French Counter-Revolution

The French Counter-Revolution was a period in the history of France where certain individuals, groups and nations openly opposed the French Revolution.

Causes

During the early stages of the French Revolution many were not content with the status of France. The nations surrounding France had feared that the political ideals of "rights" would invade their own territories and incite rebellion and revolution. During the early stages of the Revolution, the Legislative Assembly was controlled by the Girondists. The Girondists were mostly comprised of members of the Gironde Department whose main activity involved overseeing mercantile activity. As the Revolution was mainly staged by the middle and upperclass individuals of France any message that preached "free rights" was ultimately beneficial for the Girondists as it would allow their businesses to prosper and grow under new economic and social reforms.

Course

On August 27, 1791, the Declaration of Pillnitzs was issued by Leopold II and Frederick William II. Leopold II was the King of Austria and was also the brother of Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France who was the wife of Louis XVI King of France. The declaration was to restore the original monarchs to the throne and declare war on France; by 1792 Britain had also joined the war. By August of 1792, Austrian and Prussian forces had crossed the French border and were heading straight for their destination - Paris. During this time the people could see the end of the Revolution, they felt they needed a fresh change to strengthen their cause so they decided to do away with the Girondists. After the fall of the Girondists the control of the Legislative Assembly now fell to the Jacobins, who were much more radical than the Girondists. Under the leadership of the Jacobins, on September 20, the French managed to push back the Prussian army at a place called Valmy. From the rise of the Jacobins came another political party, the sans-culottes.

The sans-culottes were far more radical than the Jacobins as they preached a much more lower-class socialist message than any other party before them. While the Jacobins were the controlling force of France they still sympathised with the sans-culottes, which led to the creation of the group of Jacobins called The Mountain. As The Mountain and sans-culottes prospered and gained more control over the national convention they felt they needed to do away with monarchism all together so they focused on Louis XVI. On January 21, 1793 Louis XVI was beheaded. In February 1793, the National Convention declared war on Great Britain, afterwards it declared war on Holland and Spain.

See also

*Counter-Revolution

* Counter-Revolution in the Vendée

References

* http://www.aldridgeshs.qld.edu.au/sose/revrespg/french/aolnote1.htm
* http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/REV/RADICAL.HTM