Kingdom of France (1791–92)

Constitutional Cabinet of Louis XVI
Constitutional Cabinet of Louis XVI
; Cabinet of Kingdom of France
Date formed	3 September 1791
Date dissolved	21 September 1792
People and organisations
Head of state	King Louis XVI
Head of government	King Louis XVI
No. of ministers	5
Ministers removed	19
Total no. of members	24
Member party	Independents, Feuillants, Moderate Jacobins (1792)
Status in legislature	Legislative Assembly
Opposition party	Jacobins
Opposition leader	Georges Couthon, Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud and others
History
Election(s)	1791
Legislature term(s)	6 September 1791 – 2 September 1792
Successor	Government of the National Convention

Kingdom of France
*Royaume de France* (French)
Kingdom of France Royaume de France (French)
1791–1792
	Flag State Coat of arms
	Motto: La Nation, la Loi, le Roi; "The Nation, the Law, the King"
	Anthem: Marche Henri IV (1590–1830); "March of Henry IV";
	Kingdom of France, September 1791 – September 1792
Capital	Paris
Common languages	French
Religion	Roman Catholicism; (state religion)
Demonym(s)	French
Government	Parliamentary constitutional monarchy
King of the French
• 1791–1792	Louis XVI
Legislature	Legislative Assembly
History
• Flight to Varennes	20–21 June 1791
• Constitution adopted	3 September 1791
• Storming of the Tuileries	10 August 1792
• Republic proclaimed	21 September 1792
Currency	Assignat
ISO 3166 code	FR
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Kingdom of France
French First Republic

The Kingdom of France (the remnant of the preceding absolutist Kingdom of France) was a constitutional monarchy from 3 September 1791 until 21 September 1792, when it was succeeded by the French First Republic.

On 3 September 1791, the National Constituent Assembly forced King Louis XVI to accept the French Constitution of 1791, thus turning the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy.

After the 10 August 1792 Storming of the Tuileries Palace, the Legislative Assembly on 11 August 1792 suspended this constitutional monarchy.^[1] The freshly elected National Convention abolished the monarchy on 21 September 1792, ending 203 years of consecutive Bourbon rule over France.

Background

Since 1789, France had been undergoing a revolution in its government and social orders. A National Assembly declared itself into being and promulgated their intention to provide France with a fair and liberal constitution.^[2] Louis XVI moved to Paris in October of that year, but grew to detest Paris, and organised an escape plot in 1791. The plot, known as the Flight to Varennes, ultimately failed to materialise and severely damaged any positive public opinion for the monarchy.^[3] Louis XVI's brothers-in-exile in Koblenz rallied for an invasion of France. Austria and Prussia responded to the royal brothers' appeals and released the Declaration of Pillnitz in August. The declaration stated that Prussia and Austria wished to restore Louis XVI to absolute power but would only attempt to do so with the assistance of the other European powers.^[4]

Constitution

Louis XVI was forced to submit to the Constitution of 1791 by the National Assembly in the aftermath of his Flight to Varennes.^[5] The Constitution of 1791, which established the Kingdom of the French, was revolutionary in its content. It abolished the nobility of France and declared all men to be equal before the law. Louis XVI had the ability to veto legislation that he did not approve of, as legislation still needed Royal Assent to come into force.^[6]

Republic

Louis XVI reluctantly declared war on Austria on 20 April 1792, bowing to the Assembly's wishes. Prussia allied with Austria and therefore France was at war with Prussia as well.^[7] The Duke of Brunswick, Commander of the Austrian and Prussian military, issued the Brunswick Manifesto in 1792; it brought about the Storming of the Tuileries on the 10th of August. The manifesto explicitly threatened the people of Paris with dire repercussions if they in any way harmed Louis XVI or his family.^[8] The Legislative Assembly was inundated with requests for the monarchy's demise. The President of the National Assembly responded by suspending the monarchy on 11 August, pending the outcome of elections for another assembly.^[1] The newly elected National Convention, elected under universal male suffrage, abolished the monarchy on 21 September 1792 and proclaimed a republic.^[9] Louis was executed by guillotine on 21 January 1793.


Portfolio	Minister	Took office	Left office
King of the French	Louis XVI	6 September 1791	2 September 1792	N/A

Minister of Finances	Louis Hardouin Tarbé	29 May 1791	24 March 1792	Feuillant
	Étienne Clavière	24 March 1792	13 June 1792	Girondins
	Antoine Duranton	13 June 1792	18 June 1792	Girondins
	Jules de Beaulieu	18 June 1792	29 July 1792	Independent
	René Delaville-Leroulx	29 July 1792	10 August 1792	Independent
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs	Claude Antoine de Valdec de Lessart	29 November 1791	15 March 1792	Feuillant
	Charles-François Dumouriez	15 March 1792	13 June 1792	Girondins
	Pierre Paul de Méredieu	13 June 1792	18 June 1792	Independent
	Victor de La Garde de Chambonas	18 June 1792	23 July 1792	Girondins
	François Joseph de Gratet	23 July 1792	1 August 1792	Feuillant
Secretary of State for War	Louis de Narbonne-Lara	7 December 1791	9 March 1792	Feuillant
	Pierre Marie de Grave	9 March 1792	9 May 1792	Feuillant
	Joseph Servan	9 May 1792	13 June 1792	Girondins
	Charles-François Dumouriez	13 June 1792	18 June 1792	Girondins
	Pierre August Lajard	18 June 1792	23 July 1792	Feuillant
	Charles d'Abancour	23 July 1792	10 August 1792	Feuillant
Secretary of State of the Navy	Claude Antoine de Valdec	18 September 1791	7 October 1791	Feuillant
	Bertrand de Molleville	7 October 1791	16 March 1792	Feuillant
	Jean de Lacoste	16 March 1792	21 July 1792	Independent
	François Joseph de Gratet	21 July 1792	10 August 1792	Feuillant
Keeper of the Seals	François Duport-Dutertre	21 November 1790	23 March 1792	Feuillant
	Jean-Marie Roland	16 March 1792	14 April 1792	Girondins
	Antoine Duranton	14 April 1792	4 July 1792	Girondins
	Étienne Dejoly	4 July 1792	10 August 1792	Feuillant

Citations

^ ^a ^b Fraser, 454
^ Hibbert, 63
^ Hibbert, 130
^ Hibbert, 143
^ Jones, 426
^ The Constitution of 1791 Archived 17 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine
^ Hibbert, 145
^ Jones, 459
^ Jones, 462

References

Fraser, Antonia: "Marie Antoinette: the Journey", Orion Books, London, 2001, ISBN 978-0-7538-1305-8
Hibbert, Christopher: "The French Revolution", Penguin Books, Great Britain, 1982, ISBN 978-0-1400-4945-9
Jones, Colin: "The Great Nation: France from Louis XV to Napoleon", Columbia University Press, New York, 2002, ISBN 0-2311-2882-7