Deputy Jean-Baptiste Desmolin from Gers in official uniform of member of the Council of Five Hundred (portrait by Laneuville)
The Council of Five Hundred was established under the Constitution of Year III which was adopted by a referendum on 24 September 1795,[2] and constituted after the first elections which were held from 12–21 October 1795. Voting rights were restricted to citizens owning property bringing in income equal to 150 days of work.[2] Each member elected had to be at least 30 years old, meet residency qualifications and pay taxes. To prevent them coming under the pressure of the sans-culottes and the Paris mob, the constitution allowed the Council of the Five Hundred to meet in closed session.[3] A third of them would be replaced annually.[4][5]
Besides functioning as a legislative body, the Council of Five Hundred proposed the list out of which the Ancients chose five Directors, who jointly held executive power. The Council of Five Hundred had their own distinctive official uniform, with robes, cape and hat, just as did the Council of Ancients and the Directors.[6][5] Under the Thermidorean constitution, as Boissy d'Anglas put it, the Council of Five Hundred was to be the imagination of the Republic, and the Council of Ancients its reason.[7][verification needed][8]
In the elections of April 1797, there were a number of voting irregularities and a very low turnout, resulting in a strong showing for Royalist tendencies. A number of the newly elected deputies formed the Club de Clichy in the council.[9]Jean-Charles Pichegru, widely assumed to be a monarchist, was elected President of the Council of Five Hundred.[10] After documentation of Pichegru's activities was supplied by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Directors accused the entire body of plotting against the Revolution and moved quickly to annul the elections and arrest the royalists in what was known as the Coup of 18 Fructidor.[10]
To support the coup, General Lazare Hoche, then commander of the Army of Sambre-et-Meuse, arrived in the capital with his troops, while Napoleon sent an army under Pierre Augereau. Deputies were arrested and 53 were exiled to Cayenne in French Guiana. Since death from tropical disease was likely, this punishment was nicknamed the "dry guillotine". The 42 opposition newspapers were closed, the chambers were purged, and elections were partly cancelled.
The elections of April 1798 were heavily manipulated. The Council of the Five Hundred passed a law on 8 May barring 106 recently elected deputies from taking their seats, all of whom were of a left-wing persuasion. Elections in 48 departments were annulled.[11] Nevertheless, left-wing opinion grew in strength in the council in 1799, and on 18 June 1799, the Council of Five Hundred and the Council of Ancients forced the resignations of the most anti-Jacobin Directors, Merlin de Douai, La Révellière-Lépeaux and Treilhard[12] in the co-called 'Coup of 30 Prairial VII'.
Lucien Bonaparte, the Last President of the Council
In October 1799 Napoleon's brother Lucien Bonaparte was appointed President of the Council of Five Hundred.[13] Soon afterwards, in the coup of 18 Brumaire, Napoleon led a group of grenadiers who drove the council from its chambers and installed him as leader of France as its First Consul. This ended the Council of Five Hundred, the Council of Ancients and the Directory.[14]
^ abChronicle of the French Revolutions, Longman 1989 p.495
^Chronicle of the French Revolutions, Longman 1989 p.505
^Neely, Sylvia (25 February 2008). A concise history of the French Revolution. Rowman and Littlefield. p. 226. ISBN9780742534100.
^ abWaquet, Dominique (2015). "Costumes et vêtements sous le Directoire : Signes politiques ou effets de mode ?". Cahiers d'Histoire. Revue d'Histoire Critique (in French) (129): 19–54. doi:10.4000/chrhc.4768. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
^"Grand costumes des membres du conseil et : Conseil des Cinq Cent Conseil des Anciens Haute Cour de justice tribunal de cassation : [estampe] / [non identifié]". gallica.bnf.fr. Retrieved 30 April 2017.
^Barraud, Boris (16 September 2016). "La République révolutionnaire – Modernité et archaïsme constitutionnels des premières institutions républicaines de France (1792-1799)". hal-amu.archives-ouvertes.fr (in French). Retrieved 30 April 2017.
^"Les nouveautés constitutionnelles de l'an III". 1795, pour une République sans Révolution. Histoire. Presses universitaires de Rennes. 9 July 2015. pp. 167–177. ISBN9782753525962. Retrieved 30 April 2017. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
^Chronicle of the French Revolutions, Longman 1989 p.561
^Chronicle of the French Revolution, Longman Group 1989 p.601
^Chronicle of the French Revolution, Longman Group 1989 p.637
^Chronicle of the French Revolution, Longman Group 1989 p.645
^Chronicle of the French Revolution, Timefem in 1670 p.650
April 12, 2024
council, five, hundred, ancient, athens, boule, ancient, greece, conseil, cinq, cents, lower, house, legislature, france, under, constitution, year, existed, from, october, 1795, november, 1799, during, directory, directoire, period, french, revolution, consei. For the Council of Five Hundred in ancient Athens see Boule ancient Greece The Council of Five Hundred Conseil des Cinq Cents was the lower house of the legislature of France under the Constitution of the Year III It existed from 31 October 1795 to 9 November 1799 during the Directory Directoire period of the French Revolution 1 Council of Five Hundred Conseil des Cinq CentsFrench First RepublicGeneral Bonaparte surrounded by members of the Council of Five Hundred during the 18 Brumaire coup d etat TypeTypeLower houseHistoryEstablished31 October 1795Disbanded10 November 1799Preceded byNational Convention unicameral Succeeded byCorps legislatifSeats500Meeting placeSalle du Manege rue de Rivoli Paris Contents 1 Role and function 2 Elections of 1795 3 Elections of 1797 4 Elections of 1798 5 Coup of 18th Brumaire Year VIII 6 ReferencesRole and function edit nbsp Deputy Jean Baptiste Desmolin from Gers in official uniform of member of the Council of Five Hundred portrait by Laneuville The Council of Five Hundred was established under the Constitution of Year III which was adopted by a referendum on 24 September 1795 2 and constituted after the first elections which were held from 12 21 October 1795 Voting rights were restricted to citizens owning property bringing in income equal to 150 days of work 2 Each member elected had to be at least 30 years old meet residency qualifications and pay taxes To prevent them coming under the pressure of the sans culottes and the Paris mob the constitution allowed the Council of the Five Hundred to meet in closed session 3 A third of them would be replaced annually 4 5 Besides functioning as a legislative body the Council of Five Hundred proposed the list out of which the Ancients chose five Directors who jointly held executive power The Council of Five Hundred had their own distinctive official uniform with robes cape and hat just as did the Council of Ancients and the Directors 6 5 Under the Thermidorean constitution as Boissy d Anglas put it the Council of Five Hundred was to be the imagination of the Republic and the Council of Ancients its reason 7 verification needed 8 Elections of 1795 edit nbsp 1795 election results 63 Republicans 54 moderate Monarchists 33 ultra MonarchistsMain article French Directory election 1795Elections of 1797 edit nbsp 1797 election results 28 Republicans 44 Independents 105 Moderate MonarchistsMain article 1797 French legislative election In the elections of April 1797 there were a number of voting irregularities and a very low turnout resulting in a strong showing for Royalist tendencies A number of the newly elected deputies formed the Club de Clichy in the council 9 Jean Charles Pichegru widely assumed to be a monarchist was elected President of the Council of Five Hundred 10 After documentation of Pichegru s activities was supplied by Napoleon Bonaparte the Directors accused the entire body of plotting against the Revolution and moved quickly to annul the elections and arrest the royalists in what was known as the Coup of 18 Fructidor 10 To support the coup General Lazare Hoche then commander of the Army of Sambre et Meuse arrived in the capital with his troops while Napoleon sent an army under Pierre Augereau Deputies were arrested and 53 were exiled to Cayenne in French Guiana Since death from tropical disease was likely this punishment was nicknamed the dry guillotine The 42 opposition newspapers were closed the chambers were purged and elections were partly cancelled Elections of 1798 editMain article French Directory election 1798 The elections of April 1798 were heavily manipulated The Council of the Five Hundred passed a law on 8 May barring 106 recently elected deputies from taking their seats all of whom were of a left wing persuasion Elections in 48 departments were annulled 11 Nevertheless left wing opinion grew in strength in the council in 1799 and on 18 June 1799 the Council of Five Hundred and the Council of Ancients forced the resignations of the most anti Jacobin Directors Merlin de Douai La Revelliere Lepeaux and Treilhard 12 in the co called Coup of 30 Prairial VII Coup of 18th Brumaire Year VIII editMain article 18 Brumaire nbsp Lucien Bonaparte the Last President of the CouncilIn October 1799 Napoleon s brother Lucien Bonaparte was appointed President of the Council of Five Hundred 13 Soon afterwards in the coup of 18 Brumaire Napoleon led a group of grenadiers who drove the council from its chambers and installed him as leader of France as its First Consul This ended the Council of Five Hundred the Council of Ancients and the Directory 14 References edit Gazette nationale ou le Moniteur universel 1 novembre 1795 p 4 a b Chronicle of the French Revolutions Longman 1989 p 495 Chronicle of the French Revolutions Longman 1989 p 505 Neely Sylvia 25 February 2008 A concise history of the French Revolution Rowman and Littlefield p 226 ISBN 9780742534100 a b Waquet Dominique 2015 Costumes et vetements sous le Directoire Signes politiques ou effets de mode Cahiers d Histoire Revue d Histoire Critique in French 129 19 54 doi 10 4000 chrhc 4768 Retrieved 30 April 2017 Grand costumes des membres du conseil et Conseil des Cinq Cent Conseil des Anciens Haute Cour de justice tribunal de cassation estampe non identifie gallica bnf fr Retrieved 30 April 2017 Barraud Boris 16 September 2016 La Republique revolutionnaire Modernite et archaisme constitutionnels des premieres institutions republicaines de France 1792 1799 hal amu archives ouvertes fr in French Retrieved 30 April 2017 Les nouveautes constitutionnelles de l an III 1795 pour une Republique sans Revolution Histoire Presses universitaires de Rennes 9 July 2015 pp 167 177 ISBN 9782753525962 Retrieved 30 April 2017 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a website ignored help Chronicle of the French Revolutions Longman 1989 p 561 a b Doyle William 2002 The Oxford History of the French Revolution Oxford Oxford University Press p 330 ISBN 978 0 19 925298 5 Chronicle of the French Revolution Longman Group 1989 p 601 Chronicle of the French Revolution Longman Group 1989 p 637 Chronicle of the French Revolution Longman Group 1989 p 645 Chronicle of the French Revolution Timefem in 1670 p 650 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Council of Five Hundred amp oldid 1200369912, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
