Gustave Flourens
Encyclopedia
Gustave Flourens was a French
Revolution
ary leader and writer, son of the physiologist Jean Pierre Flourens
(who was Professor at the Collège de France
and deputy in 1838-1839). He was also the elder brother of Emile Flourens
, who became minister of foreign affairs under the Third Republic
.
At 25 years old Flourens undertook in 1863, on behalf of his father, a course of lectures at the Collège de France
, on the subject of the history of mankind
. His theories as to the manifold origin of the human race gave offence to the clergy, and he was prevented from delivering further lectures. He then went to Brussels
, where he published his lectures under the title of Histoire de l’homme (1863). Gustave Flourens then visited Constantinople
and Athens
and took part in the Cretan insurrection of 1866-1868; he was one of those chosen for a difficult mission to Athens on behalf of the Cretan Revolutionary Assembly. He attempted to convince enlightened people, such as Victor Hugo
(who had failed to enter the Académie Française
because Jean Pierre Flourens had been chosen at his place), to support the Cretan insurrection. Gustave Flourens then spent some time in Italy
, where an article of his in the Fe polo d'Italia caused his arrest and imprisonment, and finally, having returned to France, nearly lost his life in a duel
with Paul de Cassagnac, editor of the Pays.
In Paris he devoted his time to the cause of "red republicanism
", and begin writing articles in the La Marseillaise
weekly newspaper. At length, having failed in an attempt to organize a revolution at Belleville
on 7 February 1870, was compelled to flee from France. Returning to Paris on the downfall of Napoleon, he placed himself at the head of a body of 500 tirailleur
s (sharpshooters). Because of his insurrectionary proceedings (he was one of the organizers of the 31 October 1870 riot against the provisional government's moderate policy) he was taken prisoner at Créteil, near Vincennes
, by the provisional government, and confined at Mazas
on 7 December 1870, but was released by his men on the night of 21-22 January. On 18 March he joined the population's uprising, was elected a member of the revolutionary Commune
by the XXe arrondissement
, and was named general. Gustave Flourens was one of the most active leaders of the insurrection, and after a sortie against the Versailles troops in the morning of 3 April, he fled into an inn near the bridge that separates Chatou
and Rueil. There, after he was captured and disarmed by the Gendarmerie
, he was murdered by Captain Jean-Marc Démaret. Besides his Science de l'homme (Paris, 1869), Flourens was also the author of numerous fugitive pamphlets.
's worksWilliam Butcher has suggested that one of Verne's most famous characters, Captain Nemo
, is based on Gustave Flourens. This view has been challenged by Leonidas Kallivretakis in the pages of The Historical Review
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
Revolution
Revolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
ary leader and writer, son of the physiologist Jean Pierre Flourens
Jean Pierre Flourens
Marie Jean Pierre Flourens , father of Gustave Flourens, was a French physiologist, the founder of experimental brain science and a pioneer in anesthesia....
(who was Professor at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
and deputy in 1838-1839). He was also the elder brother of Emile Flourens
Émile Flourens
Émile Flourens was a French politician.He was the younger brother of Gustave Flourens....
, who became minister of foreign affairs under the Third Republic
French Third Republic
The French Third Republic was the republican government of France from 1870, when the Second French Empire collapsed due to the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, to 1940, when France was overrun by Nazi Germany during World War II, resulting in the German and Italian occupations of France...
.
At 25 years old Flourens undertook in 1863, on behalf of his father, a course of lectures at the Collège de France
Collège de France
The Collège de France is a higher education and research establishment located in Paris, France, in the 5th arrondissement, or Latin Quarter, across the street from the historical campus of La Sorbonne at the intersection of Rue Saint-Jacques and Rue des Écoles...
, on the subject of the history of mankind
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
. His theories as to the manifold origin of the human race gave offence to the clergy, and he was prevented from delivering further lectures. He then went to Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, where he published his lectures under the title of Histoire de l’homme (1863). Gustave Flourens then visited Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and took part in the Cretan insurrection of 1866-1868; he was one of those chosen for a difficult mission to Athens on behalf of the Cretan Revolutionary Assembly. He attempted to convince enlightened people, such as Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
(who had failed to enter the Académie Française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
because Jean Pierre Flourens had been chosen at his place), to support the Cretan insurrection. Gustave Flourens then spent some time in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, where an article of his in the Fe polo d'Italia caused his arrest and imprisonment, and finally, having returned to France, nearly lost his life in 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 Paul de Cassagnac, editor of the Pays.
In Paris he devoted his time to the cause of "red republicanism
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
", and begin writing articles in the La Marseillaise
La Marseillaise (1869 newspaper)
La Marseillaise is a French weekly newspaper created by Henri Rochefort. It was first published on 19 December 1869. The writing staff included Paschal Grousset, Arthur Arnould, Gustave Flourens, Jules Vallès and Victor Noir....
weekly newspaper. At length, having failed in an attempt to organize a revolution at Belleville
Belleville (commune)
Belleville was a French commune in the Seine département lying immediately east of Paris, France. It was one of four communes entirely annexed by the city of Paris in 1860. Its territory is now shared by the XIXe arrondissement and XXe arrondissement, but a neighborhood has retained its name: the...
on 7 February 1870, was compelled to flee from France. Returning to Paris on the downfall of Napoleon, he placed himself at the head of a body of 500 tirailleur
Tirailleur
Tirailleur literally means a shooting skirmisher in French from tir—shot. The term dates back to the Napoleonic period where it was used to designate light infantry trained to skirmish ahead of the main columns...
s (sharpshooters). Because of his insurrectionary proceedings (he was one of the organizers of the 31 October 1870 riot against the provisional government's moderate policy) he was taken prisoner at Créteil, near Vincennes
Vincennes
Vincennes is a commune in the Val-de-Marne department in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. It is one of the most densely populated municipalities in Europe.-History:...
, by the provisional government, and confined at Mazas
Mazas
Mazas may refer to:* Mazas Prison, a 19th-century French prison* Rafael Sánchez Mazas, a Spanish writer and member of Franco's Falange movement.* Jacques-Fereol Mazas, a French violinist...
on 7 December 1870, but was released by his men on the night of 21-22 January. On 18 March he joined the population's uprising, was elected a member of the revolutionary Commune
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
by the XXe arrondissement
XXe arrondissement
The 20th arrondissement, also known as arrondissement de Ménilmontant, located on the Right Bank, is one of the 20 arrondissements of Paris, France. It contains the cosmopolitan districts of Ménilmontant and Belleville which have welcomed many successive waves of immigration since the middle of the...
, and was named general. Gustave Flourens was one of the most active leaders of the insurrection, and after a sortie against the Versailles troops in the morning of 3 April, he fled into an inn near the bridge that separates Chatou
Chatou
Chatou is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris from the center...
and Rueil. There, after he was captured and disarmed by the Gendarmerie
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
, he was murdered by Captain Jean-Marc Démaret. Besides his Science de l'homme (Paris, 1869), Flourens was also the author of numerous fugitive pamphlets.
Possible influence on Jules Verne
In his notes to modern editions of some of Jules VerneJules Verne
Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
's worksWilliam Butcher has suggested that one of Verne's most famous characters, Captain Nemo
Captain Nemo
Captain Nemo, also known as Prince Dakkar, is a fictional character featured in Jules Verne's novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island ....
, is based on Gustave Flourens. This view has been challenged by Leonidas Kallivretakis in the pages of The Historical Review