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French Revolution - A fabulous archive detailing the Second French Revolution, with significant battle content and mentioning all of the major players

An outstanding French archive offering eyewitness accounts of the major events of the second French Revolution.This archive contains thirty pieces, thirteen of which are letters dealing directly with the Revolution.Charles X precipitated events with the publication of three ordinances on July 26, 1830; these dissolved the chamber, virtually abolished freedom of the press, and modified electoral laws in such a way as to reduce the voting population to about 25,000 people, almost all landed proprietors. The people would have none of this. Printers' strikes and journalists' protests broke out, followed by armed demonstrations; barricades were erected all over Paris. The Marquis de Lafayette, who played so important a role in the American revolution, triumphed here as well. He called up, and took control of, the National Guard. After three days of fighting (known as les trois glorieuses July 27-29), the insurrection triumphed. Charles X was forced to abdicate in favor of his grandson the duc de Bordeaux (comte de Chambord). However, the duc d'Orleans was hailed as the citizen king, and took over the reigns of government. This archive, written in French, gives an amazing overview of these events as they occurred.


A letter dated Paris July 26, 1830, the day before fighting broke out, states "this morning's gazette... the charter... the Chambers... the freedom of the Press and change of the electoral law... will react after several days, but no one will have much faith in them. Yesterday the deputies... hours of convocation... the abyss of revolution... " Paris, July 28, 1830, "last night there was a bit of movement in Paris, almost all the shops closed, the light extinguished. The crowd... resist the police... they fired upon the troops... there are several regiments stationed in different places... this morning, some persons tried to reorganize the national guard, and those reassembled continued to regroup and disarm the police... I am told but cannot be certain whether a front regiment has refused to fire and sided with the crowd... One supposes that this agitation cannot last."

A letter dated July 29, 1830 informs that "a very lively engagement has taken place in the streets and squares of Paris beginning yesterday at noon until 6 a.m., this morning... the troops were stopped everywhere by barricades that had been built. This morning at 10, almost all streets and boulevards were covered by barricades, a group of soldiers withdrew while the others no longer fought... two line regiments... declared that they were no longer willing to fight and went to place themselves... under the command of General Gerard. The Louvre and Tuileries [palace] are taken, the royal guard has withdrawn, and fighting has ceased. General Lafayette has taken, along with General Gerard, command of the National Guard. The Deputies have appointed Perier, Laffitte, Odier, Gerard [and] Loban to head the Paris municipal government."

A letter from Paris on July 30 gives more information. "All is calm in Paris, the national guard is reorganizing... King Charles and the Dauphin [eldest son of the king of France] came... with two or three thousand men but no longer was able to do anything, as the guard refused to fight the people... one fought on the 28th and 29th, one has dislodged all the Swiss... national guard under the command of Lafayette... "

August 1st, 1830 has life returning to normal for Parisians "people have undone the barricades... acceptance of the Duke of Orleans as the lieutenant of the kingdom has calmed everyone... the Chambers will assemble... to proclaim the Duke of Orleans king... this terrible and sudden revolution... astounding event... Charles X and his entire court left St. Cloud yesterday... almost the entire guard has abandoned their arms."

August 2, gives a hint of some remaining turmoil "a powerful segment wanted a Republic, it has been quite difficult to set aside these notions... there is at present a segment which desires a Regency, but it appears to be impossible... order is being reestablished in Paris, no massacre, no plunder has tarnished the triumph."

Another letter of August 2 continues to provide post-Revolutionary information. "I hope that his [Duke of Orleans] designation to royalty will experience no difficulty... this morning he appointed commissions of a provisional nature to head the ministries, fill the posts of prefect and police which had contributed a good deal to the revolution... court of Charles X has reached Normandy... I believe that within little time the tricolor flag will wave over all of France... Charles X has been abandoned by everyone and yielded."

A letter of August 3 continues the story of Charles X: " [he] has refused to receive a body of deputies, he has a thousand men with him, no more... the address of the Duke of Orleans... announced that Charles X and the Dauphin had abdicated but he did not mention the Duke of Bordeaux."

An August 4, 1830 letter has more political content: "it is my hope that it will not take them long to proclaim the Duke... king... not so easy for some associates... favor the Duke of Bordeaux... those who favor the Republic won't have the game in their hands, with their chief Lafayette in favor of the Duke of Orleans."

On August 7, 1830, the Duke of Orleans was offered the title of King. "The Duke... shook the hand of Mr. Lafitte... then went... to seek General Lafayette whom he led to the window, and the ovation began all over again... one heard repeated shouts of Live the Duke of Orleans, long live the King, long live Lafayette... today our new king will be addressing the two chambers... the family of Orleans which it will be necessary to call henceforth the royal family."

A letter dated August 8 continues with news of the Duke of Orleans. "[He] showed extreme emotion. He shook hands with the deputies... Mr. De La Fayette also appeared... it is said that the new king of the French will be called Philip VII... the poor royal family moves very slowly... no doubt it expects that somewhere someone will declare in their favor."

The final letter in the archive that touches upon the Revolution and its aftermath is dated Paris August 10, 1830. "It is difficult to conceive that the general exaltation has not produced any imitation, not any excess... this unanimity of opinion give me hope that we shall be exempt from trouble from abroad... sorrow if the foreign countries failed to respect the force of opinion... I believe that France was never stronger... "

The remaining seventeen pieces in this archive touch upon a variety of topics. Two deal with a tax on bread, one with tobacco, one is a resignation letter of the Marquess Dalon, former Chief administrator of Lower Charente. Other tax documents are included, as well as applications for job licenses. In fact, this archive is so vast, and contains so much interesting and historical information, that it can not be fully appreciated unless it is seen, and read, in its entirety.

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