What was the Revolt of 13 Vendémiaire?

The Revolt of 13 Vendémiaire was a royalist insurrection that took place in Paris on 5 October 1795 during the French Revolution. It was crushed by General Napoleon Bonaparte.

What did Napoleon Bonaparte do on 13 Vendémiaire?

On 13 Vendémiaire Year IV (5 October 1795), Napoleon Bonaparte commanded the defense of the National Convention against the royalist insurrectionists. He ended the insurrection by firing grapeshot into the royalist mob, killing 300 and routing the rest. His actions helped secure him command of the Army of Italy five months later.

What caused the Revolt of 13 Vendémiaire?

The insurrection of 13 Vendémiaire Year IV (5 October 1795) was caused by frustration with Revolutionary France's government, the National Convention, as well as an increased number of royalist sympathizers. When the Convention denied the possibility of a royalist majority in the next government, the royalists in Paris revolted.

What was the "whiff of grapeshot"?

The "whiff of grapeshot" is the term used by English writer and historian Thomas Carlyle to describe the actions taken by Napoleon Bonaparte on 13 Vendémiaire. Bonaparte, facing a royalist insurrection, fired grapeshot into the crowd, killing 300 and dispersing the rest.

13 Vendemiaire Timeline

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Definition

The Revolt of 13 Vendémiaire Year IV (5 October 1795) was a royalist uprising in Paris during the French Revolution (1789-1799). In response to the anti-royalist policies of the Thermidorian Reaction, 25,000 Parisians rose in revolt but were crushed by French Republican soldiers under the command of General Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), who famously used grapeshot to disperse the insurrectionists.

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