A Franchman on Hardenberg In The Congress of Vienna

I was privileged enough to attend the Congress at Vienna shortly after Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo. I took special note to Prince Karl von August Hardenberg and his Austrian supporters. They are a burly group, much more masculine and domineering than we sissy Frenchmen. These physical characteristics can be equated to their diplomatic mentality and desire for territorial expansion. Being more specific, their need for the the entire region of Saxony. They petitioned to send every bit of it in their direction but unfortunately only got two fifths of it. I think the Austrians are brutes but I only criticize their awesome masculinity to compensate for my extreme femininity.

Jusqu'à la fois prochaine

France and Russia in the Congress of Vienna

France and Russia did not dispute much over land in the Congress of Vienna. However both countries were battling Prussia in the congress to gain lands each coveted. France wanted to keep their boundaries first of all, but also wanted to gain some lands in the Rhine. Prussia also wanted lands in the Rhine and in Saxony. Russia on the other hand was very interested in Poland. Russia wanted to annex all of the former Duchy of Warsaw and once again Prussia wanted this land as well. In its centralized position in Europe, Prussia had much to gain and wanted a lot of land to add to its Germanic empire.

The French Revolution's Effect on Bourgeoisie

The French Revolution had a very profound effect on the Bourgeoisie or common people of France. Inspired by the American Revolution against the British, the impoverished class of the French social system revolted against the now weak monarchy of Louis the XVI. They were tired of his decadent and wasteful ways allowing the rich to get richer and poor to become poorer with each passing day. The revolution was a step towards eqaulity among men. This does not mean economic equality but equal opportunity to be just as prosperous as your neighbor.

The Spark of the French Revolution

Towards the turn of the 19th century, the age of enlightenment had reached it’s peak and was more influential as ever before. The ideas of the Enlightenment were spreading and affecting the people of Europe, especially France, at an exponential rate. As these thoughts of civil liberties, the resentment of noble and clerical privileges, and the resentment of royal absolutism became known by a great majority of the French, oppressed population it seem as if change was the only option and it had to occur on a large scale. John Locke, preached on the idea of civil librities that should be a right and not only a privledge of upper classes. Also, with constant struggle economically and agriculturally the people of France felt that Louis XVI was incapable of ruling their country successfully, which reinforced the idea of creating a constitutional monarchy. The thoughts and concepts, established by the enlightened thinkers of the time, provided the spark for the inevitable French Revolution.

The Enlightenment's Effect on the French Revolution

Directly before the start of the French Revolution, the Age of Enlightenment was flourishing throughout Europe. New, revolutionary ideas burgeoned from places all over Europe. Ideas like civil rights and women rights, which would be fought over for centuries after came from this time. Along with these ideas came the ideas of liberty and equality. Many European countries still had feudal societies, France was among them. As France went to fight the American Revolutionary War, the estates, or classes, of France intermingled. The nobility talked to the peasants and both nobillity and the peasants talked to the colonists. Due to all the coloquy between the people in the war, enlightenment ideas were spread immensely. Now the peasants, who had not known of these ideas before, discovered the ammunition they would use to fight with. Now the peasants, and all of the tax crippled third esate, called for change with liberty and equality. They took action and started the notorious French Revolution.

French Revolution's Impact on the Third Estate

Indeed the French Revolution's impact on the Third Estate was nothing less than tremendous. The revolution of course started due to the Third Estate's displeasure with their social status and the way France was being run by the incompetent monarchy. By successfully rising up and gaining power over the upper classes, the Third Estate proved revolution was possible. The Third Estate was given rights not previously afforded to them. However, Robespierre's action were brutal and harsh and after his Reign of Terror he was executed himself. Nonetheless, to an extent, the rights of peasants and Third Estate would be forever changed.

Thomas Hobbes was a fantastic political philosopher who coincidentally was not in the greatest of favors with the French in the early 1650's after his publication of the Leviathan. This very famous piece of literature angered French Catholics and Anglicans greatly. The idea of modern western philosophy was obscure and abstract. Especially to despotic ruler Louis the XVI who would not stand for any kind of democratic teachings in his absolutist world. It would have served the French well to practice what Thomas Hobbes preached lest they enjoyed having their country being sent into spiraling debt and poverty

Population Explosion and France

During this time period all of Europe had a great population explosion. This greatly affected France as 90% of its population resided in its third estate. The third estate was the lowest class and were basically peasants. When rough winters hit France during these years, the price of bread, France's main foodstuff during this time, rose dramatically. This made bread unaffordable to the peoples of the third estate. As unrest grew, more and more people became upset with King Louis XVI. Because bread was unavailable to so many people, while so few at so lavishly, change was needed. With the great congregation of people who were in this estate, they had much power. As they started to revolt, the wheels of the French Revolution began to turn.

France and Economics

Louis XVI during his reign put France into a great debt due to the constant spending of France's money on materialistic things, which his wife Marie Antoinette was greatly at fault for. Furthermore, France's involvement in the American Revolution also had put France in tremendous debt. Because of this France struggled to take part in Western mercantilism from the insufficent funds for ships and good transport. Peasents were also in a troublesome situation, there was potential for a famine.

Food and Medicine in France

Like most European countries in the 18th century, France demonstrated a major difference between the quality of food and medicine received by the upper and lower classes. Lower classes survived mostly off of bread and vegetables. This diet often proved satisfactory, but many people had a vitamin C deficiency and thus suffered from scurvy. Meanwhile, upper class citizens indulged themselves with various meats and sweets. Due this unhealthy diet many were upper class citizens were ill with gout. Middle class citizens had the most balanced diet and were therefore the healthiest. Predictably, upper classes received superior medical care to everyone else. Although doctors were not as well trained today, they could afford treatments and medicines that were too expensive or not available to lower class citizens.

Kant's Impact on France

Immanuel Kant did not directly influence France. However many people that he did influence, later on impacted France. Kant was more of an enlightened thinker that impacted the pyscological world rather than the civil liberities movement that was much more apparent at the time.

Hume on France

Hume was a secular best known for his naturalistic views on philosophy. He deeply believed in the use of logic and reason and stressed the importance of cause and effect. Thus, it is no surprise he argued against actual miracles taking place. If Hume were to observe France, he would note that there was in fact very little logic being applied. Several France monarchs ruled with divine right and cared only about their own well-being. As a secular, Hume would undoubtedly disagree with their divine right titles and question the ways the government operated.

Beccaria's View on French Society

Beccaria was an Italian philosopher and politician best known for his treatise On Crimes and Punishment. This treatise condemned torture and the death penalty which was revolutionary thought for that time period. Beccaria would not view France favorably as France wielded the death penalty lightly. France was ruled by the despotic rule Louis XIV who used the death penalty as punishment often and used it as intimidation. After he was overthrown the French still did not get rid of the death penalty. During the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution, hundreds of people were put in the guillotine and killed. Beccaria would probably look at France with contempt and try to spread his ideas throughout the country to enlighten her people.

The Period of Enlightenment's effect on French Society

The period of Enlightenment greatly affected French Society. One of the cornerstones of the modern French government was set due to the enlightened thinkers of the era. The idea of civil liberities and rights became the cry of the the French people wanting a more just government. The French people seeking justice, revolted soon after and even during the period. This revolt became know as the French Revolution.

A perspective of French Politics

As a man with a very objective point of view, I’ve been able to witness all the political changes in France during this era. Indeed, I have lived a long life, over 100 years, so I can comment on this subject. Anyway, during King Henry IV’s reign many civil wars were ongoing and there was generally a lot of drama. However, after a short, successful war with Savoy in 1601, the country was at peace. When he died in 1610, Marie de’ Medici ruled for the child king Louis XIII. She appointed Cardinal Richelieu to the council of ministers and he played a tremendous role. Richelieu’s policy was that all people were in total subordination to the French monarchy. Next came Louis XIV who had the longest reign in European history, over 70 years. It was during this era that France reached the peak of its absolutist development. The King commanded all the powers of the state, including judicial, military and political. Louis personally supervised a centralized bureaucracy, a state-directed economy, and a professional army. Everything was controlled by a single person. Indeed, Louis saw himself as God’s representative and thus felt entitled to do whatever he pleased.

French Society during the Renaissance and Reformation

Just like in all of Europe, the Black Death ravaged France and killed many. To add to the number of deceased the Hundred Years' War came around and killed many of the survivors. Out of all of this bad, came some good as the remaining French society gained a great sense of nationalism and pride in their country. After Charles VII rebuilt France, its culture blossomed. Soon after, the Renaissance was upon the French as it was ubiquitous in Europe. Those of the likes of Rabelais, van der Weyden, and van Eyck came from France or the Flemish states and had much great influence in literature and art. France also saw the rise of the Calvinist Huguenots, who slowly gained influence as religious toleration was introduced in the Edict of Nantes. Although France was never fully came under the spell of the baroque, Flanders did produce Peter Paul Rubens one of the greatest baroque painters. French society was filled with success and creativity as they came to the forefront as a European power.

Links

Unit 1

• www.american.edu/TED/BUBONIC.HTM
• http://www.fotw.us/flags/fr_hyw.html
• http://home.eckerd.edu/~oberhot/hyw.htm

Unit 2

• http://freenet.buffalo.edu/bah/a/DCTNRY/r/renaiss.html
• http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Literature/DF_literature2.shtml
• http://www.boisestate.edu/courses/reformation/france/16thc.shtml
• http://www.pipeline.com/~cwa/TYWHome.htm

Unit 3

• http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/absolutism_and_france.htm
• http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/bnf/bnf0005.html

An Entry From A Member of The Clergy

Life in the Clergy has always seemed rewarding to me but now I am starting to find it shallow and empty. Yes i do live in a fairly lavish lifestyle but I am no more respected than the noble or peasant. The Monarchy retains all power and it is really starting to grind my gears. In times of old we were the ones who held sway over them but a new day is dawned where there is no balance of power in the sense that no one has any but the King! I wonder how the Aristocracy feels about all this malarkey? Divine Right?! Whoever heard of such a foolish thing?! I'll tell you what, first thing tomorrow I'm headed straight for Versailles and tell the King that the good Lord told me to dethrone him!

Orléans, France - The City of France's Near Death and Unexplainable Rebirth

Instead of visiting the generic vacation spot, Paris. Why not venture to an area not well known about but arguably the most renown historical site in France. It was here in Orléans, that Joan of Arc, the protector of France was born. During the time of the Hundred Years' War, Joan of Arc felt she was being called by God to help her nation's struggling army. Because the army did not allow women to join, Joan posed as a man in order to be accepted. In her first battle in her hometown, Joan told the commanders of her visions and remarkably led the French to victory. While you are in Orléans, you can also visit 'Sainte Croix' a cathedral similar to Notre Dame in Paris.

The significance/impact of the era on France

During France's remarkable history, there was a specific era of constant warfare, religious reformation, and a humanistic renaissance. Although there were a significant number of strides gained for France, the country did face many difficulties that had unbeneficial effects. The era of war began with the Hundred Years' War, the English had come across the English Channel to claim a significant piece of French territory. After much English success, and with the apparent aid of Joan of Arc, the French led by Charles VI, France reclaimed land lost. With this France gained much power and was more properly recognized by other countries. Shortly after this came the Renaissance which influenced France greatly during the late 15th century (due to economic struggle because of the Black Death). The Renaissance caused a large scale literary, artistic, technological and architectural rebirth (Papal court in Avignon). Furthermore, the Reformation, arguably had the greatest effect on France and made France one of the greatest recognized super powers, of the era. France's war influence during the Thirty Years' War was unmatched and granted France the power that was for so long wanted.