A French genocide : the Vendée

317 Pages·2003·17.538 MB·English

by  Secher, Reynald

rench
N O C I D E
T H E V E N D E E
REYNALD SECHER
Translated by George Holç$ot
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UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME PRESS
Noire Dame, Indiana
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A French Genocide
English Language Edition Copyright © 2003
by University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, Indiana 46556
www.undpress.nd.edu
All Rights Reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
© Reynald Secher, 1986
Translated by George Holoch from Le génocidefranco-française: La Vendée-Vengé,
published by Presses Universitaires de France, Paris, 1986.
The publisher is grateful to
THE FRENCH MINISTRY OF CULTURE— CENTRE NATIONAL DU LIVRE
for support of the costs of translation
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Secher, Reynald.
[Génocide franco-français. English]
A French genocide : the Vendée / Reynald Secher ; translated by George Holoch.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 0-268-02865-6 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. France— History—Wars of the Vendée, 1793-1832—Atrocities.
2. Church and state— France— Vendée— History— 18th century.
3. Vendée (France)— History. 4. France— History— Revolution, 1789-1799—
Influence. 5. Vendée (France)— Church history— 18th century. I. Title.
DC218.S43313 2003
2003047333
00 This book is printed on acid-free paper.
TO MY GREAT-GRANDPARENTS
Hippolyte and Céline Bizet
TO MY GRANDPARENTS
René and Germaine Guillot
TO MY WIFE
Geneviève
TO MY CHILDREN
Estelle
Tristan
Pierre-Marie
TO MY BROTHERS SISTERS
Myriam and Jean
Jean-Hugues
Jean-Marc
Thierry
Patrick
Ch
U '-x-x ' CONTENTS
List of Tables, Figures, and Maps ix
Preface xiii
Introduction 1
Part One Before the War
one Hope 7
two The First Revolutionary Accomplishments 23
three The End of the Honeymoon 29
four The Mistakes of the Central Government and 34
the Excesses of the Administration
five The Role of the Refractory Clergy in the Resistance 51
Part Two The War
s 1 x The March Toward War 65
seven The War Begins 74
eight The Confrontation Between Legitimacy and Legality 98
in the Same Territory
viii 4· Contents
Part Three The Period of Instability
NINE Political Incoherence 149
TEN The Living Conditions of the Vendeans 164
ELEVEN Local Authorities Confront Their Consciences
m
TWELVE The Legitimacy of the Clergy and Its Activity 182
Part Four Consequences
THIRTEEN The Problem *99
FOURTEEN The Human Aspect 208
FIFTEEN Assessment of Property Destruction 220
Conclusion: The Vendée-Vengé 247
Appendix: Assessment of Human and Housing 262
Losses by Canton in the Wars of the Vendée
Notes 275
TABLES,
FIGURES, AND MAPS
Tables
Table 8.1 Ships stationed on the Loire in the year II from Angers to
Paimbceuf
Table 12.i Priests who died violent or natural deaths
Table 13.1 [Categories on housing]
Table 14.1 Population loss according to size of town (by department)
Table 14.2 Number of towns according to size and percent
Table 14.3 Table of repression of nine mothers and eight couples killed
in La Remaudiere
Table 14.4 Table of repression according to age and sex of inhabitants
killed in La Remaudiere
Table 14.5 Table of repression in relation to fifty-four families affected in
La Remaudiere
Table 15.1 Distribution of percentages of housing destruction according
to number, percentage, and department
Table 15.2 Housing destruction by commune and department according
to concentration
Table 15.3 Distribution of damage by commune (according to size) and
department
Table 15.4 Situation of the canton of Palluau presented by an official
rx
X * Tables, Figures, and Maps
Table 15.5 Housing not rebuilt by number of communes, department
Table 15.6 Distribution of doors in houses in La Chapelle-Bassemère
Table 15.7 Distribution of doors and windows in houses in La Chapelle-
Bassemère
Table 15.8 Ownership of houses in La Chapelle-Bassemère before the
Revolution according to socio-professional categories
Table 15.9 Value of La Chapelle-Bassemère houses before the Revolu­
tion according to number of units
Table 15.10 Number and value of bourgeois houses and castles in La
Chapelle-Bassemère before the Revolution and relation to
total
Table 15.11 Distribution of housing value before the Revolution accord­
ing to socio-professional categories
Table 15.12 Geographic distribution of housing before the Revolution
Table 15.13 Distribution of housing destruction according to socio­
professional categories
Table 15.14 Principal residences destroyed according to socio-professional
categories
Table 15.15 Value of housing destroyed according to socio-professional
categories
Table 15.16 Value of rebuilt housing according to socio-professional cate­
gories
Table 15.17 Rebuilding costs according to socio-professional categories
Appendix Assessment of human and housing losses by canton (1980
canton limits) in the wars of the Vendée
Figures
Figure 15.1 Total reconstructions in three departments (on the basis of
6,942 houses)
Figure 15.2 Percentage of total reconstructions in three departments (on
the basis of 6,942 houses)
Figure 15.3 Rate of reconstruction in La Chapelle-Bassemere
Tables, Figures, and Maps $ xi
Maps
Map i.i Departments of the Military Vendée
Map 8.i Plan of the first “promenade” of the infernal columns (Janu­
ary 21-27,1794)
Map 14.1 Loss of population in number
Map 14.2 Loss of population in percent
Map 15.1 Number of houses destroyed
Map 15.2 Percent of existing houses destroyed
Map 15.3 Percent of destroyed houses not rebuilt
Map 15.4 Number of houses not rebuilt
Map 15.5 Percent of houses not rebuilt in relation to property before the
Revolution
Map 15.6 Value of reconstruction in relation to property before the Revo­
lution (percent)
Map 15.7 Loss of value of rebuilt housing in relation to value before the
Revolution (percent)
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