Le souper de Beaucaire
Encyclopedia
Le souper de Beaucaire was a political pamphlet written by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1793. With the French Revolution
into its fourth year, civil war had spread across France, in response to the government's decrees and radical oppression of counter-revolutionaries, through the use of capital punishment. Napoleon was involved in military action against the rebellious départments of southern France. It was during these events, in 1793, that he spoke with four merchants from the Midi and heard their views. As a loyal Republic soldier he responded in turn, set on dispelling the fears of the merchants and discouraging their beliefs. He later wrote about his conversation in the form of a pamphlet, calling for an end to the civil war.
became the executive power
of France following the execution of King Louis XVI. With powerful members such as Maximilien Robespierre
and Georges Danton
, the Jacobin Club
, a French political party, managed to secure control of the government and pursue the revolution to their own ends, resulting in insurrection across much of France, including France's three largest cities after Paris, namely Lyon, Marseille and Toulon, in the south of France.
Citizens in the south were opposed to a centralised government, and to the decrees of its rule, which resulted in rebellion. Prior to the revolution France had been divided into provinces with local governments. In 1790 the government, the National Constituent Assembly
, reorganised France into administrative departments in order to rebalance the uneven distribution of French wealth, which had been subject to feudalism under the Ancien Régime and monarchy.
to deal with rebels from Marseille situated in Avignon, where army munitions required by the French Army of Italy
were being stored. On 24 July, Carteaux's troops attacked rebellious National Guard
smen, killing several citizens during the siege, before capturing the town and army supplies. Afterwards, Napoleon travelled to nearby Tarascon to find wagons with which to transport the munition. He visited Beaucaire, across the river from Tarascon, which had been holding an annual fair. Napoleon arrived on 28 July, the last day of the fair, and went to a tavern where he shared supper
and conversation with four merchants – two from Marseille, one from Montpellier and another from Nîmes.
That evening Napoleon and the four merchants discussed the revolution, subsequent rebellions, and their consequences. Speaking as a pro-Republican, Napoleon supported the Jacobin cause, and explained the benefits of the revolution, whilst defending Carteaux's actions in Avignon. One of the merchants from Marseille expressed his moderate views regarding the revolution, and reasons for supporting civil war against a central government. The merchant stressed that Marseille did not fight for the Royalist cause, but opposed the nature of the Convention itself, condemning its decrees and deeming the execution of citizens as unlawful. Napoleon concluded that the people of Marseille should reject counter-revolutionary ideals and adopt the constitution
of the French Republic in order to end the civil war and allow the regular army to restore France.
Following their conversation the group drank champagne until two in the morning, paid for by the Marseillais merchant.
The pamphlet was read by Augustin Robespierre
, brother of Maximilien Robespierre, who was impressed by the revolutionary context. The pamphlet itself had little effect against the rebellious forces, but served to advance Napoleon's career. He soon became recognised for his political ambitions by a Corsica-born politician, and family friend, Christophe Saliceti
, who arranged to have it published and distributed. Christophe's influence, along with fellow Convention deputy Augustin Robespierre, advanced Napoleon into the position of senior gunner, at Toulon.
In Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, a biography by Napoleon's private secretary, Louis de Bourrienne
, he notes that Le souper de Beaucaire was reprinted as a book – the first edition issued at the cost of the Public Treasury
in August 1798, and a second edition in 1821, following Napoleon's death. He also states, "It was during my absence from France that Bonaparte, in the rank of chef de bataillon [major], performed his first campaign, and contributed so materially to the recapture of Toulon. Of this period of his life I have no personal knowledge, and therefore I shall not speak of it as an eye-witness. I shall merely relate some facts which fill up the interval between 1793 and 1795, and which I have collected from papers which he himself delivered to me. Among these papers is a little production, entitled Le Souper de Beaucaire, the copies of which he bought up at considerable expense, and destroyed upon his attaining the Consulate
."
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...
into its fourth year, civil war had spread across France, in response to the government's decrees and radical oppression of counter-revolutionaries, through the use of capital punishment. Napoleon was involved in military action against the rebellious départments of southern France. It was during these events, in 1793, that he spoke with four merchants from the Midi and heard their views. As a loyal Republic soldier he responded in turn, set on dispelling the fears of the merchants and discouraging their beliefs. He later wrote about his conversation in the form of a pamphlet, calling for an end to the civil war.
Background
During the French Revolution the National ConventionNational Convention
During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly which sat from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795 . It held executive power in France during the first years of the French First Republic...
became the executive power
Executive Power
Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:...
of France following the execution of King Louis XVI. With powerful members such as Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre is one of the best-known and most influential figures of the French Revolution. He largely dominated the Committee of Public Safety and was instrumental in the period of the Revolution commonly known as the Reign of Terror, which ended with his...
and Georges Danton
Georges Danton
Georges Jacques Danton was leading figure in the early stages of the French Revolution and the first President of the Committee of Public Safety. Danton's role in the onset of the Revolution has been disputed; many historians describe him as "the chief force in theoverthrow of the monarchy and the...
, 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...
, a French political party, managed to secure control of the government and pursue the revolution to their own ends, resulting in insurrection across much of France, including France's three largest cities after Paris, namely Lyon, Marseille and Toulon, in the south of France.
Citizens in the south were opposed to a centralised government, and to the decrees of its rule, which resulted in rebellion. Prior to the revolution France had been divided into provinces with local governments. In 1790 the government, the National 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:...
, reorganised France into administrative departments in order to rebalance the uneven distribution of French wealth, which had been subject to feudalism under the Ancien Régime and monarchy.
Rebellion in Southern France
In July 1793 Captain Napoleon Bonaparte, an artillery officer, was placed under the command of Jean-Baptiste CarteauxJean François Carteaux
Jean Baptiste François Carteaux was a French painter who became a General in the French Revolutionary Army...
to deal with rebels from Marseille situated in Avignon, where army munitions required by the French Army of Italy
Army of Italy (France)
The Army of Italy was a Field army of the French Army stationed on the Italian border and used for operations in Italy itself. Though it existed in some form in the 16th century through to the present, it is best known for its role during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic...
were being stored. On 24 July, Carteaux's troops attacked rebellious National Guard
National Guard (France)
The National Guard was the name given at the time of the French Revolution to the militias formed in each city, in imitation of the National Guard created in Paris. It was a military force separate from the regular army...
smen, killing several citizens during the siege, before capturing the town and army supplies. Afterwards, Napoleon travelled to nearby Tarascon to find wagons with which to transport the munition. He visited Beaucaire, across the river from Tarascon, which had been holding an annual fair. Napoleon arrived on 28 July, the last day of the fair, and went to a tavern where he shared supper
Supper
Supper is the name for the evening meal in some dialects of English - ordinarily the last meal of the day. Originally, in the Middle Ages, it referred to the lighter meal following dinner, where until the 18th century dinner was invariably eaten as the midday meal.The term is derived from the...
and conversation with four merchants – two from Marseille, one from Montpellier and another from Nîmes.
That evening Napoleon and the four merchants discussed the revolution, subsequent rebellions, and their consequences. Speaking as a pro-Republican, Napoleon supported the Jacobin cause, and explained the benefits of the revolution, whilst defending Carteaux's actions in Avignon. One of the merchants from Marseille expressed his moderate views regarding the revolution, and reasons for supporting civil war against a central government. The merchant stressed that Marseille did not fight for the Royalist cause, but opposed the nature of the Convention itself, condemning its decrees and deeming the execution of citizens as unlawful. Napoleon concluded that the people of Marseille should reject counter-revolutionary ideals and adopt the constitution
French Constitution of 1793
The Constitution of 24 June 1793 , also known as the Constitution of the Year I, or the The Montagnard Constitution , was the constitution instated by the Montagnards and by popular referendum under the First Republic during the French Revolution...
of the French Republic in order to end the civil war and allow the regular army to restore France.
Following their conversation the group drank champagne until two in the morning, paid for by the Marseillais merchant.
Publication and recognition
Shortly after the events, possibly on the 29 July whilst still in Beaucaire, Napoleon wrote a political pamphlet titled Le souper de Beaucaire (The supper at Beaucaire) in which a soldier speaks with four merchants and sympathetic to their opinions attempts to dissipate their counter-revolutionary sentiments.The pamphlet was read by Augustin Robespierre
Augustin Robespierre
Augustin Bon Joseph de Robespierre was the younger brother of French Revolutionary leader, Maximilien Robespierre....
, brother of Maximilien Robespierre, who was impressed by the revolutionary context. The pamphlet itself had little effect against the rebellious forces, but served to advance Napoleon's career. He soon became recognised for his political ambitions by a Corsica-born politician, and family friend, Christophe Saliceti
Antoine Christophe Saliceti
Antoine Christophe Saliceti was a French politician and diplomat of the Revolution and First Empire.-Early career:...
, who arranged to have it published and distributed. Christophe's influence, along with fellow Convention deputy Augustin Robespierre, advanced Napoleon into the position of senior gunner, at Toulon.
In Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte, a biography by Napoleon's private secretary, Louis de Bourrienne
Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne
Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne , French diplomat, was born at Sens.He was educated at the military school of Brienne in Champagne along with Napoleon Bonaparte; and although the solitary habits of the latter made intimacy difficult, the two youths seem to have been on friendly terms...
, he notes that Le souper de Beaucaire was reprinted as a book – the first edition issued at the cost of the Public Treasury
Trésor public
The Trésor public is the national administration of the Treasury in France. It is headed by the general direction of public accountancy in the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Industry....
in August 1798, and a second edition in 1821, following Napoleon's death. He also states, "It was during my absence from France that Bonaparte, in the rank of chef de bataillon [major], performed his first campaign, and contributed so materially to the recapture of Toulon. Of this period of his life I have no personal knowledge, and therefore I shall not speak of it as an eye-witness. I shall merely relate some facts which fill up the interval between 1793 and 1795, and which I have collected from papers which he himself delivered to me. Among these papers is a little production, entitled Le Souper de Beaucaire, the copies of which he bought up at considerable expense, and destroyed upon his attaining the Consulate
French Consulate
The Consulate was the government of France between the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire in 1799 until the start of the Napoleonic Empire in 1804...
."
External links
- Scan of 1821 second edition of Le souper de Beaucaire Napoleon, 1793. Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris