Victoire De La République: A Revolutionary French Republic TL

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Chapter I: The Revolution Is Over.

The French Revolution began in 1789, with the storming of the Bastille. Now, 7 years later, no one knew what was the Fate of the Revolution. The spirit of revolution is among all Frenchmen, and the military felt particular attachment to a famous general in France. He was Napoleon Bonaparte of Corsica. Napoleon was viewed as the Hero of the Revolution. Yet, many French revolutionaries were worried that he could be a Cromwell or Caesar. Perhaps they were right. Napoleon was extremely ambitious, and rose quickly through the ranks. He had even negotiated a treaty with Austria himself. What was the potential of this general, who had lead a series of victories for Revolutionary France?

The Directory, the current government of Revolutionary France, has been unstable. One of the Directors, Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès, political theorist and creator of works such as What is the Third Estate? had planned a coup against what he saw a weak government. He needed a general to back him and his new government. Napoleon Bonaparte saw his chance. He saw it as his opportunity and aided Sieyès. On 18 Brumaire, (November 10th), Sieyès along with Roger Ducos, Napoleon, and many others attempted a coup. During the coup, Napoleon grew impatient with deputies arguing over whether to accept the new government. Angrily, he marched into the Council of Five Hundred’s chamber.

There he made a fiery speech, angrily defending himself against claims of him being an enemy of democracy.

No matter his fiery rhetoric, the members of the Council of Five Hundred attacked him. They shouted, “Death to the tyrant, down with the dictator!” His two guards failed to protect him like they so wanted to. They had been stopped by the councilmen, and shielding them away from him. Napoleon was surrounded by the councilmen, all wielding daggers.

“I can’t die! Not yet… I have to lead France out of this disorder. What will they do without me?”

Napoleon thought of this as the many councilmen rushed for him. He was to die. There was no way around it.

“Father… Mother... I’m sorry I couldn't do it. I failed Corsica, and now I have failed France.”

These were his last thoughts, before his guards had reached him. He was dead on the floor when the rest of the group and their army seized the Chamber. His brother, the President of the Council, Lucien Bonaparte participated in the coup, yet did not expect Napoleon to be killed. He was shocked, and depressed at the sight of his brother, one who he had known for several years, dead on the floor, surrounded by councilmen who continuing stabbing him, even as he was dead.

“What will I tell them…?”

The army was in a frenzy, and the Council of Five Hundred was in full rebellion of the coup. Jean Victor Moreau, a general who had detained two leaders of the Directory, heard of this news after seeing French soldiers flee across Paris. Moreau arrived quickly, and saw the army was in distress without their leader, Napoleon. He immediately said, “I have arrived, as your new leader, and I demand, for the Republic, that you seize the Council who killed your general.” Moreau’s calm resolve soothed the army, and they marched right into the Chamber, and demanded they give away to Sieyès. With guns to their heads, they agreed.


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Sieyès saw Moreau. He saw a man as great as Napoleon, and one that could be used to back his government up. Losing Napoleon was regrettable, he said. But now he had a replacement. Seeing Moreau’s leadership, he himself gave Moreau a title Napoleon previously owned. Commander of the Grand Armée.

Moreau was overwhelmed. He had now been chosen as the new military leader of France. But, he was a staunch supporter of the Republic. He had to accept, and hopefully lead the army to victory.

The new government, known as the French Consulate, was led by 3 Consuls, in similar style to the Roman Republic eons ago. The 3 Consulates were Sieyès, Moreau, and Roger Ducos. This was a temporary government, and power rested in the Consulate and the Council of Five Hundred.

Now with the leadership of the 3 men and popular support from the military and home, they had to lead France through the Second Coalition against Britain, Austria and Russia, the Ottoman Empire, Portugal and Naples. However, Russia later left, as Austria was more interested in conquering Mediterranean islands.

It was Revolutionary France, her client states, and Spain against this massive coalition. The French Consulate had Moreau as their supreme military commander, and he ordered an immediate offensive in the Rhineland and Italy.

This would prove difficult, yet through Moreau’s thinking and his generals, such as Louis Desaix, Moreau’s right hand man in the Rhine front, and André Masséna, leader of the Italian campaigns, they would emerge victorious in 1801.

In the Italian campaign, the sister republics of France had been the battlegrounds for France and her enemies. Masséna and his army marched through Italy to restore these republics, and managed to capture Rome by September of 1800. Moreau’s order of occupation of the Italian states was surprisingly respectful, and the people slowly grew respect for him. Once all of northern Italy was secured, Moreau ordered the Restoration of the Roman Republic. However, Masséna could not march onto Southern Italy, as his main focus was on the Austrians, not the Kingdom of Naples.


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Moreau and his army at Hohenlinden

Moreau’s decisive victory of the Austrians at the Battle of Hohenlinden secured the victory of France and her sister republics. This victory showed all of Europe the power of the Revolutionary government. The Second Coalition had ended in the mainland, and now Britain was the only one left fighting France. Britain posed no real threat to France, yet France also no longer had to worry of any foreign threats. Now a peace was to be settled:


Treaty of Lunéville
  • Austria would reinforce the Treaty of Campo Formio, which ceded the Austrian Netherlands (Belgium), and parts of Italy
  • France would annex all lands west of the Rhine River; all lands East, France would respect their sovereignty
  • Both parties would respect the independence of the following republics:
    • The Batavian Republic
    • The Roman Republic
    • Helvetic Republic
    • Kingdom of Sicily
  • Austria and her allies were to recognize the new French government.
The French Revolution had secured itself; it was at last, a success.

Now, the French Consulate had to deal with settling on an official government. The three men had decided on the Constitution of Year XI. The French Republic was reformed Emmanuel-Joseph Sieyès was voted into the office of President of France for his role in the coup against the Directory. Sieyès gladly accepted this role, and his dream of being leader of France was realized, and he was elected the first President of France in 1806. His first act was to bring stability and control to the country.

First, he began talks with the Catholic Church. He allowed the Church to have some of its properties and land back, but its power was severely weakened. The Papal States would not be restored, but it got special rights in Rome. This brought back many peasants and clergy who had resisted the Revolution for its anti-Catholic stance. The Roman Republic was growing popularity among the people, who had a government similar to France. The Senate would lead the Roman people.

Next, Sieyès and the Council of Five Hundred signed acts that promoted the middle and upper class. The banning of workers union continued, and the power of the bourgeoisie grew. These acts grew France’s economy, which had suffered deeply from the French Revolution.

Sieyès was not the only hero. Moreau was beloved in France, and viewed as the personal hero of Republic. He denied these claims, and was rather humble about his fame. He would often claim he was just a general, and Sieyès and the men in government were the heroes of the Revolution. He was not a politician; he had little experience and was only interested in military affairs. He never sought to gain power, and ordered his men to stand down for now.

“Men. The Revolution is finally over.”
 
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Hello, I am relatively new to alternate history, so please give me some criticism. I appreciate all of it!

Also- Yes, this is going to be a French wank, and a British screw. But it'll be reasonable.

Either way, hope to hear y'all's thoughts!
 
The Union of Prussia-Poland

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Across the Rhine River, there was the Kingdom of Prussia. Ever since the Peace of Basel in 1795, the Kingdom of Prussia was at peace. King Frederick William II was not as successful as his uncle, King Frederick the Great. He had agreed to France's annexation of HRE lands West of the Rhine; he resented this, however.

When his son, King Frederick William III, ascended to the throne upon his death in 1797, Prussia pursed a cautious foreign policy. Frederick William III did not participate in the 2nd Coalition against France. As such, Prussia not suffer the same defeat that the Austrians and British did. Prussia was spared, but was this the right call? The future was the only one who could tell.

In 1801, after the end of the 2nd Coalition, Prussia sat idly in the center of Europe.
Its military and state desperately needed reform to stand tall against the new state of Europe. Yet, no emphasis was put towards this needed reform. Instead of the military, the Prussian Court debated over a viceroyalty of Poland. Antoni Radziwiłł, a Prussian-Polish noble, was a major proponent of this idea. He called for the territory of South Prussia to be renewed as a Polish Kingdom, in a personal union with Prussia.

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Antoni Radziwiłł

Prussian nobles opposed this, seeing it as a threat to their power over Poland. However, Polish general Józef Poniatowski, threw his support behind the idea. King Frederick William III was envious of any potential Polish uprising. Poniatowski 's support showed him that, begrudgingly, he had to create the new union or risk a French-allied rebellion.

And so, in 1807, the Viceroyalty of Poland was created, with King Frederick William III being its ruler. Radziwiłł was to be Poland’s first Viceroy. The Viceroyalty of Poland was established in the former province of South Prussia.

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Lands of Prussia

Polish Revolutionaries were disgusted at this act. They wanted complete independence from Prussia, not a union. For Polish nobles, this was the best act they could receive. They held some autonomy in this new Viceroyalty; not complete autonomy, but some. They were satisfied with this, and were allowed for some flourishing of the Polish language. These series of liberalization towards Poles and their language began a national reawakening.

Jeszcze Polska nie zginęła...
 
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The French Government
For many years, France had an unstable system of government. The Directory was a failure, and France desperately needed stability. President Sieyès, after his coup on the 18 Brumaire, organized the Constitution he wanted. Although, revisions were made later by the two other consuls.

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Abbé Sieyès, 1st President of France

Sieyès originally sought a separation of powers, with a Tribunate and College of Conservatives forming the basis of the National Government. There would be a Grand Elector who ruled for life, but hold no true power. Moreau and Ducos rejected this, as they saw stability, a strong leader, as necessary to unite France.

After a revision of the Constitution Sieyès created, a new one was made. There would be a President, who would work alongside the 2 legislative assemblies, the Tribunat and the Corps Législatif. This system was not exactly what Sieyès wanted, but for France's stability, he was willing for anything.

Roger Ducos was not political ambitious; he knew he was not the man for the job. Moreau was nonpolitical, and only sought to defend the Republic from enemies within and without. Sieyès was the only one left, and after the War of the Second Coalition, he was selected as First President of France.

Now, Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès is President of the French Republic, and seeks to regain French legitimacy..
 
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Unfortunately no, I kinda think that's ASB honestly by 1799, where the POD takes place :pensive:

I would love the calendar to keep going, but it's ASB. Sorry!

Really? The calendar was only abolished in 1805 OTL, and why would it be ASB? The most unpopular part were the ten-day weeks AFAIK, but those can be resolved by giving off every Quintidi.
 
Really? The calendar was only abolished in 1805 OTL, and why would it be ASB? The most unpopular part were the ten-day weeks AFAIK, but those can be resolved by giving off every Quintidi.

Well, Sieyès IOTL deeply opposed the anti-religious actions that the Revolution did. One would assume he'd also oppose the calendar. So, I don't think he could've used the calendar, and he probably would have been banned like Napoleon did IOTL.

I can see it used for formal reasons, perhaps to commerate a special event in France, like the 18 Brumaire.
 
OOC: Greatest apologies for the delay. But, I have not stopped writing. This TL shall continue. And a heads up, it will not just cover Europe and France, as evidenced below. Anyways, enjoy!


A Slave Rebellion in Saint-Domingue

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Saint-Domingue was an African slave colony under the French. But it wasn't just any colony; it was the most profitable French colony in the New World. Called the “Pearl of the Antilles”, it was Europe’s biggest sugar producer and showed the glory of France. The colony was split by wealth and race: the whites, split between the artisans, shopkeepers and teachers - petit blancs - and the planters. They were about 8% of the 540,000 people living in the colony.

The rest were the vast majority of the population: peoples of African descent. They too, were split, but among three different kinds: those who were slaves, had run away, or had been free. About 30,000 were free. Half were richer than the petit blancs, some even holding property. Altogether, this racial group held 500,000 people, outnumbering the whites 10 to 1.

Despite various slave rebellions, Saint-Domingue has since 1659, remained a key part of the French overseas empire.

But, when France exploded into revolution in 1789, the colony couldn't be stable for long. With the motherland in turmoil, the ideals of the French Revolution spread. Sugar prices arose greatly, worrying many Europeans in the sugar market.

To maintain the French overseas empire, the General Assembly in Paris on 1791 declared the following: “all local proprietors...to be active citizens,”

Ambiguous, the planter class interpreted that the statement could only apply to them, as they held power in Saint-Domingue anyways. Despite being an attempt to keep the African majority from having any say in government, those who held property included a small part of the planter class: the free citizens of color.

Slowly, Saint-Domingue broke out into a three way civil war, between the top groups of Saint-Domingue society. But those at the bottom had enough of their treatment. All 3 groups, the petit blancs, the free blacks, and planters, were all seen as enemies if they were to hold the institution of slavery. It began as a secret vodoo cerenomy. But vodoo priest Dutty Boukman gave the signal to start the revolt in August 12. In tbe night, slaves began a rebellion against the planters on August 21, 1791. Killing several of their masters, the slaves could no longer sit still and watch. They would take control.

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The 1791 Slave Rebellion

Years passed and the slaves fought their way to freedom, defeating army after army. The French, the British, they all fell. Among several generals, Touissant L'Ouverture, a former slave, leads the Saint-Dominque Slave Rebellion. There is only one enemy in 1800 that stands in the way of the rebellion.

La Guerre des Couteaux
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Fighting between Rigaudist and L'Ouverture forces in June 1799.

Now, Toussaint L'Ouverture and his revolutionary army of freed slaves fight in a civil war against the mulatto army of André Rigaud. The mulattos were a mixed group, having both white and African ancestry. But the mulattos of Rigaud were no ally of the black Haitians. Rigaud was keen on keeping the plantation economy. He was rather suspicious of the masses of former slaves challenging the mulattos. In addition, he firmly believed in the caste system of the ancien regime.

They were previously allies, but now they fight for domination of the island. The L'Ouverture supporters to the North, and the Rigaudists to the South. This conflict— later called the War of the Knives for Rigaud's violence with the sword— determined the fate of Saint Domingue.

By 1800, it was clear among most that L’Ouverture and his army were to win. The invasion of the south began in mid-November of 1799. It was stopped at Jacmel, the capital of mullago resistance. Captained by mulatto general Alexandre Pétion, the city stood against various attacks by L’Ouverture and his forces. Lasting far longer than anyone expected, the city fell in March 11, 1800. Rigaud’s resistance was dead.

To put the final nail in the resistance, the French Consulate declared L’Ouverture as the rightful Governor of Saint-Domingue. Rigaud despite this, remained on the island until July.

L'Ouverture appointed Jean-Jacques Dessalines to settle matters in southern Saint-Domingue. However, what L'Ouverture did not know was Dessalines' slaughter of several whites and mulatos. Numbers of these killings were hard to come by, with some local observers stating he killed only a few hundred, while others say it ranged in the thousands. Some even say L'Ouverture himself ordered these murders. Whatever the case, L'Ouverture reportedly said after discovering Dessalines' massacres: "I did not want this! I told him to prune the tree, not to uproot it."

At the very least, Saint-Domingue is free of all colonial powers. The slave rebellion had succeceded in driving out the white Frenchmen.

L'Ouverture at this point, was greatly angered by the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo. He knew that it was rightfully French lands, as according to the Peace of Basal. But France didn't push the issue, due to being suspicious of L’Ouverture's allegiance.

L’Ouverture would not take this. Having defeated the mulato armies, he felt confident enough to invade Santo Domingo, and unite Hispaniola. L'Ouverture has in fact, prepared for this for several months. Captive slaves were sold in Santo Domingo, and he wanted to expand France's authority. He would send an ultimatum to Santo Domingo, and awaits the Captain General of Santo Domingo to respond...
 
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