CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
FEUDALISM AND THE MONARCHY.
PAGE
The Monarchy in France 1
Social condition of France 3
Feudal rights 4
Condition of the Church 6
Government and administration 7
The privileged classes 8
Taxation 9
Condition of the People 11
Interference with trade 13
Public opinion in France 13
Voltaire and his followers 13
The Encyclopædists 14
The Church and Christian Theology attacked 15
The Economists 16
Rousseau 16
CHAPTER II.
FRANCE UNDER LOUIS XVI., 1774–1789.
The Ministry of Turgot 18
Opposition raised to his reforms 19
Character of Louis XVI. 19
Character of Marie Antoinette 20
1776. Dismissal of Turgot 21
Movement of Reform extends over Europe 21
Condition of England 23
Pitt in Office 24
Reaction after Turgot’s dismissal 25
Ministry of Necker 25
Necker opposed by the Parliaments 25
1781. He resigns office 26
Desire for political liberty 26
1776. American Declaration of Independence 26
1783. Ministry of Calonne 27
1787. The Assembly of Notables 27
Ministry of Brienne 27
General disaffection 28
1788. Second Ministry of Necker, and calling of the States General 29
Pamphlets and Cahiers 29
Siéyès’ Pamphlet—What is the Third Estate? 30
Double Representation of the Third Estate 31
CHAPTER III.
THE ASSEMBLY AT VERSAILLES, 1789.
May 5, 1789. Meeting of the States General 33
Relation of the King to the Revolution 33
Question whether the States were to sit as one or as three chambers left undecided 33
Evil consequences of the Royal policy 34
Character and policy of Mirabeau 35
Title of National Assembly adopted by the Third Estate 37
Excitement and disorder in Paris 38
Louis takes part with the Upper Orders 39
June 20. Tennis Court Oath 40
Royal Sitting of June 23 40
The States constituted as one Chamber 41
July 14. The fall of the Bastille 43
Establishment of a Municipality and of a National Guard in Paris 46
Visit of Louis to the Capital 47
Risings in the Provinces 48
Decrees of August 4 49
Composition of the Assembly 51
The Reactionary Right 51
The Right Centre 52
The Centre and Left 52
The Extreme Left 53
Causes giving ascendency to the Left 54
Policy of Mirabeau 56
Declaration of the Rights of Man 58
New Constitution; Legislature to be formed of one House; Veto given to the King 58
Scarcity of Bread 59
Character of the National Guard of Paris 60
October 6. The King and Queen brought to Paris 60
CHAPTER IV.
THE CONSTITUTION, 1789–1791.
Results of the Movement of October 6 63
The Jacobins 64
The Constitution; Administrative Changes; Establishment of 44,000 Municipalities 65
Judicial Reforms 66
Increase of the State debt 67
Church Property appropriated by the State 67
Creation of Assignats 68
Civil Constitution of the Clergy 69
Feast of the Federation 69
Emigration of the nobles 70
Embitterment of the Relations between nobles and peasants 71
Weakness of the Central Government 72
Mutinies in the Army 73
Imposition of an Oath on the Clergy; Schism in the Church 74
The Constitution decried by the Ultra-Democrats 76
Brissot 76
Desmoulins 77
Marat 78
Sources of influence exercised by the Ultra-Democrats 79
Influence exercised by Jacobin Clubs 80
September 1790. Resignation of Necker 81
The Commune of Paris; Composition of its Municipality 81
Mirabeau’s policy; his Death, April 2, 1791 84
Position of the Constitutionalists 85
CHAPTER V.
THE FALL OF THE MONARCHY, 1791–1792.
Unpopularity of Marie Antoinette 87
June 20, 1791. Flight of the Royal Family 88
Ultra-Democrats seek the Establishment of a Republic 91
July 17. Massacre of the Champ de Mars 91
Attempt to revise the Constitution 93
The work of the National Assembly; legal and financial reforms 93
Creation of Assignats of small value 94
Plans of the Queen 94
Policy of territorial aggrandisement pursued by the Great Powers 96
Austria and Russia at war with Turkey 97
Death of Joseph II. 97
Treaty of Reichenbach 97
Declaration of Pilnitz 98
Designs of Catherine II. on Poland 98
Leopold II. unwilling to engage in war with France 98
The new Legislative Assembly; its composition 99
Policy of the Girondists 100
Ecclesiastical policy of the Legislature 101
Emigrants encouraged by Princes of the Empire 101
Growth of a warlike spirit in the Assembly 102
The French Revolution is more than a National movement 104
Commencement of war with Austria and Prussia 105
The Jacobins embody a spirit of suspicion 106
Robespierre’s character 107
Administrative anarchy 109
Troubles at Avignon 110
The Girondists hope for the best 111
Lafayette denounces the Jacobins 112
The mob invades the Tuileries on June 20 113
The Country declared in danger; Manifesto of the Duke of Brunswick 114
Preparations made for an insurrection 115
Insurrection of August 10; Suspension of the King 117
CHAPTER VI.
THE FALL OF THE GIRONDISTS, 1792–1793.
Formation of the new Commune of Paris 119
The September massacres 121
The defence of the Argonnes 123
The meeting of the Convention, and the abolition of Monarchy 124
The Girondists and the Mountain 125
Weakness of the Centre 128
Re-election of the Commune 129
Conquest of Savoy, Mainz, and Belgium 130
Question of the annexation of Belgium 131
The Opening of the Scheldt, and the order to the Generals to proclaim the Sovereignty of the People 134
Objects of the Allies 135
Pitt’s ministry in England 136
Views taken of the French Revolution in England 137
Trial and Execution of Louis XVI. 139
War with England; the French expelled from Belgium 141
Establishment of the Revolutionary Court; Defeat of Neerwinden 143
Party strife in the Convention 144
Establishment of the Committee of Public Safety 145
Deputies in mission 146
Laws against Emigrants and Nonjurors 147
Policy of the Mountain 148
The economical situation 149
Popular remedies opposed by the Girondists 151
The Commune leads a movement against the Girondists 153
Expulsion of the leading Girondists 155
CHAPTER VII.
THE COMMUNE AND THE TERROR, 1793.
State of public feeling 156
Girondist and Royalist movements; Resistance in Lyons and Toulon 157
General submission to the Convention 158
War in La Vendée 159
Successes of the Vendeans 160
Successes of the Allies 161
Coolness between Austria and Prussia 162
Assassination of Marat 163
Sanguinary tendencies of the Government 165
Growing strength of the Committee of Public Safety 166
Power of the Commune 167
Views of Hébert and Chaumette 168
Introduction of the conscription 170
Maximum laws 171
Laws against speculation 172
Depression of trade and agriculture 173
Law of ‘Suspected Persons’ 175
Increased activity of the Revolutionary Court 176
Execution of the Queen and the Girondists 177
Worship of Reason 178
Introduction of the Revolutionary calendar 180
Surrender of Lyons 181
Destruction of the Vendean army 182
The Terror in the Departments 183
The Terrorists a small minority 186
CHAPTER VIII.
THE FALL OF THE HÉBERTISTS AND DANTONISTS, 1793–1794.
Condition of the Army 188
Carnot’s military reforms 189
Campaign in Belgium and the Rhine; Victories of Hondschoote and Wattignies 191
The Allies expelled from Alsace by Hoche and Pichegru 192
Legislation of the Convention 193
Cambon’s financial measures 195
Growing feeling against the Commune 196
Robespierre attacks the Hébertists 197
The Old Cordelier 199
The Hébertists attack the Dantonists 200
Robespierre’s influence over the Jacobins 201
Robespierre abandons the Dantonists 202
Execution of the Hébertists and Dantonists 204
CHAPTER IX.
THE FALL OF ROBESPIERRE, 1794.
Despotism of the Committee of Public Safety 204
Aims of Robespierre 205
Aims of St. Just 206
Financial object of the continuation of the Terror 207
The Terror systematised 208
Renewal of the War in La Vendée 209
Treaty of the Hague between England and Prussia 209
Insurrection in Poland 210
Differences between England and Prussia 211
The Allied Forces driven from Belgium 212
Worship of the Supreme Being instituted by Robespierre 214
Increased activity of the Revolutionary Court 215
Position of Robespierre 216
Discords break out within the Committee of Public Safety 217
Insurrection of Thermidor 219
Execution of the Robespierrists 220
CHAPTER X.
FALL OF THE MONTAGNARDS, 1794–1795.
Reactionary Movement in Paris and in the Departments 221
Parties in the Convention 222
Readmission of the expelled Girondist Deputies to the Convention 223
Repeal of Maximum Laws, and suffering in Paris 225
Insurrection of Germinal 12 226
Reaction in Paris, and in the Departments 227
The public exercise of all forms of worship permitted by the Convention 228
The White Terror 229
Insurrection of Prairial 1 230
Proscription of Montagnards 231
CHAPTER XI.
THE TREATY OF BASEL AND THE CONSTITUTION OF 1795.
Conquest of Holland by Pichegru 232
Foreign policy of the Convention 233
Foreign policy of Thugut 235
Foreign policy of Catherine II.; Alliances between Russia and Austria 236
English foreign policy; Successes at Sea, and conquest of French Colonies 237
Prussian foreign policy; Peace made at Basel between Prussia and France 238
Position of Spanish Government; Treaty of Peace between France and Spain 240
War in the West; Hoche appointed Commander-in-Chief 242
Expedition of Emigrants to Quiberon 243
Position of the Convention; its unpopularity 245
Death of the Dauphin 245
The Convention sanctions the use of Churches for Catholic worship 246
Position of the Clergy; Parties amongst them 247
The Convention frames the Constitution of 1795 248
Special Laws passed to maintain the Republican Party in Power 249
Insurrection of Vendémiaire 13 suppressed by Napoleon Bonaparte 250
Law of Brumaire 3, excluding relations of Emigrants from Office 250
The Five Directors; Position of the New Government 251
INDEX 255

MAPS.

Europe in 1789 To face title page
Map of France in Provinces 9
Revolutionary Paris 43
Map of France in Departments 65
Map of Belgium 132
Map of the Rhine 190
Map of Quiberon 241

REVOLUTIONARY CALENDAR.

Vendémiaire Sept. Oct.
Brumaire Oct. Nov.
Frimaire Nov. Dec.
Nivose Dec. Jan.
Pluviose Jan. Feb.
Ventose Feb. March
Germinal Mar. April
Floréal April May
Prairial May June
Messidor June July
Thermidor July Aug.
Fructidor Aug. Sept.