Latin American Revolutionary Francisco de Miranda

Episode 17: Foreign Reactions: A Divided Europe

Living the French Revolution and Age of Napoleon

Dr Suzanne M Desan

Film Review

Europe’s reaction to the French revolution was divided. Revolutionaries from Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium (as well as the Venezuelan revolutionary Francisco de Miranda) poured into the country hoping to copy the French example. Meanwhile 100,000 monarchists (most aristocrats and clergy) fled abroad, where they set up a shadow government in Koblenz (Prussia).

Europe’s oldest constitutional monarchy, Britain initially supported the French revolution. They had experienced two revolutions themselves (the British civil war and the Glorious Revolution, when the Dutch prince William of Orange replaced James II as king) in the 17th century.

British opinion would drastically shift under the influence of British parliamentarian Edmund Burke, the so-called father of modern conservatism. In his most famous work Reflections on the Revolution in France, Burke argued that hierarchy was essential to hold society together and that government was meant to control people for their own good.

A number of prominent British intellectuals, including feminist Mary Woolstonecraft and scientist Joseph Priestly, openly rejected Burke’s views. Burke’s most prominent opponent was English-born philosopher and political activist Thomas Paine. The latter came to the US in 1774 to support the American revolution. In 1791, he refuted Burke’s work with the Rights of of Man. Arguing that all men are equal with an innate entitlement to natural law and representation in government, the book was immediately condemned as treasonous. After fleeing to France he was tried in absentia and sentenced to death.

Determined to stamp out all revolutionary sentiment in the UK, the British government tried numerous other political reformers for treason and prosecuted pamphleteers under laws. They eventually banned all large meetings were banned, forcing English and Irish revolutionaries underground.

Inspired by the French Enlightment, radicals led revolutions in Switzerland, the Dutch Republic and the Austrian Netherlands (Belgium) in the 1780s. Those who took over the Dutch cities (from Austria*) in 1784 formed militias that pushed for elections to replace the Orangist aristocrats who ruled them. After 1787, when the prince of Orange called in Prussian troops to crush the Dutch revolution, 10,000 Dutch revolutionaries fled to France.

Swiss Revolutionaries

In 1777 Swiss republicans, demanding broader voting rights in choosing the Swiss Confederation of Cantons, were also forced to flee to France.

Belgian Revolutionaries

By 1788, Belgian patriots drove Austrian troops out of most of Belgium (Austrian Netherlands) and in 1790 ten provinces created a Belgian constitution modeled on the 1776 Articles of Confederation. A few months later, Leopold II (Austrian king and Holy Roman Emperor) reinvaded, and Belgian revolutionary leaders also fled to France.

Prussian Revolutionary Jean Baptiste de Clouts

The Prussian baron Jean Baptiste de Clouts, also emigrated to France, where he renounced his title, became leader of the foreign revolutionaries and called for “transnational” revolution.

Declaration of Pilnitz

Meanwhile in 1791, the Austrian and Prussian kings (previously enemies) signed the Declaration of Pilnitz, which called the other monarchs of Europe to help restore the king of France as absolute monarch.

*In the 18th century, Austria’s vast empire (known as the Holy Roman Empire) included Belgium, Hungary, Bohemia, Poland, the Balkans and parts of Italy.

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