Antoine Barnave
Encyclopedia
Antoine Pierre Joseph Marie Barnave (22 October 1761 – 29 November 1793) was a French
politician, and, together with Honoré Mirabeau, one of the most influential orators of the early part of the French Revolution
. He is most notable for correspondence with Marie Antoinette
in an attempt to set up a constitutional monarchy
and for being one of the founding members of the Feuillants
.
in Dauphiné
, of a Protestant
family. His father was an advocate at the Parlement
of Grenoble, and his mother was an upper-class educated woman. Because they were a Protestant family, Antoine could not attend local schools, and his mother educated him herself. Barnave was prepared for a career in law, and at the age of twenty-two made himself known by a speech pronounced before the local Parlement on the division of political powers
.
Dauphiné was one of the first of the provinces of France
to be touched by revolutionary ideals. After being heavily influenced by the Day of the Tiles
in Grenoble
, Barnave became actively revolutionary. He explained his political position in a pamphlet
entitled Esprit des édüs enregistrés militairement le 20 mai 1788. He was immediately elected deputy, with his father, to the states of Dauphiné
, and played a prominent role in their debates.
convened at the Palace of Versailles
for 5 May 1789, and Barnave was chosen to be a deputy of the Third Estate
for his native province of Dauphiné.
He soon rose to prominence in the National Assembly
, becoming the friend of most of the leaders of the party originating in the Third Estate, and formed with Adrien Duport
and Alexandre Lameth the group known during the Constituent Assembly
as "the triumvirate
". Together these three would later be principal figures in the formation of the Feuillant
s, the breakaway party from the Jacobin Club dedicated to a moderate course supporting constitutional monarchy. Barnave took part in the conference on the claims of the three orders, drew up the first address to King Louis XVI
, and supported the proposal of Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès
that the Assembly should declare itself "National". Until 1791, he was one of the main members of the club known later as the Jacobins
, of which he drew up the manifesto
and first rulebook.
, he hoped to preserve revolutionary liberties together while maintaining the ruling House of Bourbon
. Barnave felt that a constitutional monarchy
would solve the problems facing France without being a complete upheaval of the government. This does not mean he was entirely in favor of the monarchy, however. Subject to the more radical forces, Barnave took part in the attacks on the monarchy, on the clergy
, on Roman Catholic Church
property, and on the provincial Parlements. On several occasions he stood in opposition to Mirabeau
. After the storming of the Bastille
, he saw the power of the masses as a possibly leading to political chaos and wished to avoid this by saving the throne. He advocated the suspensory veto
, and the establishment of trial by jury in civil causes, but voted with the Left
against the system of two chambers.
His conflict with Mirabeau on the question of assigning to the King the right to make peace or war
(from 16 to 23 May 1790) was one of the main episodes of the Assembly's mandate. In August 1790, after a vehement debate, he fought a duel
with Jacques Antoine Marie de Cazalès
, in which the latter was slightly wounded. About the close of October 1790, Barnave was called to the presidency of the Assembly. On the death of Mirabeau a few months later, Barnave paid a high tribute to his worth and public services, designating him the "William Shakespeare
of oratory".
, Barnave was one of the three appointed to conduct them back to Paris
, along with Jerome Petion and the Marquis de Latour-Maubourg. During the journey, he began to feel compassion for Queen Marie-Antoinette and the Royal Family, and subsequently attempted to do what he could to alleviate their sufferings. In one of his most powerful speeches, he maintained the inviolability of the king’s person
.
As the Jacobin Club
grew more radically in favor of a republic
, Barnave and the other members of the triumvirate separated from them to form the Feuillant
party in early 1791. In the summer of 1791, July and August specifically, Barnave reached his height of political prominence after the 17 July 1791 Champ de Mars Massacre
weakened the position of the Jacobin
s.
The Feuillant
s began to lose this political clout by early autmun however, a matter that was complicated by disagreements that arose with the growing influence of Jacques Pierre Brissot
and his supporters, known as the Girondists. After the Feuillants opposed war against Austria
and the Habsburgs
, they were driven out of the Assembly. Barnave's public career came to an end, and he returned to Grenoble
at the beginning of 1792. His sympathy and relations with the royal family, to whom he had submitted a plan for a counter-revolution
, and his desire to check the violence of the Revolution, brought on him suspicion of treason
.
He was denounced on 15 August 1792 in the Legislative Assembly, arrested and imprisoned for ten months at Grenoble
, then transferred to Fort Barraux, and in November 1793 to Paris (during the Reign of Terror
). On 28 November he appeared before the Revolutionary Tribunal
. He was condemned for treason on the evidence of papers detailing his extensive clandestine correspondence with Queen Marie Antoinette
found in the Tuileries Palace
, and guillotine
d the next day, alongside Marguerite-Louis-François Duport-Dutertre.
, Barnave had been sent on behalf of the National Assembly
to escort the extravagant berline
carriage, with the Royal Family within, from Varennes back to Paris. It was in this setting that Barnave first met Queen Marie Antoinette. Though their initial interactions were marked by Barnave’s shy attempts to avoid eye contact, the queen was soon able to charm the twenty-nine-year-old politician and earn his favor. The two were reported to have been seen conversing intently on several occasions within the carriage, and near the rest stops, on the journey from Varennes. Purportedly, the subject of these conversations included Barnave and the rest of the Feuillant
s’ fervent belief that a constitutional monarchy
was the most viable solution for ending the revolution
with a minimum of further bloodshed.
Much evidence indicates that, because her closest friends, including Count von Fersen (who had organized the flight from Paris), were absent, Marie Antoinette
was attempting to influence Barnave and his fellow Feuillants as a way to ensure her family’s safety. She may also have dared to hope that it was still possible to reinstate some form of the former monarchy. Barnave was, quite clearly, taken by the Queen’s charm and waited for her to call on him when she was in grave circumstances.
This hour arrived only a few weeks later when, in early July 1791, Marie Antoinette wrote to Barnave the first of a long series of cryptic communications. Referring to him by a code name, Barnave received his letters through an unknown similarly codenamed intermediary. Her instructions were that her letter be read while the intermediary stood by to accept a reply; then he would return both documents to the queen. She herself never wrote any of the letters; instead, she dictated them so as to avoid embarrassing, and possibly incriminating, documentation.
Eventually, the entire series of letters were smuggled out of the Tuileries to Count von Fersen who sent them to his sister in Sweden where they remain today. The letters revealed that Barnave was confident of his influence in the National Assembly
, especially in light of the massacre on the Champ de Mars
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
politician, and, together with Honoré Mirabeau, one of the most influential orators of the early part of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. He is most notable for correspondence with Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
in an attempt to set up a constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
and for being one of the founding members of the Feuillants
Feuillant (political group)
The Feuillants were a political grouping that emerged during the French Revolution. It came into existence from a split within the Jacobins from those opposing the overthrow of the king and proposing a constitutional monarchy. The deputies publicly split with the Jacobins when they published a...
.
Early life
He was born at GrenobleGrenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
in Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
, of a Protestant
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
family. His father was an advocate at the Parlement
Parlement
Parlements were regional legislative bodies in Ancien Régime France.The political institutions of the Parlement in Ancien Régime France developed out of the previous council of the king, the Conseil du roi or curia regis, and consequently had ancient and customary rights of consultation and...
of Grenoble, and his mother was an upper-class educated woman. Because they were a Protestant family, Antoine could not attend local schools, and his mother educated him herself. Barnave was prepared for a career in law, and at the age of twenty-two made himself known by a speech pronounced before the local Parlement on the division of political powers
Federation
A federation , also known as a federal state, is a type of sovereign state characterized by a union of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central government...
.
Dauphiné was one of the first of the provinces of France
Provinces of France
The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. The provinces of France were roughly equivalent to the historic counties of England...
to be touched by revolutionary ideals. After being heavily influenced by the Day of the Tiles
Day of the Tiles
The Day of the Tiles is an event that took place in the French town of Grenoble on 7 June 1788. It was among the first of the revolts which preceded the French Revolution, and is credited by some historians as being the start of it.-Background:...
in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, Barnave became actively revolutionary. He explained his political position in a pamphlet
Pamphlet
A pamphlet is an unbound booklet . It may consist of a single sheet of paper that is printed on both sides and folded in half, in thirds, or in fourths , or it may consist of a few pages that are folded in half and saddle stapled at the crease to make a simple book...
entitled Esprit des édüs enregistrés militairement le 20 mai 1788. He was immediately elected deputy, with his father, to the states of Dauphiné
French States-General
In France under the Old Regime, the States-General or Estates-General , was a legislative assembly of the different classes of French subjects. It had a separate assembly for each of the three estates, which were called and dismissed by the king...
, and played a prominent role in their debates.
Estates-General and Assemblies
A few months later he became better known, when the Estates-General of 1789Estates-General of 1789
The Estates-General of 1789 was the first meeting since 1614 of the French Estates-General, a general assembly representing the French estates of the realm: the nobility, the Church, and the common people...
convened at the Palace of Versailles
Palace of Versailles
The Palace of Versailles , or simply Versailles, is a royal château in Versailles in the Île-de-France region of France. In French it is the Château de Versailles....
for 5 May 1789, and Barnave was chosen to be a deputy of the Third Estate
Estates of the realm
The Estates of the realm were the broad social orders of the hierarchically conceived society, recognized in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period in Christian Europe; they are sometimes distinguished as the three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and commoners, and are often referred to by...
for his native province of Dauphiné.
He soon rose to prominence in the National Assembly
National Assembly (French Revolution)
During the French Revolution, the National Assembly , which existed from June 17 to July 9, 1789, was a transitional body between the Estates-General and the National Constituent Assembly.-Background:...
, becoming the friend of most of the leaders of the party originating in the Third Estate, and formed with Adrien Duport
Adrien Duport
Adrien Duport was a French politician, and lawyer.-Life:He was born in Paris...
and Alexandre Lameth the group known during the Constituent Assembly
National Constituent Assembly
The National Constituent Assembly was formed from the National Assembly on 9 July 1789, during the first stages of the French Revolution. It dissolved on 30 September 1791 and was succeeded by the Legislative Assembly.-Background:...
as "the triumvirate
Triumvirate
A triumvirate is a political regime dominated by three powerful individuals, each a triumvir . The arrangement can be formal or informal, and though the three are usually equal on paper, in reality this is rarely the case...
". Together these three would later be principal figures in the formation of the Feuillant
Feuillant
Feuillant, a French word derived from the Latin for leaf, has been used as a tag by two different groups:*Feuillant *Feuillant ...
s, the breakaway party from the Jacobin Club dedicated to a moderate course supporting constitutional monarchy. Barnave took part in the conference on the claims of the three orders, drew up the first address to King Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
, and supported the proposal of Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès
Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès
Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès , commonly known as Abbé Sieyès, was a French Roman Catholic abbé and clergyman, one of the chief theorists of the French Revolution, French Consulate, and First French Empire...
that the Assembly should declare itself "National". Until 1791, he was one of the main members of the club known later as the Jacobins
Jacobin Club
The Jacobin Club was the most famous and influential political club in the development of the French Revolution, so-named because of the Dominican convent where they met, located in the Rue St. Jacques , Paris. The club originated as the Club Benthorn, formed at Versailles from a group of Breton...
, of which he drew up the manifesto
Manifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
and first rulebook.
Political Views
Although a partisan of political freedomsFreedom (political)
Political freedom is a central philosophy in Western history and political thought, and one of the most important features of democratic societies...
, he hoped to preserve revolutionary liberties together while maintaining the ruling House of Bourbon
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
. Barnave felt that a constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
would solve the problems facing France without being a complete upheaval of the government. This does not mean he was entirely in favor of the monarchy, however. Subject to the more radical forces, Barnave took part in the attacks on the monarchy, on the clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
, on Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
property, and on the provincial Parlements. On several occasions he stood in opposition to Mirabeau
Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau
Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau was a French revolutionary, as well as a writer, diplomat, freemason, journalist and French politician at the same time. He was a popular orator and statesman. During the French Revolution, he was a moderate, favoring a constitutional monarchy built on...
. After the storming of the Bastille
Storming of the Bastille
The storming of the Bastille occurred in Paris on the morning of 14 July 1789. The medieval fortress and prison in Paris known as the Bastille represented royal authority in the centre of Paris. While the prison only contained seven inmates at the time of its storming, its fall was the flashpoint...
, he saw the power of the masses as a possibly leading to political chaos and wished to avoid this by saving the throne. He advocated the suspensory veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
, and the establishment of trial by jury in civil causes, but voted with the Left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
against the system of two chambers.
His conflict with Mirabeau on the question of assigning to the King the right to make peace or war
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
(from 16 to 23 May 1790) was one of the main episodes of the Assembly's mandate. In August 1790, after a vehement debate, he fought a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
with Jacques Antoine Marie de Cazalès
Jacques Antoine Marie de Cazalès
Jacques Antoine Marie de Cazalès was a French orator and politician.-Biography:He was born at Grenade, Haute-Garonne, in a family of the lower nobility....
, in which the latter was slightly wounded. About the close of October 1790, Barnave was called to the presidency of the Assembly. On the death of Mirabeau a few months later, Barnave paid a high tribute to his worth and public services, designating him the "William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
of oratory".
Rise, Decline, and Execution
On the arrest of the king and the royal family during the Flight to VarennesFlight to Varennes
The Flight to Varennes was a significant episode in the French Revolution during which King Louis XVI of France, his wife Marie Antoinette, and their immediate family attempted unsuccessfully to escape from Paris in order to initiate a counter-revolution...
, Barnave was one of the three appointed to conduct them back to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, along with Jerome Petion and the Marquis de Latour-Maubourg. During the journey, he began to feel compassion for Queen Marie-Antoinette and the Royal Family, and subsequently attempted to do what he could to alleviate their sufferings. In one of his most powerful speeches, he maintained the inviolability of the king’s person
Sovereign immunity
Sovereign immunity, or crown immunity, is a legal doctrine by which the sovereign or state cannot commit a legal wrong and is immune from civil suit or criminal prosecution....
.
As the Jacobin Club
Jacobin Club
The Jacobin Club was the most famous and influential political club in the development of the French Revolution, so-named because of the Dominican convent where they met, located in the Rue St. Jacques , Paris. The club originated as the Club Benthorn, formed at Versailles from a group of Breton...
grew more radically in favor of a republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
, Barnave and the other members of the triumvirate separated from them to form the Feuillant
Feuillant
Feuillant, a French word derived from the Latin for leaf, has been used as a tag by two different groups:*Feuillant *Feuillant ...
party in early 1791. In the summer of 1791, July and August specifically, Barnave reached his height of political prominence after the 17 July 1791 Champ de Mars Massacre
Champ de Mars Massacre
During the French Revolution, on 17 July 1791, the Champ de Mars in Paris was the site of a massacre, the . On that day, the National Constituent Assembly issued a decree that the king, Louis XVI, would remain king under a constitutional monarchy...
weakened the position of the Jacobin
Jacobin
Jacobin may refer to:* Jacobin , a member of the Jacobin club, or political radical, generally* The Jacobin Club, a political club during the French Revolution* Jacobin , an American leftist political magazine....
s.
The Feuillant
Feuillant
Feuillant, a French word derived from the Latin for leaf, has been used as a tag by two different groups:*Feuillant *Feuillant ...
s began to lose this political clout by early autmun however, a matter that was complicated by disagreements that arose with the growing influence of Jacques Pierre Brissot
Jacques Pierre Brissot
Jacques Pierre Brissot , who assumed the name of de Warville, was a leading member of the Girondist movement during the French Revolution. Some sources give his name as Jean Pierre Brissot.-Biography:...
and his supporters, known as the Girondists. After the Feuillants opposed war against Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
and the Habsburgs
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
, they were driven out of the Assembly. Barnave's public career came to an end, and he returned to Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
at the beginning of 1792. His sympathy and relations with the royal family, to whom he had submitted a plan for a counter-revolution
Counterrevolutionary
A counter-revolutionary is anyone who opposes a revolution, particularly those who act after a revolution to try to overturn or reverse it, in full or in part...
, and his desire to check the violence of the Revolution, brought on him suspicion of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
.
He was denounced on 15 August 1792 in the Legislative Assembly, arrested and imprisoned for ten months at Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
, then transferred to Fort Barraux, and in November 1793 to Paris (during the Reign of Terror
Reign of Terror
The Reign of Terror , also known simply as The Terror , was a period of violence that occurred after the onset of the French Revolution, incited by conflict between rival political factions, the Girondins and the Jacobins, and marked by mass executions of "enemies of...
). On 28 November he appeared before the Revolutionary Tribunal
Revolutionary Tribunal
The Revolutionary Tribunal was a court which was instituted in Paris by the Convention during the French Revolution for the trial of political offenders, and eventually became one of the most powerful engines of the Reign of Terror....
. He was condemned for treason on the evidence of papers detailing his extensive clandestine correspondence with Queen Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
found in the Tuileries Palace
Tuileries Palace
The Tuileries Palace was a royal palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed in the upheaval during the suppression of the Paris Commune...
, and guillotine
Guillotine
The guillotine is a device used for carrying out :executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which an angled blade is suspended. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the head from the body...
d the next day, alongside Marguerite-Louis-François Duport-Dutertre.
Correspondence with Marie Antoinette
Along with Jérôme Pétion and the Marquis de Latour-MaubourgMarie Victor de Fay, marquis de Latour-Maubourg
Marie Victor Nicolas de Fay, marquis de Latour-Maubourg was a French cavalry commander starting under the Ancien Régime of France, and rising to prominence during the First French Empire...
, Barnave had been sent on behalf of the National Assembly
National Assembly
National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. The best known National Assembly, and the first legislature to be known by this title, was that established during the French Revolution in 1789, known as the Assemblée nationale...
to escort the extravagant berline
Berlin (carriage)
275px|thumb|1760s. Moscow Historical MuseumA Berlin carriage was a type of covered, fast and light, four-wheeled, travelling carriage with two interior seats and a separate hooded rear seat for a footman, detached from the body...
carriage, with the Royal Family within, from Varennes back to Paris. It was in this setting that Barnave first met Queen Marie Antoinette. Though their initial interactions were marked by Barnave’s shy attempts to avoid eye contact, the queen was soon able to charm the twenty-nine-year-old politician and earn his favor. The two were reported to have been seen conversing intently on several occasions within the carriage, and near the rest stops, on the journey from Varennes. Purportedly, the subject of these conversations included Barnave and the rest of the Feuillant
Feuillant
Feuillant, a French word derived from the Latin for leaf, has been used as a tag by two different groups:*Feuillant *Feuillant ...
s’ fervent belief that a constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
was the most viable solution for ending the revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
with a minimum of further bloodshed.
Much evidence indicates that, because her closest friends, including Count von Fersen (who had organized the flight from Paris), were absent, Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....
was attempting to influence Barnave and his fellow Feuillants as a way to ensure her family’s safety. She may also have dared to hope that it was still possible to reinstate some form of the former monarchy. Barnave was, quite clearly, taken by the Queen’s charm and waited for her to call on him when she was in grave circumstances.
This hour arrived only a few weeks later when, in early July 1791, Marie Antoinette wrote to Barnave the first of a long series of cryptic communications. Referring to him by a code name, Barnave received his letters through an unknown similarly codenamed intermediary. Her instructions were that her letter be read while the intermediary stood by to accept a reply; then he would return both documents to the queen. She herself never wrote any of the letters; instead, she dictated them so as to avoid embarrassing, and possibly incriminating, documentation.
Eventually, the entire series of letters were smuggled out of the Tuileries to Count von Fersen who sent them to his sister in Sweden where they remain today. The letters revealed that Barnave was confident of his influence in the National Assembly
National Assembly
National Assembly is either a legislature, or the lower house of a bicameral legislature in some countries. The best known National Assembly, and the first legislature to be known by this title, was that established during the French Revolution in 1789, known as the Assemblée nationale...
, especially in light of the massacre on the Champ de Mars
Champ de Mars Massacre
During the French Revolution, on 17 July 1791, the Champ de Mars in Paris was the site of a massacre, the . On that day, the National Constituent Assembly issued a decree that the king, Louis XVI, would remain king under a constitutional monarchy...
.
Further reading
- Jules Gabriel Janin, Barnave (Paris, 1860)