Chapter 1.2.I: Astraea Redux
Synopsis
Louis XVI is on the throne and a calmness has come over France. History tells of events, disruptions, and revolutions, and so it can have little to say about the first 10 years of Louis XVI’s reign.
But is this stillness a healthy stillness? The stillness of a tree that grows subtly stronger day by day? Or is it rather the eerie stillness that precedes the jump scare in a horror film?
In any event, the dinner parties are nice.
Notes
Astraea Redux The name of a panegyric written by John Dryden to celebrate the Restoration of Charles II in 1660. Astraea, a Greek goddess, personifies justice, and the name in whole signifies an era in which justice is restored.
Attila Invasions Attila the Hun (406-432) twice plundered the Balkans, attempted to take Constantinople, led an unsuccessful campaign in Persia, successfully invaded the Byzantine Empire, invaded Roman Gaul (reaching as far as Orléans), and invaded Italy (plundering the north but failing to take Rome).
Walter the Penniless Walter Sans Avoir (d. 1096), literally "Walter Without Having", hence Walter the Penniless (his name actually derived from his family's motto Sans avoir Peur, meaning fearless). Co-led the People's Crusade at the beginning of the First Crusade, which set out before the main army of knights in the so-called Princes Crusade.
Sicilian Vespers A successful rebellion in Sicily that broke out at Easter 1282 against French-born king Charles I of Anjou. In six weeks, approximately 13,000 French men and women were killed by the rebels, beginning the 20-year War of the Sicilian Vespers between the kings of Aragon and France that resulted in the division of the Kingdom of Sicily.
Thirty Years Wars 1618-1648, one of the most destructive conflicts in European history, with an estimated 4.5-8 million deaths.
Fool, this night thy life shall be required of thee! A reference to the Parable of the Rich Fool, found in Luke 12:16-21, in which a rich man decides to rest and enjoy his wealth before God says to him "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"
succedaneum A substitute, especially for a medicine
On the Fifth of May, fifteen years hence The Estates-General was opened on May 5, 1789, signaling the beginning of the Revolution
“steep rocks at Croe in Combrailles” I don’t know. See also above mention. Props to anyone who sorts this out.
Turgot Anne-Robert Jacques Turgot, Baron de l'Aulne, known as an early advocate of economic liberalism and hence associated with Philosophism. He was made Controller-General of Finance in 1774, in which capacity he served until he was ousted in a conspiracy by Maurepas (see below) and replaced with Jacques Necker.
Ferney A commune in eastern France, home to Voltaire from 1759-1778 and in 1791 renamed to Ferney-Voltaire
Diderot Denis Diderot (1713-84), philosophe and primary editor of the Encyclopédie
D'Alembert Jean le Rond d'Alembert, mathematician, physicist, and philosophe(r), co-editor of the Encyclopédie
Marmontels, Morellets, Chamforts, Raynals More philosophes and encyclopédistes from the period
“the Age of Revolutions approaches” (as Jean Jacques wrote) i.e. Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), writing in Emile
Redeunt Saturnia regna From the Aeneid, "The Saturnian Kingdoms return", refers to the return of the golden age of saturn, or times peace and prosperity more generally
Good old cheery Maurepas Maurepas had been Louis XV's secretary of state (overseeing ecclesiastical affairs and the administration of Paris), as well as the minister of marine affairs, before he was sent into ignoble exile after a quarrel with Madame de Pompadour (see above). One of Louis XVI's first acts in 1774 was to bring Maurepas back as his chief advisor, in which capacity he effectively ran the government for seven years until his death. His administration was noteworthy for the restoration of the political power of the parlements, which the "Maupeou triumvirate" (Maupeou, Terray, and d'Aiguillon) had crushed. As mentioned above, he appointed Turgot as Controller General of Finances, then replaced him with Jacques Necker, then ousted Necker when his popularity became a threat.
Sieur Gamain (whom one day he shall have little cause to bless) The shy, intellectually-inclined Louis took up locksmithing under the tutelage of François Gamain. One of their projects included fashioning a safe place for Louis to keep confidential papers. As the Revolution approached, Louis began to dispose of papers that might incriminate him in the eyes of the revolutionaries, but a fearful Gamain thwarted his plans by leading Roland, the Girondist minister, to the secret papers. The discovery of the papers accelerated Louis' trial and killing.
peignoirs Women's light dressing gowns or negligees
after seven long years Louis and Marie Antionette took notoriously long to consummate their marriage, and even longer to produce children, prompting much gossip. Historians still debate whether or not Louis XVI required a medical procedure to allow him to perform his marital obligations, though the evidence seems to indicate that he did not.
Poissarde A Parisian fishwife or market-women. The term has come to be associated with women who led riots during the Revolution (making the Womens' March on Versailles another "Poissarde Procession").
Sardinian Sisters-in-law (for the Princes too are wedded) Louis' brother Louis Stanislaus (b. 1755), the future King Louis XVIII, was hastily married by Louis XV to the Sardinian Marie Joséphine of Savoy to provide for a succession backup-plan after Louis had failed to consummate his marriage. His brother Charles-Philippe, Count d'Artois (b. 1757), the future King Charles X, was also married to a woman of Sardinian royalty, Marie Thérèse of Savoy.
St. Cloud A château overlooking the Seine three miles west of Paris. Having belonged to the Dukes of Orléans, Louis XVI purchased it for Marie Antoinette.
Monsieur, the King’s elder Brother The title Monsieur was used to refer to the oldest of the King’s brothers. This is confusing wording, but Carlyle means “the eldest of the King’s (younger) brothers” (i.e. Louis-Stanislaus, Comte de Provence, future King Louis XVIII) and not “the King’s older brother”, of which he had (obviously) none surviving
Monseigneur d’Artois pulls the mask from a fair impertinent; fights a duel in consequence Charles, Duke d’Artois (future King Charles X), brother of Louis XVI, was, at least in this period of his life, a rather irritable figure. He got into a spat with his cousin the Duke of Bourbon’s wife at a masquerade ball which led to the Duke challenging him to a duel which was fought but led to no lasting damage on either side. (Count of Artois, like Duke d’Orléans and Prince de Condé, was another title for a high-ranking Bourbon).
This last is he who now, as a gray time-worn man, sits desolate at Grätz Charles X, whose reign ended in 1830, was at the time of writing (1834) still alive. He died in 1836.
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