"Memorandum to Her Majesty the Queen Concerning the Diamond Necklace Affair" (1786)
Controversy surrounding the Queen reached a fever pitch in 1785–86 in what was known as the "diamond–necklace affair." A court schemer, Jeanne de la Motte, wove a complex web of intrigue, in which she convinced Cardinal Louis de Rohan—an aristocrat from a long–standing noble family who was determined to become the Queen’s lover—to purchase for Marie Antoinette an elaborate jewel necklace (made by two highly reputed jewelers) on which she had supposedly set her sights. In reality, the Queen had no knowledge of either the jewel or Rohan’s purchase, and de la Motte was able to make off with both Rohan’s money and the necklace. When the scheme came to light several months later, the cardinal was arrested along with de la Motte; during the ensuing trial, numerous pamphlets were published speculating on and mocking the Queen’s potential involvement in the intrigue, further damaging her reputation. This pamphlet, supposedly from the jewelers, describes their difficulties in obtaining payment from Rohan and asking the Queen herself to intervene.
"Mémoire rémis à S. M. La Reine," in Anonymous, <i>Réceuil de pièces authentiques et intéressants, pour servir d'éclaircissement à l'affaire concernant le cardinal prince de Rohan </i>(1786)..
1786
https://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/263/
263
"Petition of the Jews of Paris, Alsace and Lorraine to the National Assembly" (28 January 1790)
When the Jews of Paris and the eastern provinces presented their case to the National Assembly, they leaned heavily on the precedent of granting full rights to the Protestants and on the language of human rights philosophy. They insisted that the Jews should be treated no differently from anyone else and refuted one by one all the customary prejudicial arguments used against the Jews, such as their reliance on making loans with interest (usury). Their petition shows the power of the language of rights; "All men of whatever religion . . . should all equally have the title and the rights of citizen." Despite the pleas of the Jews, the assembly held off on granting them full political rights until September 1791.
The materials listed below appeared originally in <i>The French Revolution and Human Rights: A Brief Documentary History, </i>translated, edited, and with an introduction by Lynn Hunt (Boston/New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1996), 93–97.
January 28, 1790
https://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/286/
286
"Petition of Women of the Third Estate to the King" (1 January 1789)
Little is known about women’s grievances or feelings in the months leading up to the meeting of the Estates–General. They did not have the right to meet as a group, draft grievances, or vote (except in isolated individual instances) in the preparatory elections. Nevertheless, some women did put their thoughts to paper, and though little evidence exists about the circumstances or the identities of those involved, the few documents offering their views bear witness to their concerns in this time of ferment. In this document working women addressed the King in respectful terms and carefully insisted that they did not wish to overturn men’s authority; they simply wanted the education and enlightenment that would make them better workers, better wives, and better mothers. The petitioners expressed their deep apprehensions about prostitution and the fear that they would be confused with them; like prostitutes, working women did not stay at home but necessarily entered the public sphere to make their livings. Most of all, however, the women wanted to be heard; they saw the opening created by the convocation of the Estates–General and hoped to make their own claims for inclusion in the promised reforms.
The materials listed below appeared originally in <i>The French Revolution and Human Rights: A Brief Documentary History, </i>translated, edited, and with an introduction by Lynn Hunt (Bedford/St. Martin's: Boston/New York), 1996, 60–63.
January 1, 1789
https://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/472/
472
"Terror Is the Order of the Day"
Responding to pressure from the sections, the Convention voted on 5 September 1793, to declare that "Terror is the Order of the Day," meaning that the government, through internal "revolutionary armies" that were formed two days later,should and would use force against its own citizens to ensure compliance with its laws, including the law of the Maximum.
<i>Réimpression de l'ancien Moniteur</i>, 32 vols. (Paris: Imprimerie nationale, 1858-63), 17:580-83, 586, 591.
September 5, 1793
https://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/416/
416
"The Declaration of Pillnitz"
In response to the "Padua Circular," King Louis’s brother, the Count of Artois, a leader of the<i> émigré </i>nobles, expressed his support for Emperor Leopold II of Austria. Leopold, in conjunction with Prussian King Frederick–William III, then issued this "Declaration of Pillnitz"; the "resolution to act quickly" was perceived as a declaration of war on France for the purpose of ending the Revolution, even though neither Austria nor Prussia was displeased by French weakness.
George F. de Martens, <i>Recueil des traites</i>, 2d ed., vol. 5 (Gottingue, 1917), 260. Translated by <i>Exploring the French Revolution </i>project staff from original documents in French found in J.M. Roberts, <i>French Revolution Documents</i>, vol. 1 (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1966), 439.
August 27, 1791
https://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/421/
421
"The Exorcism": Ridding France of the Devil Napoleon
The seal in the foreground, with its fleur–de–lys, indicates a return to royalism after France’s liberation from Napoleon. In addition, the secularism associated with the Revolution is countered with the image’s reference to the religious practice of exorcism.
Hoffmann
<span>Bibliothèque Nationale de France</span>
Public Domain
http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/166/|Collection de Vinck. <em>Un siècle d'histoire de France par l'estampe, 1770-1870</em>. Vol. 73 (pièces 9503-9634), Restauration et Cent-Jours
JPEG
German
166
"The Great Heroism of the Nineteenth Century"
As in other caricatures, foreigners tried to humiliate Napoleon, once again using mice to represent those who would now attend him.
Cornell Nap.51
http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/171/
171
"The Great Man"
German cartoonists tried to reduce Napoleon down to size, in this case, the size of mice! Here the mice serve as courtiers.
None Identified
<span>Bibliothèque Nationale de France</span>
Public Domain
http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/169/|Collection de Vinck. <em>Un siècle d'histoire de France par l'estampe, 1770-1870</em>. Vol. 75 (pièces 9730-9816), Restauration et Cent-Jours
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French
169
"The King of the Third Estate" (June 1789)
The King’s decision to accept the idea of a "National Assembly" and to order the deputies of all three orders to debate and vote as a single body met with sharp opposition within the royal entourage, especially among the aristocratic faction close to the Queen. In this passage, one of these hard–liners, the Countess d’Adhémar, expresses contempt for the idea of allowing any significant role for the Third Estate in the government. She seems here almost to pity the King for his unwillingness to preserve the traditional prerogatives of the crown and the higher–ranking nobility.
Comtesse d'Adhémar [E. L. Lamothe-Langon], <i>Souvenirs sur Marie-Antoinette, archduchess d'Autriche, reine de France et sur la cour de Versailles</i>, 4 vols. (Paris: L. Mame, 1836), 4:156–57.
June 1789
https://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/308/
308
"The Little Cartesian Devil": German Peasants Capturing the Little Devil Napoleon
The reversal of circumstances that German cartoonists emphasized seemed generally to exercise considerable sway over this use of symbols. Here, Napoleon, who strode so large over Europe, is bottled and examined. Obsessed with his small stature, Napoleon might have been particularly displeased with this image.
None Identified
<span>Bibliothèque Nationale de France</span>
Public Domain
http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/167/|<span>Collection de Vinck. <em>Un siècle d'histoire de France par l'estampe, 1770-1870</em>. Vol. 66 (pièces 8672-8801), Directoire, Consulat et Empire</span>
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German
167