Bourbon Restoration in France
On the 6th of April 1814, the armies of the Sixth Coalition marched into Paris and restored Louis XVIII to the throne. This moment marked the end of Napoleon's First Empire and the beginning of a fragile peace for a war-weary nation. The French public had suffered through two decades of constant conflict, and the return of the Bourbon monarchy offered a chance at stability. Louis XVIII had spent twenty years in exile, watching his brother Louis XVI be executed during the Revolution. He understood that France would not tolerate a full return to the pre-Revolutionary past. His policy was one of continuity rather than reversal. He accepted most reforms from 1792 to 1814 and did not attempt to recover land taken from émigrés. The kingdom experienced internal peace and external calm as it began to rebuild its economy.
Louis XVIII granted a written constitution known as the Charter of 1814 on the 4th of June 1814. This document presented all Frenchmen as equal before the law while retaining substantial power for the king. Voting rights were limited to men who paid at least 300 francs in direct taxes annually. Only about 1% of the population could vote under these rules. The King remained the supreme head of state with authority over the military and foreign policy. He appointed all public officials and made necessary regulations for the execution of laws. The Chamber of Deputies held an elected body but their role was largely consultative except regarding taxation. The franchise was restricted to those with considerable property holdings. Many legal and administrative reforms from the Revolutionary period remained intact including the Napoleonic Code. Relations between Church and State continued to be regulated by the Concordat of 1801.
After Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in June 1815, unofficial groups supporting the monarchy sought revenge against those who had aided his return. About 200 to 300 people were killed during this period known as the Second White Terror. Thousands more fled the country to escape persecution. Approximately 70,000 government officials were dismissed from their posts. The pro-Bourbon perpetrators became known as the Verdets because they wore green cockets which was the color of the Count of Artois. This hardline faction pushed for a restoration of privileges that went beyond what Louis XVIII desired. The legislature threw out moderate governments and passed judgment against enemies of the state. They sacked between 50,000 and 80,000 civil servants while dismissing 15,000 army officers. Richelieu served as Prime Minister until December 1818 before being replaced by Decazes who attempted to stop the politicization of the National Guard.
Between 1827 and 1830 France faced an economic downturn worse than any seen since the Revolution. A series of progressively worsening grain harvests pushed up prices on staple foods and cash crops. Rural peasants throughout the country lobbied for the relaxation of protective tariffs on grain to lower costs. Charles X kept these tariffs in place despite pressure from wealthier landowners. The tariff on iron goods reached 120% while winegrowers insisted on high tariffs on imported tea. French winegrowers argued that tea broke down national character while wine aroused gentle gaiety. The government falsified official statistics claiming exports were growing when stagnation was actually occurring. Workers living on the margin suffered greatly from rising food prices caused by bad harvests between 1827 and 1830. International pressures combined with weakened purchasing power led to decreased economic activity in urban centers. By 1830 multiple demographics had suffered from the economic policies of Charles X.
By 1800 the Catholic Church was poor, dilapidated and disorganized with a depleted and aging clergy. Younger generations received little religious instruction and were unfamiliar with traditional worship. With the Restoration the Church again became the state religion supported financially and politically by the government. Bishops regained control of Catholic affairs while the aristocracy formed an alliance of throne and altar. Devotion was far stronger and more visible in rural areas than in Paris or other cities. An 1802 book by François-René de Chateaubriand entitled Génie du christianisme reshaped French literature and intellectual life. This work emphasized the centrality of religion in creating European high culture and launched a fashionable rediscovery of the Middle Ages. The revival was evident in real if uneven rechristianisation of the French countryside which included about 680,000 Protestants and 60,000 Jews who were extended toleration. At the elite level there was a dramatic change from intellectual classicism to passionate romanticism.
On the 25th of July 1830 Charles X issued four decrees known as the Four Ordinances that dissolved the Chamber of Deputies and suspended liberty of the press. These actions excluded the liberal commercial middle class from future elections and called for new elections under rigid controls. Opinion was outraged before the king had even made his declarations. A group of wealthy liberal journalists led by Adolphe Thiers met on the 10th of July 1830 to decide upon a strategy to counter Charles X. They resolved to publish vitriolic criticisms of the king's policies in an attempt to mobilize the masses. Urban mobs assembled barricades and attacked infrastructure within days. The situation escalated beyond the monarchy's ability to control it. As the Crown moved to shut down liberal periodicals radical Parisian masses defended those publications. The king finally abdicated on the 30th of July 1830 after twenty minutes his son also abdicated. The newly empowered Chamber of Deputies declared the throne vacant and elevated Louis-Philippe to power on the 9th of August 1830.
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Common questions
When did the Bourbon Restoration begin in France?
The Bourbon Restoration began on the 6th of April 1814 when armies of the Sixth Coalition marched into Paris and restored Louis XVIII to the throne. This event marked the end of Napoleon's First Empire and started a period of fragile peace for France.
What were the voting requirements under the Charter of 1814 granted by Louis XVIII?
Voting rights under the Charter of 1814 were limited to men who paid at least 300 francs in direct taxes annually. Only about 1% of the population could vote because the franchise was restricted to those with considerable property holdings.
Who led the hardline faction known as the Verdets during the Second White Terror?
The pro-Bourbon perpetrators became known as the Verdets because they wore green cockets which was the color of the Count of Artois. This hardline faction pushed for a restoration of privileges that went beyond what Louis XVIII desired and sacked between 50,000 and 80,000 civil servants.
Why did economic conditions worsen in France between 1827 and 1830?
Economic conditions worsened due to progressively failing grain harvests that pushed up prices on staple foods and cash crops. Charles X kept protective tariffs in place despite pressure from wealthier landowners and workers living on the margin suffered greatly from rising food prices.
What happened when Charles X issued the Four Ordinances on the 25th of July 1830?
Charles X issued four decrees known as the Four Ordinances that dissolved the Chamber of Deputies and suspended liberty of the press. The king finally abdicated on the 30th of July 1830 after twenty minutes his son also abdicated and the newly empowered Chamber of Deputies elevated Louis-Philippe to power on the 9th of August 1830.