2586 Essays

France 1814-48

To what extent was the reign of Louis XVIII a failure?

• Need to establish what Louis’s aims were

• If he was successful in achieving most of this aims then analysis is that he was successful

• If he failed in most areas then …

• Remember to include a conclusion

Issues to be considered

Problems facing Louis • 100 Days & 2nd Treaty

of Paris• Pressure from Ultras• White Terror• Murder of Duc de

Berri• Increasing

polarisation of politics

Success/failures• Regime well

established by 1818• Charter important• Ultra threat seen off

(till 1820s)• Failed to address land

issue• Regime becoming

increasingly royalist

First argument

• Reign can be divided into 2; 1814-1820 & 1820-1824

• 1814-20 Louis inherited strong economy though many of subjects unsure about him

• Despite own history & political ideology was prepared to follow path of conciliation-

• “All the efforts of my government are directed into the effort to forge the two peoples who exist only too much in fact into a single one.” (Louis XVIII 1817)

First Argument (continued)

• Made mistakes – Flag, title, issue of Charter based on royal prerogative

• Charter was a good start!• Fled from Napoleon’s return & 2nd

restoration not well received!• La Chambre Introuvable & White Terror

threatened his policy• Franchise altered & more moderate

assembly elected

First Argument (continued)

• By 1818 French able to pay indemnity

• Army of occupation withdrawn

• France joined Quadruple Alliance (the international community of Great Powers)

• National finances put on sound footing for the first time for many years

• First 5 years relatively successful – all change in 1820!

Second Argument

• 1820 growing threat from Bonapartists/Liberals• 1820 year of revolutions across Europe• Murder of de Berri• Growing Ultra influence – appointment of de

Villele• Involvement in Spain 1822• Charbonniers : evidence of political polarisation• By 1824 more authoritarian government in place

Conclusion

• Successful for first half of reign• Established stable regime after shaky start• French finances put on sound footing which

encouraged confidence in the regime• After 1820 lost grip and allowed more

authoritarian forces to take control• “…slide from moderate policies and towards extreme

Royalism had already begun before Charles X officially became king.” (Randell)

To what extent was the economic recession of 1846-8 the main reason for the fall the

July Monarchy?

Poor harvests and potato blight led tofood shortages in

countryside and rising prices. Fallingdemand for

manufactured goods

Parisian poor hit by rising prices & unemployment.Middle classes experiencing problems too. No action by

the government- bigmob developing in

the capital

Economic recession the main reason?

• Spark for revolution was the cancellation of Reform Banquet in Feb 1848

• Part of pressure campaign set up to bring about extension of franchise

• This resulted from key issue – LP’s refusal to allow any political changes

• LP wanted to rule and was prepared to use corrupt means

Foreign Policy

• Turned down chance to get control of Belgium in 1830 – did not go down well!

• Attempt to gain powerful ally in Near East (Mehemet Ali) failed – France isolated

• Spanish Marriages issue only lost him the support of GB

• Cautious foreign policy paled next to former glories

• BUT how big a deal?

Political Opposition

• L-P disliked by Legitimists – one failed rising in support of young de Berri

• Louis Napoleon Bonaparte staged 2 failed attempts to seize power

• Clearly the ‘Legend’ not effective

• Republicans most serious challenge – number of assassination attempts

• Lacked co-ordination

How much support did L-P have?

• ‘Bourgeois’ monarchy had very narrow basis of support

• Lack of social reform and heavy handed attitude towards unrest increased support for republicanism & socialism

• Middle classes began to support Reform campaign

• National Guard unwilling to fight in 1848

Conclusion

• To great extent July Monarchy just collapsed! – no one was prepared to fight

• Social problems were important – L-P did nothing to address them

• Refusal to allow political reform important

• Cautious foreign policy perhaps an irritant

• Recession 1846-8 was a trigger to the revolution NOT root cause

‘Neither popular nor successful’.How fair is this judgment on L-P’s foreign policy?

• French foreign policy limited by the restraints of Vienna Settlement – French expansion checked by ‘buffer states’

• French had long tradition of being dominant military and political power in Europe

• Much glory under Napoleon!

Belgium 1830-39

• Joined to Holland in 1815

• Belgians treated as 2nd class citizens

• Overthrew Dutch rule in 1830

• Crown offered to French prince

• Louis-Philippe chose to work with GB

• Helped Belgians to repel Dutch in 1831

• German prince became King

Comment

• Belgium long been considered by French as their sphere of influence

• Unhappy at L-P’s actions

• Given circumstances was the only course of action!

Adventures in the Middle East

• Conflict between MA & his master the Sultan of Turkey

• French opted to support MA

• Other GPs supported Sultan

• MA defeated – French lost valuable ally

Comment

• Considerable French investment in Egypt so naturally public opinion supported MA

• Thiers planned foreign policy to take advantage of this

• He threatened war against GPs but bluff called

• Resounding diplomatic defeat

• Thiers sacked!

The Spanish Marriages

• Guizot worked hard to create good relations with GB

• Deal made in 1846 over marriage of Queen Isabella of Spain

• Guizot scored brief victory through marriage of younger sister

• Victory hollow as Isabella had a son!

Algeria

• Guizot continued colonisation programme

• By 1847 50K French citizens in Algeria

• Venture was expensive in lives & money

• King showed little interest

• Many French only interested in European adventures

How far were the Ultras the greatest threat to the Bourbon Restoration?

• Ultras led by Comte d’Artois – very organised!

• Won elections in 1815 – able to initiate White Terror after 100 Days

• After 1820 Ultras re-established influence over King

• Intervention in Spain clear evidence of this

Other Factors?

• Economic Problems?

• Poor government under Louis?

• Legacy of the treaties?

• Lack of popular support?

• Threat from Bonaparte & followers?

• Fears of Pays Legal?

• Louis’s unwillingness to compromise

Conclusion

• The French historian Maurois wrote of the Ultras that

‘They dug deeper instead of filling the bloody trenches of revolution’

Comparison of LP’s foreign & domestic policies in leading to his downfall

• From the beginning Louis Philippe regarded 1830 as a signal to conserve and not change the status quo

• Very limited changes made to the Charter

• He aimed to rule, not to be a figure head

• Appointed weak chief ministers

• Ruled corruptly

Problems

• Regime rested on narrow basis – made no attempt to widen appeal

• Pressure growing because of social problems caused by industrialisation & urbanisation

• Matters brought to head by recession of 1846-8

• Rejection of calls for reform led to Reform Banquets

Foreign Policy

• French brought up on diet of glory

• Rejected chance to add Belgium to territory in 1830

• Best policy in circumstances but not popular with subjects

• Diplomatic defeat over Mehemet Ali

• Algeria successful but costly and won him little credit

Conclusion

• Foreign policy was perhaps uninspired and disappointing

• But this would add to lack of popularity rather than cause downfall

• More important was resistance to change

• Refusal to listen to calls for political reform was major cause of decline in popularity