#8 thermidor

[louis-antoine-leon-saint-just]

Why are you so reluctant to talk about Desmoulins? (Genuine question!)

Pierre-Germain Gateau taking over. You heard of me? Good. Thuillier is a total mess. Locked himself in his room. Keeps crying and vomiting. Those jean-f*****s poisoned him, you know that? Well. He can't do his job so I'm answering for him.

Here's a good answer for you: this isn't about Desmoulins.

If he was around, would you ask him about Saint-Just in Germinal? Ah, perhaps, and you'd get pages after pages of spiteful, slanderous whining. Is this what you like?

Wait... I just heard a groan behind me. Saint-Just, is that you? Thank God, man! You hadn't made a noise for so long I was worried sick! Just staring out the window at nothing, completely still, completely silent--what? What'd you say? What do you mean "my answer is too harsh"? I'm sending it anyway! You put me in charge!

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

Fouché in his memoirs (1825):

Tallien contended for two lives, of which one was then dearer to him than his own: he therefore resolved upon assassinating the future dictator, even in the Convention itself. But what a hazardous chance was this! Robespierre’s popularity would have survived him, and we should have been immolated to his manes. I therefore dissuaded Tallien from an isolated enterprise, which would have destroyed the man, but preserved his system. 

Also Fouché, as reported in De 1800 à 1812. Un aide de champ de Napoléon. Mémoires du général compte de Ségar (1894):

…I persisted; and, addressing all the enemies of the Dictator, either separately or in meetings that I convened as head of public education, I reassured them, encouraged them, and got the Committee to call Robespierre before it to defend itself. It was putting him in a false position, he did not accept it; he refused to present himself and confined himself to the Jacobins, where I proposed to have him attacked, seized as a rebel and thrown into the river! We were preparing the means when the 9th of Thermidor arrived, the day when Tallien, single-handedly, unexpectedly, without having warned us, without knowing our project, warning us, denounced Robespierre as the tyrant of his colleagues!

[chaotic-history]

I'm dying at you putting Sade on that cake. Like. I get you. For me, it's so difficult to resolve all of the insane, terrible things he wrote and did, with his portrait looking like *that.* That portrait to me is unfortunately such peak late 1700s handsomeness 😭😭

(Though I must say that whenever I think about him, I can't help but think of the fact that Napoleon himself ordered his arrest after hearing about his books. Idk i just find it so absurdly funny, considering how much other shit was going on at the time.)

Lmaoo fun fact, I picked the cake itself based off de Sade's cake request to his wife when he was in Vincennes:

But yeah, de Sade's a really weird person to be interested in for me, cause for all my other historical figures, I have a concrete reason I can give as to why I like them, even when they've also done shitty stuff. But Sade? I have no idea. His personality sucks and while I don't think his writing is bad (120 Days excepted), it's not good enough to be a whole reason to like him.

Tbh I think the being there while so much other shit was going on is part of it. Maybe he'd be less interesting if he were exactly the same but lived in boring times. But the dude who got arrested for his book by Napoléon himself and who left the Bastille twelve days before it was stormed and was supposed to be executed on 9 Thermidor but only got away because it was 9 Thermidor has to be interesting. (Or maybe I should be giving him a bit more credit. Who knows.)

[citizen-card]

i think it’s just because they do stuff together a lot 😭

is it just me or have there been a lot more collot + billaud posts recently

[robespapier]

Since it won the poll I'm posting the whole thing. The context: Robespierre visits David on the 8 Thermidor evening, together they stare at David's unfinished Tennis Court Oath. Robespierre asks "why did you draw me like this (clutching my chest in patriotic transport)?", "You are the only one who understood the meaning of the Revolution" replies David. As he leaves Robespierre says "Next time, draw me like the others."

David was left alone. He lifted a veil that was covering a drawing in dark ink. It was representing the same people, but naked. Robespierre was depicted with bulging pectoral, his muscles taut. His straight penis was rising up between his strong thighs. How would Robespierre have reacted, had he seen himself drawn like this?

This is no great translation, but I tried doing justice to the way the original is worded as if David gave him a patriotic hard-on. Which he very much didn't. Robespierre has the same generic dick as everyone else in the naked draft, but I can't believe the author made me go and check.

[aedesluminis]

I was making subtitles for episode two and I wanted to share this scene, because it's one of my favourite: Fouché remembering the part of Robespierre's 8 Thermidor speech about the fact that death is not an eternal sleep, while he's witnessing the burial of his little daughter, who died of illness.

It's not historically accurate since the scene is set in 1795 and Fouché's daughter died in 1794. Despite that, I think it's a nice one conceptually.

[writing-for-life]

Sandman Predictions

So we’ve been speculating wildly what the remainder of The Sandman might look like on here and in our community (join us!) for a while.

And I thought it would be fun to put my predictions to paper (so to speak) so I can be embarrassed about them later and laugh at how wrong they were 🙈

Taking all the casting announcements and BTS in consideration I’ve collected like a magpie (check out my #sandman S2 tag), I will have a stab at it…

Only 12 Episodes or Aiming for Renewal?

Both is possible, but I am more and more leaning we’ll get the whole thing in twelve episodes in two batches of five each with two wraparound episodes (one will be AGoY/THCoL in the middle, one the last three issues of The Wake).

We know the episode names for six episodes that are directed by Jamie Childs. That doesn’t mean they were in order, or that there won’t be other directors involved. It wouldn’t surprise me if they at least went for female writers/directors for AGoY/THCoL, and if that’ll be the episode that separates (or rather connects) SoM and Brief Lives. So here comes my totally unhinged prediction for 12 episodes, including the titles we know (mind you, they might also be working titles). The chapters from the comics are to be seen as fluid and not absolute, because there are a lot of scenes that are not linear in chronological terms and will probably be shuffled around a bit:

Batch One

“More Devils Than Vast Hell Can Hold” (that title is a direct quote from AMND): A Midsummer Night’s Dream, SoM Prologue & Tales in the Sand flashback

“Season of Mists”: SoM ch. 1-3, ch. 4 is getting dropped

“The Ruler of Hell”: SoM ch. 5 through Epilogue

TBA: AGoY & THCoL “Brief Lives”: Thermidor and Brief Lives ch. 1-3

“Brief Lives”: Brief Lives ch. 1-5 “The Song of Orpheus”: Brief Lives ch. 4-6 and The Song of Orpheus segueing into

“The Song of Orpheus”: Brief Lives ch. 6. Bast is an excellent cut to SoO. Thermidor will also be in there. “Family Blood”: Brief Lives ch. 7-9

Batch Two

“Family Blood”: Brief Lives ch. 7-9 TBA: TKO ch. 1-4

TBA: TKO ch. 1-4 TBA: TKO ch. 5-7

TBA: TKO ch. 5-8 TBA: TKO ch. 8-10

TBA: TKO ch. 11-13

TBA: The Wake (all of it apart from…)

TBA: Sunday Mourning/Exiles/The Tempest

Edit 19/09:

[strikeouts in text done on same day]

So I’ve read The High Cost of Living again over the past few days because it didn’t want to leave me alone, and I’ve now convinced myself we’ll get it as a side-plot to Brief Lives in episodes 4-6, and that we’ll get tiny bits of AGoY, (mostly to set up Wanda/Ruby for Brief Lives and Hazel/Foxglove for THCoL) as a side plot to SoM in episodes 1-3. Spoilers ahead, so skip if that’s not your thing:

Both Sexton and Orpheus have a death wish. I don’t want to drag this out too much because the post is long enough as it is, but suffice it to say, Sexton rethinks after spending a day with Didi/Death, while Orpheus is granted his wish. And this is what ultimately sets Morpheus on his own path. The meaning of “So live” would be beautifully contrasted that way because it has different meaning to different people, depending on their own experience. Add to that Death spending a “brief life” for one day herself, and I can somewhat see the vision.

Failing this, THCoL could also be a special in episode 13 that hasn’t been announced yet (I’d rather have Overture though if I’m honest).

In more detail:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest will be bookends, one before SoM, one after The Wake (they don’t necessarily have to be full episodes, they could be half each and make up roughly an hour combined. It really depends on overall runtime).

We’ll kick off batch one with Season of Mists (maybe the prologue and will also be in episode 1–there are several points in AMND that would make good cuts into SoM), and Tales in the Sand won’t be a full episode but incorporated as flashbacks (maybe around the family dinner). After we conclude SoM, we’ll get one episode of AGoY will be a side-plot to SoM, as per above (if it happens at all), and leads into THCoL as a side-plot to Brief Lives as per my edit above, because there’s a through-line in there for Fox and Hazel, plus we can set up Wanda/Ruby for Brief Lives.

Bonus 1:

Johanna will be somehow involved in SoM (she’s the Hellblazer after all), and we’ll get her to hook up with Murphy. No need for a longwinded introduction of Thessaly. Or, failing that, we just cut out the love interest completely, Morpheus does his moping session because Nada rebuffs him again, but Jo will still take Thessaly’s place as the crone.

We’ll move into roughly three episodes of Song of Orpheus/Thermidor and Brief Lives from there. Wanda will die in Brief Lives like Ruby, not in AGoY.

We finish the first batch with Morpheus alone on his chair after you-know-what 😩

Second batch: TKO and The Wake. Little bits of World’s End will be woven in where it fits, maybe already in the first batch as well. Same goes for little bits of standalone issues from Fables and Reflections.

Jo will take Thessaly’s place and protect Lyta because she’d just believe it’s the right thing to do (she also sympathises because she lost Astra). Whether she also holds a deeper grudge depends on if they set them up as having an affair or not.

My guess is four episodes TKO and one for the Wake. Sunday Mourning and Exiles will be done in one episode. The movie concept art that Jill Thompson did ages ago showed Daniel in the distance on the beach with the other three, and I think that’s a good tie-in point to lead into Exiles. Even the Tempest might fit in there if they make the last episode more feature-length. And you’ve got your two Shakespeare bookends.

Bonus 2:

Hob will be reinstalled to his narrative purpose because at least half the fandom will drop him like a hot potato and ship Morpheus x Cluracan instead. Because:

If you think 12 episodes are tight: Yes, if you want to see every detail and issue of the comics. But not everything you see in a graphic novel translates well to screen, plus you don’t perceive time the same way. What takes ages to read can be something like 30 seconds in a film. Add to this that the movie that never happened was conceptualised as a trilogy if I’m not mistaken, so probably 6-8 hours planned runtime in total. So they always had a definite idea how to streamline it, and they were planning for it before. 12 episodes with 45 to 60min each give us more to play with than a movie-trilogy (plus we can already take the time off that we spent on S1). I think it’s doable, but of course it means tightening arcs and dropping stuff.

However, I’ll be honest with you: With all that’s been going on, and having seen that they filmed right through until the end, I’d rather have them wrap up now. Because I honestly can’t see a S3 happening after all that’s already been cancelled and put on hold because of you-know-what (I’m thinking of Disney shelving The Graveyard Book and Amazon putting GO on hold and sitting on the Audible despite it being finished).

But also: These decisions have likely been made long before these considerations even became an issue: Renewal was on a knife’s edge, and choices were made back then we can only guess at. Scripts aren’t written over night, neither are sets changed around wildly on a whim (plus actors aren’t just tied to one project and can’t just willy-nilly change their schedules). And some sets for TKO were already confirmed and booked in May. So they were always going to do what we’ve seen in BTS shots. It’s not a sudden development.

In any case: If they aimed for more seasons than two, I think this prediction could still hold in general, we’ll just get it more fleshed out. In that case, I’d say 10 episodes of SoM and Brief Lives (5 each), and A Midsummer Night’s Dream and THCoL as standalones with the rest as side-plots woven in (that includes AGoY). Then S3 comprising TKO and The Wake with more space for standalone episodes and World’s End. Maybe even Overture as a special. I very much doubt they would go for more than three seasons in total though.

So these are my predictions, now I’d love to hear yours…

[empiredesimparte]

Live broadcast of ‘Le Sacre de Napoléon V’ on the national channel Francesim 2, hosted by Stéphane Bernard

(Herald) Their Most August and Most Glorious Imperial Majesties, Emperor Napoleon V and Empress Charlotte of the French!

(Stéphane Bernard) You have just heard the herald. With solemnity, he announces the entrance of Their Majesties into the cathedral. The Grand Marshal accompanies Their Majesties. Meanwhile, the imperial family gathers in the choir of Notre-Dame.

(Stéphane Bernard) On the left, we can see the Master of Ceremonies, and on the right stands the palace usher. They will play a role in the Emperor's procession, as we will have the opportunity to witness.

⚜ Le Sacre de Napoléon V | N°8 | Francesim, Paris, 28 Thermidor An 230

The imperial cortege arrives at Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. The coronation ceremony is about to begin. It was broadcast live on television by Stéphane Bernard, the famous journalist for the crowned heads in Francesim.

Beginning ▬ Previous ▬ Next

⚜ Traduction française

(Héraut d'armes) Leurs Très Augustes et Très Glorieuses Majestés Impériales, l'Empereur Napoléon V et l'Impératrice Charlotte des Français !

(Stéphane Bernard) Vous venez d'écouter le héraut d'armes. Avec solennité, il annonce l'entrée de Leurs Majestés à l'intérieur de la cathédrale.

(Stéphane Bernard) Le Grand Maréchal accompagne Leurs Majestés avec tout le sérieux protocolaire requis. Pendant ce temps, la famille impériale se rassemble dans le choeur de Notre-Dame pour marquer le début de cette cérémonie historique.

(Stéphane Bernard) À gauche, nous pouvons apercevoir le maître des cérémonies, tandis qu'à droite, se tient l'huissier du palais. Ils joueront un rôle central dans le cortège de l'Empereur, comme nous aurons l'occasion de le constater.

[microcosme11]

A very sweet letter from his stepfather

Saint-Cloud, 8 thermidor an XIII (27 juillet 1805).

Je suis instruit que vous avez des correspondances avec une nommée D—. Je ne sais pas si vous savez que cette femme n'est qu'une fille, une intrigante, dont la police s'est souvent servie. Une femme de cette espèce ne devrait pas recevoir de lettres de vous; c'est la boue de Paris. Je crois devoir vous en prévenir, que cela vous serve de règle.

---translation by google and me---

I am informed that you have corresponded with someone named D—. I don't know whether you know that this woman is nothing but a girl, an intriguer, who has often been utilized by the police. A woman of this type should not receive letters from you; this is the scum of Paris. I believe I must warn you, this will serve you as a rule.

Napoléon adultère by Hector Fleischmann, 1909

BnF Gallica

[avergehistoryenjoyer]

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s official! I’m writing a musical!

For those of you in the community who have known me for a while, this is nothing new, but I’ve been working on it for quite awhile, so I finally want to unveil what I have so far.

The show is officially called “Tyrant! The Story of Robespierre” or just “Tyrant!” for short, and here’s my first concept for the album cover below!

As for the actual story and songs, right now I’m planning on having 16 songs per act, and I’ll format the songs I’ve written or am currently in the process of writing! 

 Italic = work in progress

Bold = fully written

With that being said, this is the song catalogue and all I’ve gotten done so far!

Act 1:

Tyrant! (Show opener) - immediately after his death

Address for the King - early childhood

Never shall we part - transition from childhood to adulthood, meets Camille

Song addressed to Miss Henriette - young adulthood

And So I Reminisce - trio song for the siblings

He Just Can’t Stop - lawyer career in Arras

Let Us Speak/We Swear - Estates general + tennis court oath

Camille’s Address (Bring It Down) - Storming of the bastille

Hey Ladies! (Theroigne’s song + Women’s March on Versailles)

Bienvenue aux Jacobins - Joins the Jacobin club and meets Danton, gets elected president of the club

Never shall we part (1st reprise) - Camille’s marriage to Lucile

Escape (Louis + Marie flee Paris, Champ de Mars massacre)

There’s Safety Here (Robespierre meets Maurice Duplay, moves into the Duplay house)

This Means War! (Speeches against the war and Brissotins, war gets declared anyways)

The Tuileries Tango (Storming of the Tuileries and overthrow of the monarchy)

Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité For All (Establishment of the republic, Robespierre at his height, his big “I want” song)

Act 2:

Incorruptible (Saint-Just’s debut and Robespierre’s election to the National convention)

So Ends the Reign of Tyranny (Louis’ trial and execution)

Bienvenue aux committee/ Bienvenue le Jacobins (reprise) (Appointment to the CPS)

Choose Your Side/And So I Reminisce (reprise) (Charlotte and Augustine’s fight, fracture in the family, duet with Élèonore, PLATONIC, NOT ROMANTIC)

Principio Ad Finem/ A late night’s walk (“darker” ‘I want’ song, NOT A VILLAIN SONG )

What is he doing? (Camille publishes his paper and says stupid stuff)

Never Shall We Part (2nd and 3rd reprises) (Max and SJ duet, Camille’s denouncement from friends to enemies)

A Meeting/Make Him a Monster (CPS meeting, Thermidorian villain song)

You’re Unwell (Eleonore and SJ duet, Max falls ill/ slowly loosing his sanity)

So Ends the Reign of Tyranny/ Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité for All (reprise) (Arrests and executions of Camille, Danton and their followers, closest thing to a villain song for Robespierre)

This Glorious Day (Festival of the Supreme Being, more Thermidorian conspiring)

Principio Ad Finem (reprise) (Max writes his 8 Thermidor speech)

My Final Bow (8 Thermidor speeches for the convention and the Jacobins)

We Swear/Let Me Speak! (9 Thermidor denouncement and arrest)

Requiem (Hotel De Ville siege, bullet to the jaw, death, 11th hour power ballad)

May You Ne’er Be Forgotten (basically charlotte’s ‘who lives who dies who tells your story’, her 11th hour power ballad, grand finale of the show)

I know that was a lot thrown at y’all, and obviously I’ve still got a long ways to go, but I’ll be working hard at it all summer, and I hope to have at least half of the first act finished by the end of this summer! I’ll keep working on asks too now that my schedule’s freed up, but I thought it’d be a fun announcement to share with all of you for Max’s birthday, and I can’t wait for you to see the rest of it! Love you all! ❤️❤️❤️

-Syd

[miffy-junot]

Some details on the later life of Hippolyte Charles

Hippolyte Charles isn't talked about much - which is understandable, given that he only plays a very small role in the grand Napoleonic saga. But I like looking into the lives of these lesser historical figures, so I'm going to share some things I found on the trajectory of Charles' life after the end of his affair with Josephine.

This is not a summary of the entirety of his later life, rather a collection of anecdotes I find interesting.

Charles and Junot:

On 14 Ventôse, Year X (5 March 1802), he lent thirty thousand francs to Junot, then commander of a Paris, who, in acknowledging this sum, wrote to him: "You know very well that this service you are rendering me cannot add to my sincere friendship. If you have nothing better to do, come and have dinner with us on the 17th."

Charles and his biens nationaux (land taken from the church/nobility during the French Revolution):

Charles owned former biens nationaux. Its manager, having learned that he was willing to return some of these properties to the members of a Ruellant du Cirent family, wrote on 1 Thermidor, Year IX: "With regret, I will see you deprived of a beautiful and an advantageous investment of funds; but, if you think it necessary to make the sacrifice to the positions and misfortunes that balance the enjoyment of this good in your heart, I consider that, in order to reconcile your advantages and your generosity, you must limit this sacrifice to 8% loss of the auction price." To which Charles replied, after having fixed the terms of payment: "These are the conditions that I believe to be just and reasonable; they have been dictated to me by the interest I take in an unfortunate family and by the desire I have to see them regain possession of property which unfortunate circumstances had taken from them. I like to believe that these conditions will be accepted and that the former owner will see that his interests are more taken care of than mine." This letter proves, without question, the disinterestedness of Hippolyte Charles and the delicacy of his feelings.

Charles and Napoleon:

As early as 1801, definitively separated from [Josephine], he sought to return to service. He turned to Leclerc, who was preparing the expedition to Saint-Domingue. Bonaparte's brother-in-law granted his request; he wrote, on 30 Brumaire, Year X (November 11, 1801) "To citizen Hippolite (sic), captain of the hussars, Go to Brest, where I will give you new orders." But it is probable that the First Consul opposed a measure of reinstatement in favor of the former aide-de-camp, to whom he has always held a certain grudge.  [...] However, in the time of his omnipotence, Napoleon never disturbed his former love rival, either in his person, or in his possessions; No police file has ever been drawn up in his name.

Charles and Josephine:

While he was residing in Cassan, Charles learned of the death of Josephine. Since the middle of October, 1799, he had never seen her again, not even after her painful divorce. For some time he had continued to correspond with her, but only to issues of interest. 

Charles' life after the Empire:

Forced to sell Cassan, the former chatelain retired to Paris, 52, rue de Clichy, after having lived at 118, rue Saint-Lazare, then 45, rue Joubert. There he lived in a cohabitation with a young mistress with whom he had a daughter, who died unmarried. Afterwards, Charles returned to Romans and in 1820 bought the chateau de Génissieux, a few kilometres from the place of his birth. The former captain of hussars had retained a love of thoroughbred horses; in his stables, he had always some reputed thoroughbred; one of them served as a model for Carle Vernet for one of his paintings.

The death of Charles:

He died at Génissieux, aged sixty-four, on March 9, 1837. Two days later, his body was buried in Romans, in the old and picturesque cemetery of Recollets. [...] On his deathbed, Charles expressed the delicate desire that the love letters which his passionate lover had written to him, and which he had preciously preserved throughout his life, were destroyed.

source

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

Historians having takes on frev women that make me go 😐 compilation

Sexually frustrated in her marriage to a pompous civil servant much older than herself, [Madame Roland] may have found Danton’s celebrated masculinity rather uncomfortable. Danton (1978) by Norman Hampson, page 77.

The Robespierres sent their sister to Arras because that was their hometown, the family home, where they had relatives, uncles, aunts and friends, like Buissart who they didn’t cease to remain in correspondence with, even in the middle of the Terror. There, among them, Charlotte would not be alone; she would find advice, rest, the peace necessary to heal her nervousness and animosity. Away from Mme Ricard, who she hated, away from Mme Duplay, who she detested, she would enjoy auspicious calmness. It is Le Bon that the Robespierres will charge with escorting their sister to this neccessary and soothing exile. […] If there is a damning piece in Charlotte Robespierre's case, it is this one (her interrogation, held July 31 1794). She seems to be caught in the act of accusing this Maximilien whom she rehabilitates in her Memoirs. She is therefore indeed a hypocrite, unworthy of the great name she bears, and which she dishonors the very day after the holocaust of 10 Thermidor. Charlotte Robespierre et Guffroy (1910) in Annales Révolutionnaires, volume 3 (1910) page 322, and Charlotte Robespierre et ses mémoires (1909) page 93-94, both by Hector Fleishmann.

Elisabeth, as she was popularly called, was barely past her twelfth birthday, younger even by three years than Barere’s own mother when she was given in marriage. On the following day the guests assembled again in the little church of Saint-Martin at midnight to attend the wedding ceremony of the handsome charmer and the bewildered child. Dressed in white, clasping in her arms a yellow, satin-clad  doll that Bertrand had given her — so runs the tradition — she marched timidly to the altar, looking more like a maiden making her first communion than a woman celebrating a binding sacrament. Perhaps the  doll, if doll there was, filled her eye, but certainly she could not fail to note how handsome her husband was. Bertrand Barere; a reluctant terrorist (1962) by Leo Gershoy, page 32.

The young nun who bore the name of Hébert did not hide her fate. She did not wish to prolong a life stifled from her childhood in the cloister, branded in the world by the name she bore, fighting between horror and love for the memory of her husband, unhappy everywhere. Histoire des Girondins (1848) by Alphonse de Lamartine, volume 8, page 60.

Lucile in prison showed more calmness than Camille. Before the tribunal, she seemed to possess neither fear nor hope, she denied having taken an active role in the prison conspiracy. What did it matter to her the answer they were trying to extract from her? They said they wanted her guilty? Very well! She would be condemned and join Camille. This was what she said again when she was told that she would suffer the same fate as her husband: ”Oh, what joy, in a few hours I’m going to see Camille again!” Camille et Lucile Desmoulins: un couple dans la tourmente (1986) by Jean Paul Bertaud, page 293.

What did it matter to Lucile whether she was accused or defended? She had no longer any pretext for living in this world. She was one of those heroines of conjugal love who are more wife than mother. Besides, Horace lived, and Camille was dead. It was of the absent only that she thought. As for the child, would not Madame Duplessis act a mother's part to him? The grandmother would watch over the orphan. If Lucile had lived, she could have done nothing but weep over the cradle, thinking of Camille. Camille Desmoulins and his wife; passages from the history of the Dantonists founded upon new and hitherto unpublished documents (1876) by Jules Claretie.

Having been widowed at the age of 23 [sic] years, Élisabeth Duplay remarried a few years later to the adjutant general Le Bas, brother of her first husband, and kept the name which was her glory. She lived with dignity, and all those who have known her, still beautiful under her crown of white hair, have testified to the greatness of her sentiments and austerity of her character. She died at an old age, always loyal to the memory of the great dead she had loved and whose memory she, all the way to her final day, didn’t cease to honor and cherish. As for the lady of Thermidor, Thérézia Cabarrus, ex-marquise of Fontenay, citoyenne Tallien, then princess of Chimay, one knows the story of her three marriages, without counting the interludes. She had, as one knows, three husbands living at the same time. Now compare these two existances, these two women, and tell me which one merits more the respect and the sympathy of good men. Histoire de Robespierre et du coup d’état du 9 thermidor (1865) by Louis Ernest Hamel, volume 3, page 402.

Fel free to comment which one was your favorite! 😀

[citizen-card]

national convention deputies hearing Robespierre's 8 Thermidor speech

[robespapier]

Things Jacques Ravenne, author of La Chute, a French Revolution novel set on the 8, 9 and 10 Thermidor published in 2020, should be guillotined for:

1. Robespierre saying his sister Charlotte was "never beautiful nor intelligent" in a conversation with Bonbon about Charlotte and Fouché

2. Eleonore Duplay being in love with Robespierre and going to the Convention to see him give speeches but being described as "not caring about politics" (she just likes seeing Robespierre be applauded):

"Is he a friend of Maximilien ?" asked Eleonore, who had no interest in politics"

[zenia62]

Daendels and Talleyrand Letters (Part 3)

Hey guys, this is part 3 of the Talleyrand letters that I've found in Mendels book abt Daendels. Again, I'm sorry if there is misinformation due to translation 🙏 I'm also still understanding the letters so I won't be able to give summary ☺️ I do believe that these letters still have connection w Daendels in a way 🤔 Thank you guys n have a wonderful day, stay safe🌙

7th Letter :

Florent Guiot to Talleyrand The Hague, 24 Thermidor Year VII (August 8, 1799) "... I believe it would not be impossible to incite a new revolution here. The faction wanting this is small and not very influential; however, if it could count on the support of our Government, its audacity might prevail through force, and it would likely succeed.

It is far from my intention to propose such a measure. I am convinced, on the contrary, that its execution would lead to the ruin of this country. Capital would disappear, merchants would seek peace and opportunities for their investments elsewhere, perhaps in Spain, Vienna, or Russia; and the territory of Batavia would soon become nothing more than a pestilent swamp. To be even more convincing, it is enough to reflect that this country, with a population of only 1,800,000 individuals, pays 80,000,000 in annual contributions, not to mention extraordinary taxes, which are extremely frequent. An agricultural country could withstand such violent shocks, but they would destroy a country that survives only through commerce; and the two revolutions of January 22 and June 12 have perhaps done more harm to Batavia than all the events of the war. The means of influence thus seem to me the only appropriate ones for this country, and our government, it seems, should constantly seek their growth. This system does not exclude the language of dignity and firmness, which I think would be very appropriate for a government always ready to consider only its own interests.

It is with these views that I would hope it might be possible to bring the army to a total of 25,000 men. There is no doubt that such a measure would crush the hopes of the English, Orangists, etc., and would help sway the undecided; and they form the great majority..."

Florent Guiot

8th Letter :

Lombard de Langres to Talleyrand The Hague, 12 Messidor Year 7 (June 29, 1799) Citizen Minister, No doubt you are aware that the events taking place in Paris are also having effects here. If those with ulterior motives weren’t trying to use these circumstances to sway political affairs in their favor, Holland would still be calm; however, this tranquility is now on the verge of being disrupted. What will be the consequences of this unrest? I don’t know, but it is to be feared that it will turn to the detriment of a country that cannot survive on its own and, consequently, for us, who rely on its perfect calm.

Upon receiving news of the recent changes in the French Directory, the Batavian government and the two chambers expressed satisfaction beyond all measure. At last, one could cry out within the Directory and the two chambers: corruption and tyranny have disappeared! France has set an example for its unfortunate allies. It was a unique joy. But it was short-lived. The enemies of the Directors and Ministers, particularly General Daendels, who has indeed become revolutionary in Holland, restless and turbulent, and who, as I have already noted, although a friend of the French, cannot remain calm for a moment and constantly seeks new grounds for hostility with his impetuous nature. General Daendels and other individuals heap hatred upon the Directory and the Ministers. Daendels wishes the government would listen to him without prior caution; at times, he even has the Ministers spied upon and suggests that the Batavian government wishes to negotiate with England. He shares his ideas with General Brune, who, being sincerely republican, does not see Daendels in the same light and, having grievances of his own, perhaps finds Daendels’ remarks unconvincing. The Batavian Directors, aware of these rumors and of the supposed treachery, have already twice sought to placate the government, fearing that a new revolution would overturn it. It’s not because they love their positions—they are thoroughly tired of them—but because they dread that a single blow to their constitution could destroy it forever.

I am unsure, Citizen Minister, to what extent the accusations against the Batavian government hold any truth; I have no intention of championing it, as I may be mistaken, but if I were permitted to voice an opinion, I would emphatically assure my government that the Batavian Directory is incapable of the disgraceful act of betrayal that some attribute to it concerning England, and that if such a heinous act were ever to occur, it would only be due to malicious parties pushing it relentlessly toward such an infamous measure.

To say that there are no Anglophiles here would be false; because many individuals with funds in the Bank of London naturally wish to see England not destroyed. To claim we have numerous supporters would be equally false; Holland, though sometimes having benefitted from French kindness, especially under less corrupt administrations, still has little reason to love the Batavian government, so one cannot expect them to love us.

It would also be false to say that I haven’t personally felt frustration with the Batavian Directory recently. Still, I’m not a person who sacrifices his pride over minor or meaningless issues for his country’s interests.

What is certain, however, is that despite the Orangists, of whom there is little to fear unless Prussia moves, there are still ardent proponents of independence in Holland. These principles are even more deeply embedded in their hearts because they view any form of tyranny as intolerable, having been subjected to it for three centuries.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs here praises France, detests the intrigues of Daendels and some Orangists who attempt to stir popular sentiment, and has no desire to stay embroiled in these matters. So far, he has maintained peace here as much as possible; however, as per my instructions, I am limited to observing and cannot act decisively, especially as the newspapers report the imminent arrival of another French Minister in The Hague. Regards and respect, Lombard de Langres

9th Letter :

Lombard de Langres to Talleyrand The Hague, 21 Prairial, Year 7 (June 9, 1799) Citizen Minister, It has been nearly three months since I began working with the Batavian Government to secure, following your instructions, the transfer of command of the troops of this Republic into the hands of General Brune, the commander-in-chief of the French troops. It was only a few days ago that they finally decided to respond to the request I had made formally on 6 Germinal. You can see that they have taken their time to reflect. I have the honor to send you a copy of the official document provided to me by the Minister of War. The Batavian Government, following its usual method, fears the consequences of such a formal request and is seeking, through its communications in Paris, to delay any final outcome. However, it is quite evident to me that their goal is to avoid the effect of the demand that you instructed me to carry out. During our discussions, they did not hide their aversion to this measure, trying to gain time in the hope that delays and vague responses might weaken our persistence. Nevertheless, I continue to await a new note, which the Minister of Foreign Affairs has informed me will be given on behalf of the Executive Directory. Based on this note, I will formulate my response. But I regard it as essential, Citizen Minister, for the success of my efforts, that you inform Citizen Schimmelpenninck of the Executive Directory’s intentions. The Batavians, once convinced of the firm resolve of the French government, will no doubt be more inclined to grant us satisfaction on a matter that they seem to have always deeply resisted.

I attach here a copy of the response from the Batavian Directory to the official communication that I gave them on the 26th of last month concerning the assassination of our Ministers at the Congress of Rastadt. I am also sending you the list of new representatives elected by the electoral assemblies, along with the bulletin of recent sessions of the Legislative Body. Regards and respect, Lombard de Langres

[empiredesimparte]

⚜ Le Cabinet Noir | Episode III, N°8 | Francesim, Versailles, 26 Thermidor An 230

In the late afternoon, Charlotte welcomed her parents, Duke Casimir and his wife Manon, to the Château de Versailles. They seem more than delighted to learn that their daughter is to become regent of Francesim, and try to prepare Charlotte for her future role. The young empress did her best to resist them. She hoped that the regency would not take place and that her husband, Emperor Napoleon V, would reverse his decision.

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⚜ Traduction française

En fin d'après-midi, Charlotte accueille ses parents, le duc Casimir et son épouse Manon, au château de Versailles. Ces derniers semblent plus que ravis d'apprendre que leur fille va devenir régente de Francesim, et tentent de préparer Charlotte à son futur rôle. La jeune impératrice tente tant bien que mal de leur résister. Elle espère que la régence n'aura pas lieu, et que son époux l'empereur Napoléon V reviendra sur sa décision.