Sansculottides
Encyclopedia
The Sansculottides are holidays following the last month of the year on the French Republican Calendar
which was used following the French Revolution
from approximately 1793 to 1805.
The Sansculottides, named after the Sansculottes, append the twelve, 30-day months of the Republican Calendar with five complementary days in a common year or six complemetary days in a leap year so that the calendar year would approximately match the tropical year
. They follow the last day of Fructidor
, the last month of the year, and precede the first day of Vendémiaire
.
The Sansculottides belong to the summer quarter. They begin on September 17 or 18 and approximately end on the autumn equinox
, on September 22 or 23 on the Gregorian calendar
.
of October 5, 1793 (le 14 du 1er mois de l'an II; later: le 14 Vendémiaire de l'an II) by the National Convention
, the days following the last month of the year were named jours complémentaires and numbered serially. Only the leap day (jour intercalaire) received a name:
The other days, decades, and months were also serially numbered.
On October 24 (le 3 du 2e mois; later: le 3 Brumaire) of the same year, the poet Philippe-François-Nazaire Fabre, known as Fabre d'Églantine
, made public his dislike of this naming convention ("le premier jour de la première décade du premier mois de la première année"). He suggested proper names for the months, the days of the months, and the days of the decades. For the jours complémentaires, he introduced the name Sansculottides. The individual days should have the following names:
According to the proposal by Fabre d'Églantine:
On November 24, 1793 these proposals were accepted with slight modifications. It was decided that the name should be written fêtes Sansculotides (one 't'). The alternate spellings Sans-culotides and Sans-culottides were also used. The fête des actions was shifted to the first place and named fête de la vertu. The fête des récompenses went to the last place and the leap year day regained its old name:
On August 24, 1795 (le 7 Fructidor de l'an III), the Sansculottides were renamed again to jours complémentaires (Complementary Days). The fête du travail was also known as the fête du labour. The fête de l'opinion was also termed fête de l'option (Celebration of Choice) or fête de la raison (Celebration of Reason).
The Basque translation of the calendar for 1799 simply names the bethagail-egunak as bethagail-legun, bethagail-bigun,... ("complementary primidi", "complementary duodi",...).
Leap Years<>b>
Fête de la
vertu
Fête du
génie
Fête du
travail
Fête de
l'opinion
Fête des
recompenses
Fête de la
révolution
17
18
19
20
21
22
idth="100%" style="text-align: center">
September
1795
1799
EWLINE
Fête de la
vertu
Fête du
génie
Fête du
travail
Fête de
l'opinion
Fête des
recompenses
18
19
20
21
22
idth="100%" style="text-align: center">
September
1800
1801
1802
1804
1805
EWLINE
Fête de la
vertu
Fête du
génie
Fête du
travail
Fête de
l'opinion
Fête des
recompenses
Fête de la
révolution
18
19
20
21
22
23
idth="100%" style="text-align: center">
September
1803
French Republican Calendar
The French Republican Calendar or French Revolutionary Calendar was a calendar created and implemented during the French Revolution, and used by the French government for about 12 years from late 1793 to 1805, and for 18 days by the Paris Commune in 1871...
which was used following 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...
from approximately 1793 to 1805.
The Sansculottides, named after the Sansculottes, append the twelve, 30-day months of the Republican Calendar with five complementary days in a common year or six complemetary days in a leap year so that the calendar year would approximately match the tropical year
Tropical year
A tropical year , for general purposes, is the length of time that the Sun takes to return to the same position in the cycle of seasons, as seen from Earth; for example, the time from vernal equinox to vernal equinox, or from summer solstice to summer solstice...
. They follow the last day of Fructidor
Fructidor
Fructidor is the twelfth month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the Latin word fructus, which means "fruit".Fructidor is the third month of the summer quarter . By the Gregorian calendar, Fructidor starts on either August 18 or August 19 and ends exactly thirty days...
, the last month of the year, and precede the first day of Vendémiaire
Vendémiaire
Vendémiaire was the first month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word vendange .Vendémiaire was the first month of the autumn quarter . It started on the day of the autumnal equinox, which fell between 22 September and 24 September, inclusive. It thus ended...
.
The Sansculottides belong to the summer quarter. They begin on September 17 or 18 and approximately end on the autumn equinox
Equinox
An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator...
, on September 22 or 23 on the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
.
History
In the decreeDecree
A decree is a rule of law issued by a head of state , according to certain procedures . It has the force of law...
of October 5, 1793 (le 14 du 1er mois de l'an II; later: le 14 Vendémiaire de l'an II) by the National Convention
National 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...
, the days following the last month of the year were named jours complémentaires and numbered serially. Only the leap day (jour intercalaire) received a name:
- 1. premier jour complémentaire — First Complementary Day
- 2. second jour complémentaire — Second Complementary Day
- 3. troisième jour complémentaire — Third Complementary Day
- 4. quatrième jour complémentaire — Fourth Complementary Day
- 5. cinquième jour complémentaire — Fifth Complementary Day
- 6. jour de la Révolution — Revolution Day
The other days, decades, and months were also serially numbered.
On October 24 (le 3 du 2e mois; later: le 3 Brumaire) of the same year, the poet Philippe-François-Nazaire Fabre, known as Fabre d'Églantine
Fabre d'Églantine
Philippe François Nazaire Fabre d'Églantine , commonly known as Fabre d'Églantine , was a French actor, dramatist, poet, and politician of the French Revolution.-Early life:He was born in Carcassonne, Aude...
, made public his dislike of this naming convention ("le premier jour de la première décade du premier mois de la première année"). He suggested proper names for the months, the days of the months, and the days of the decades. For the jours complémentaires, he introduced the name Sansculottides. The individual days should have the following names:
- 1. fête du génie — Celebration of Talent
- 2. fête du travail — Celebration of Labour
- 3. fête des actions — Celebration of Policy
- 4. fête des récompenses — Celebration of Honors
- 5. fête de l’opinion — Celebration of Convictions
- 6. la Sans-culottide / la Sanculottide — (rough meaning:) "Day of the Revolutionary"
According to the proposal by Fabre d'Églantine:
- The fête du génie should be dedicated to the most precious and, for the nation, most useful achievements of the human mind accomplished in the past year.
- The fête du travail should be focused on industry, physical labour, and production of useful things.
- On the fête des actions, good and beneficial policies should be praised that have been helpful, even if only of benefit to individuals rather than to the nation.
- On the fête des récompenses, people should be rewarded for the merits exemplifying the previous three days' mottos.
- On the fête de l’opinion, people should criticise the administration, without fear of punishment, in the form of songs, caricatures, and ironic and sarcastic speeches. By this, d'Églantine meant: "I dare to say that this one day will cause public servants to do their duty more than even the laws of a Draco ever could."
- The Sanculottide, celebrated in leap years, should be the celebration of national unity. Representatives from all parts of the country should meet each other in the capital and celebrate together.
On November 24, 1793 these proposals were accepted with slight modifications. It was decided that the name should be written fêtes Sansculotides (one 't'). The alternate spellings Sans-culotides and Sans-culottides were also used. The fête des actions was shifted to the first place and named fête de la vertu. The fête des récompenses went to the last place and the leap year day regained its old name:
- 1. fête de la vertu — Celebration of Virtue
- 2. fête du génie — Celebration of Talent
- 3. fête du travail — Celebration of Labour
- 4. fête de l’opinion — Celebration of Convictions
- 5. fête des récompenses — Celebration of Honors
- 6. fête de la Révolution — Celebration of the Revolution
On August 24, 1795 (le 7 Fructidor de l'an III), the Sansculottides were renamed again to jours complémentaires (Complementary Days). The fête du travail was also known as the fête du labour. The fête de l'opinion was also termed fête de l'option (Celebration of Choice) or fête de la raison (Celebration of Reason).
The Basque translation of the calendar for 1799 simply names the bethagail-egunak as bethagail-legun, bethagail-bigun,... ("complementary primidi", "complementary duodi",...).
Conversion table
| Table for conversion between Republican and Gregorian Calendar referring to the "Sansculottides"
|
|---|
| idth="100%" align="center" style="text-align:center"> | |||||
| III. | VII. |
vertu
génie
travail
l'opinion
recompenses
révolution
| idth="100%" align="center" style="text-align:center"> | |||||
| VIII. | IX. | X. | XII. | XIII. |
vertu
génie
travail
l'opinion
recompenses
| idth="100%" align="center" style="text-align:center"> | |||||
| XI. |
vertu
génie
travail
l'opinion
recompenses
révolution
