy
3. To establish a National Convention replacing the LA.
4. The forced removal of departmental authorities opposing Republic.

The Brunswick manifesto, issued by the commander in chief of the Austrio-Prussian armies on 1st August, had four terms:
1. To ensure the welfare of France, and not to conquer any territory.
2. To restore the liberty of Louis and family
3. Make it paris’ responsibility to look after the king
4. If the Tuileries palace was attacked, then the joint A-P army would inflict ‘an exemplary vengeance’ on the city.
Frenchmen were infuriated with this intervention, with many royalists turning against the king. On 3rd August, the mayor of Paris went to the LA and demanded the abolition of the monarchy on behalf of 47/48 sections. The assembly refused, and this convinced many that a rising was necessary.

Question 13

How did the attack on the Tuileries have an effect on the abolition of the monarchy?

Answer 13

On 9th August, the sans culottes set up a revolutionary commune in the Hôtel de Ville, expelling the city council. Hébert was amongst its leaders, who had links with the sections and the fédérés. On 10th August 1792, several thousand men from the National Guard (who were now open to passive citizens) and 2000 fédérés marched on the Tuilleries. The palace was defended by 3000 troops (2000 of whom were the National Guard). The King sought refuge for his family in the Assembly. The National Guardsmen defending the Tuileries joined the crowd and entered the courtyards. The Swiss (defending the palace) were told to cease fire. This meant that 600 Swiss were massacred, 90 fédérés, and 300 Parisians were killed. The rebels invaded the Assembly and forced it to recognise the new revolutionary commune. The deputies had to hand the king to the commune, who imprisoned him in the Temple. They also agreed to an election of a National Convention that was to draw up a new, democratic constitution. In Paris, the commune was in charge, but the rest of france only recognised the Assembly’s authority.

Question 14

Who was in charge after the overthrow of the monarchy?

Answer 14

The Girondins were in charge after the Constitutional Monarchists went into hiding. They then appointed new ministers (including Danton to please the sans culottes).

Question 15

What did the Assembly do before the National Convention replaced it?

Answer 15

Passed several radical measures:
Refractory priests who were still in France were deported to the French colony of Guiana.
Abolition, without compensation, of all feudal rights (unless title deeds brought up specific rights). This was an attempt to win over the peasantry who didn’t support the overthrow of the monarchy.
House to house searches for suspects and arms.
Divorse was legalised. Registration for births, deaths and marriages were made a state responsibility rather than a church one.

Question 16

What was the final straw for the proclamation of a republic?

Answer 16

It was up to the national convention (whose first meeting was on 20 September 1792) to decide whether to depose the king. After the journee of 10 August, Louis was suspended from exercising his powers and it was found (in the armoire de fer) that Louis had maintained links with France’s enemies, therefore betraying the nation. Therefore, a republic was proclaimed in 21-22 September 1792.

Question 17

Where did power lie in the national convention?

Answer 17

All over 21 could vote, so it was more representative than the legislative assembly. Any with royalist sympathies were disenfranchised (couldn’t vote), so all 24 members for paris were Jacobins, republicans or supporters for the commune. Among the deputies in the Convention, 180 were Girondins, 300 were Jacobins and 250 were The Plain.

Question 18

What were the main differences between girondins and Montagnards?

Answer 18

Girondins wanted a free market dependant on wages and prices, but Montagnards wanted tight control over wages and prices with a ‘maximum’. The girondins favoured federalism and wanted more power to the provinces, but Montagnards wanted central government control from Paris. The girondins were committed to winning the war, but the Montagnards were willing to make greater concessions to ordinary people.

Question 19

What was the debate over the trial of the King?

Answer 19

The sans culottes wanted the king trailed, because he was held responsibility for the bloodshed in the journee of 10 August. The Jacobins relied on the sans culottes, so they wanted the king trialled. The girondins attempted to save the king’s life by requesting a referendum, this was rejected and the king was trailed.

Question 20

What two factors sealed the fate of the king?

Answer 20

1. The incriminating royal correspondence between Louis and the Austrian royal family was examined by a special commission.
2. Marat proposed the decision should be reached by appel nominal to identify ‘traitors in this Assembly’. None voted for the King’s innocence.

In terms of sentence, 387 voted for the death penalty and 288 for imprisonment. This showed there were sell moderates in the assembly refusing to support the death of the king.

Question 21

When was the King executed and what resulted in this?

Answer 21

On 21st January 1793.
Securing the execution of the king was the first jacobin victory over the girondins.although half of the girondins had supported the death penalty, they were regarded as royalists and counter-revolutionaries by the Montagnards and therefore the Montagnards had gained an ascendancy in the assembly.

Question 22

What happened following the vulnerability of Verdun, the last standing fortress on the road to Paris, to Prussia?

Answer 22

There was growing concern of the overcrowded prisons , which contained counter revolutionary suspects, including priests and nobles. There were rumours that they were plotting to escape, kill the helpless population and hand the city over to the Prussians. Marat, a powerful figure in the commune, called for the killing of the conspirators. This started on the 2 September 1792 and lasted for five days, being the first appearance of the Terror. About half of the paris jails were murdered, a quarter of them priests and the rest common criminals. The killers were predominantly sans culottes and the commune made no attempt to stop them, as they could have a repeat of the champs de Mars incident. From now on, moderates and foreign opinions regarded the Montagnards and sans culottes as blood thirsty.

Question 23

How did the fortunes of war bring the first phase of the terror to an end?

Answer 23

On 20 September 1792, the battle of Valmy was the defeat of 34,000 Prussians against 52,000 french troops. This was very significant, because if the Prussians had won, they would have ended the revolution.
By the decree of 11th July 1792, the new forces were very efficient, being supplemented by national guardsmen and volunteers.

Question 24

When did France attempt to extend their territory to their natural frontiers, and how did they do this?

Answer 24

By passing a decree in January 1793 which claimed the Rhine, the Alps and the Pyrenees. They would be claimed by annexing the territory, which was contrary to the policy laid down by the Assembly on May 1790, which said that the aim of making conquest was renounced. On 19th November 1792, the Convention passed the decree of fraternity, which supported anyone who wished to regain their liberty. Brissot wanted the revolution to spread through Europe, so that the Republic was safe. Savoy and Nice were the first territories to be added to the Republic, a revolutionary administration was set up and french armies had to be paid for by the population.

Question 25

Why was a war of the first coalition declared and when?

Answer 25

The convention posed a threat to European monarchs with the decree of fraternity. Britain was concerned with the threat they posed to their trading ports in the Austrian Netherlands. The convention declared war on Britain and the Netherlands on 1st February 1793. When Spain expelled the French envoy, and were perceived as being anti-French, France declared war on them in March. With the exception of Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden, France was with war with most of Europe. Between March and September 1793, the first coalition against France was slowly set up by england.

Question 26

How was the Girondin position in the convention further weakened?

Answer 26

The campaign in 1793 started badly for the French after the defeat against the Netherlands and after Dumouriez was defeated by the Austrians. Following this defeat, Dumouriez plotted to overthrow the Convention with the Austrians. This prompted suspicion against the army commanders, which impacted on the Girondins, because they had enthusiastically backed Dumouriez.

Question 27

What was the role of Carnot in the war of 1793?

Answer 27

He was first sent to Bayonne, in the south, to organise the defence of the area against the Spanish. In the summer of 1793, he joined the Committee of Public Safety and studied military problems against the Republic. When Austrian forces besieged Maubeugne, Carnot suggested measures which allowed their defeat at the Battle of Wattignies on 16th October 1793.

Question 28

What was the result of the expansion of war and introduction of conscription?

Answer 28

The Vendee Rebellion: the government ordered the conscription of 300,000 troops in February, which triggered a massive uprising on 11th March 1793. Long term effects also was a contributing factor; the population were paying more tax than they had under the ancien regime, the civil constitution of the clergy had caused hostility as it was a deeply Catholic area and many non juring priests were there and the sale of the church lands were unpopular because they were bought by the bourgeoisie of the towns who often raised rent. New local officials, constitutional priests and National Guards were massacred, so 30,000 were taken away from the front to deal with them. However no serious threat was posed, as they were ill disciplined.

Question 29

What economic issues followed the war?

Answer 29

To pay for the war, more assignats were printed, which lowered the value of those already in circulation by 50% in February 1793. Bread was scarce, because farmers didn’t want to save paper money. This resulted in food riots against grain stores and demands from the sans culottes for price controls.

Question 30

What blunder saved France from disaster from the first coalition?

Answer 30

The allies didn’t coordinate themselves; Britain wanted to capture Dunkirk, so turned West, but Austria turned East. This meant the allied army broke in two which saved France.