Restoration of the Bourbons

1. Restoration of the Bourbons www.educationforum.co.uk

2. The Restoration • With the final defeat of the Emperor Napoleon I at Waterloo in 1815, the Congress Powers restored the Bourbon monarch to France in the person of Louis XVIII for the second time (brother of Louis XVI – whose 10 year old son had died in prison during the revolution hence the leap to XVIII). • This was partly an attempt to ‘put the clock’ back to before the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars across Europe

3. The Charte • This did not mean however that France lost all the achievements of the Revolution and Napoleon. • Napoleonic ideas such as the Code Napoleon (legal reform), the Legion of Honour, and reformed and centralised local government remained in place • Louis also agreed to the Congress powers insistence that he rule constitutionally under the terms of the ‘Charte’ or constitution. • There was intention to return to divine right absolutist government

4. Terms of the Charte • France to have a parliament (lower house) elected by men over 30 who paid over 300 francs in tax (wealthy middle class). 100,000 out of approx. 29 million therefore had the vote. • Revolutionary ideas such as press freedom and equality before the law guaranteed by the charte • Property confiscated and sold during the revolution guaranteed • Religious toleration guaranteed by charte though Catholicism remained the ‘official state religion’ • Retention of the Code Napoleon meant that things like the lettres de cachet and corvee could not return • Members of Parliament had to be over 40 and pay 1000 francs tax per year • The Upper House or Chamber of Peers were either hereditary peers (ascribed status) or appointed by the King.

5. Powers Retained by the King • Commander of army and navy • Right to declare war and peace • Right to appoint new peers to the upper chamber of parliament • Right to rule by ordinance (royal decree) in times of national emergency The Charte could be seen as an attempt at compromise that pleased neither Royalists nor revolutionaries

6. Problems 1: The Hundred Days • The Bourbons were originally restored in 1814. In 1815 Napoleon I escaped from exile in Elba, landed in France, march through the countryside winning support as he passed through – Louis XVIII fled and Napoleon reigned for another 100 days until his defeat at Waterloo • Difficult for the Bourbons from this point to shrug off the feeling that they had been imposed on an unwilling France by France’s enemies

7. Problem 2 The “Ultras” • Many noble ‘émigrés’ returned to France demanding a return to feudalism and the wreak a revenge on revolutionaries and Bonapartists • The ‘Ultras’ were led by the Comte D’Artois the brother of the King who was next in line for the throne – quickly organised ‘The White Terror’ – a series of imprisonments and executions in the south of France by the ultras against revolutionaries and Bonapartists

8. The Reign of Louis 1815-24 • Has received praise for its early moderation and attempt to make the charte work – economic recovery, paying off a war indemnity, getting foreign troops off French soil, getting France back into the Congress system, working peacefully with parliament • By 1820’s however Louis was physically deteriorating (diabetic gangrene, enormously obese and gout) and found it increasingly difficult to resist the influence of the Ultras • When the Comte D’Artois son the Duc de Berri was murdered by a Bonapartist in 1820 the ultras persuaded Louis to pass some restrictive legislation against liberalism, the free press and trial by jury • In 1824 Louis was again persuaded by the ultras to intervene in Spain to support the absolutist monarch Ferdinand against revolt • In 1824 Louis died and D’Artois became Charles X. Charles was determined to restore the monarchy to its Ancien Regime position

9. Start as you mean to go on! • Charles revived the ancient coronation ceremony of medieval times. He lay prostrate on cushions while he body was pierced seven times with a golden needle dipped in holy oil somehow ‘preserved’ from the 5th century • He then visited hospitals purporting to ‘cure’ the ill with his ‘holy touch. • A catholic religious revival was encouraged and the ultra ultra Polignac was appointed Chief Minister

10. Ordinance of St Cloud 1830 • The policy of Charles and Polignac stirred up much opposition from liberals and Bonapartists • To deal with this Charles proclaimed the Ordinances of St Cloud in 1830 – royal decrees which dissolved Parliament, reduced the electorate by 3/4s and muzzled the free press • The Ordinances triggered the revolution of 1830 which drove the Bourbon monarchy from power for good