French Republican calendar

Calendar used in Revolutionary France from 1793 to 1805

French Republican Calendar of 1794, drawn by Philibert-Louis Debucourt

The French Republican calendar (French: calendrier républicain français), also commonly called the French Revolutionary calendar (calendrier révolutionnaire français), was a calendar created and implemented during the French Revolution, and used by the French government for about 12 years from late 1793 to 1805, and for 18 days by the Paris Commune in 1871, and meant to replace the Gregorian calendar.[1]

The calendar consisted of twelve 30-day months, each divided into three 10-day cycles similar to weeks, plus five or six intercalary days at the end to fill out the balance of a solar year. It was designed in part to remove all religious and royalist influences from the calendar, and it was part of a larger attempt at dechristianisation and decimalisation in France (which also included decimal time of day, decimalisation of currency, and metrication). It was used in government records in France and other areas under French rule, including Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Malta, and Italy.

## Beginning and ending

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The National Constituent Assembly at first intended to create a new calendar marking the "era of Liberty", beginning on 14 July 1789, the date of the Storming of the Bastille. However, on 2 January 1792 its successor the Legislative Assembly decided that Year IV of Liberty had begun the day before. Year I had therefore begun on 1 January 1789.

On 21 September 1792, the French First Republic was proclaimed, and the new National Convention decided that 1792 was to be known as Year I of the French Republic. It decreed on 2 January 1793 that Year II of the Republic had begun the day before. However, the new calendar as adopted by the Convention in October 1793 made 22 September 1792 the first day of Year I.

Ultimately, the calendar came to commemorate the Republic, and not the Revolution. The Common Era, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, was abolished and replaced with l'ère républicaine, the Republican Era, signifying the "age of reason" overcoming superstition, as part of the campaign of dechristianisation.

The First Republic ended with the coronation of Napoleon I as Emperor on 11 Frimaire, Year XIII, or 2 December 1804. Despite this, the republican calendar continued to be used until 1 January 1806, when Napoleon declared it abolished. It was briefly used again for a few weeks of the Paris Commune, in May 1871.

## Overview and origins

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### Precursor

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The prominent atheist essayist and philosopher Sylvain Maréchal published the first edition of his Almanach des Honnêtes-gens (Almanac of Honest People) in 1788.[2] The first month in the almanac is "Mars, ou Princeps" (March, or First), the last month is "Février, ou Duodécembre" (February, or Twelfth). The lengths of the months are the same as those in the Gregorian calendar; however, the 10th, 20th, and 30th days are singled out of each month as the end of a décade (group of ten days). Individual days were assigned, instead of to the traditional saints, to people noteworthy for mostly secular achievements. Later editions of the almanac would switch to the Republican Calendar.[3]

### History

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A copy of the French Republican Calendar in the Historical Museum of Lausanne

The days of the French Revolution and Republic saw many efforts to sweep away various trappings of the Ancien Régime (the old feudal monarchy); some of these were more successful than others. The new Republican government sought to institute, among other reforms, a new social and legal system, a new system of weights and measures (which became the metric system), and a new calendar.

Amid nostalgia for the ancient Roman Republic, the theories of the Age of Enlightenment were at their peak, and the devisers of the new systems looked to nature for their inspiration. Natural constants, multiples of ten, and Latin as well as Ancient Greek derivations formed the fundamental blocks from which the new systems were built.

The new calendar was created by a commission under the direction of the politician Gilbert Romme seconded by Claude Joseph Ferry [fr] and Charles-François Dupuis. They associated with their work the chemist Louis-Bernard Guyton de Morveau, the mathematician and astronomer Joseph-Louis Lagrange, the astronomer Jérôme Lalande, the mathematician Gaspard Monge, the astronomer and naval geographer Alexandre Guy Pingré, and the poet, actor and playwright Fabre d'Églantine, who invented the names of the months, with the help of André Thouin, gardener at the Jardin des plantes of the Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle in Paris. As the rapporteur of the commission, Charles-Gilbert Romme presented the new calendar to the Jacobin-controlled National Convention on 23 September 1793, which adopted it on 24 October 1793 and also extended it proleptically to its epoch of 22 September 1792. It is because of his position as rapporteur of the commission that the creation of the republican calendar is attributed to Romme.[4]

The calendar is frequently named the "French Revolutionary Calendar" because it was created during the Revolution, but this is a slight misnomer. In France, it is known as the calendrier républicain as well as the calendrier révolutionnaire. There was initially a debate as to whether the calendar should celebrate the Great Revolution, which began in July 1789, or the Republic, which was established in 1792.[5] Immediately following 14 July 1789, papers and pamphlets started calling 1789 year I of Liberty and the following years II and III. It was in 1792, with the practical problem of dating financial transactions, that the legislative assembly was confronted with the problem of the calendar. Originally, the choice of epoch was either 1 January 1789 or 14 July 1789. After some hesitation the assembly decided on 2 January 1792 that all official documents would use the "era of Liberty" and that the year IV of Liberty started on 1 January 1792. This usage was modified on 22 September 1792 when the Republic was proclaimed and the Convention decided that all public documents would be dated Year I of the French Republic. The decree of 2 January 1793 stipulated that the year II of the Republic began on 1 January 1793; this was revoked with the introduction of the new calendar, which set 22 September 1793 as the beginning of year II. The establishment of the Republic was used as the epochal date for the calendar; therefore, the calendar commemorates the Republic, and not the Revolution.

French coins of the period naturally used this calendar. Many show the year (French: an) in Arabic numbers, although Roman numerals were used on some issues. Year 11 coins typically have a XI date to avoid confusion with the Roman II.

The French Revolution is usually considered to have ended with the coup of 18 Brumaire, Year VIII (9 November 1799), the coup d'état of Napoleon Bonaparte against the established constitutional regime of the Directoire.

1 Floréal, Year 79 issue of The Son of Père Duchêne, a newspaper published during the Paris Commune.

The Concordat of 1801 re-established the Roman Catholic Church as an official institution in France, although not as the state religion of France. The concordat took effect from Easter Sunday, 28 Germinal, Year XI (8 April 1802); it restored the names of the days of the week to the ones from the Gregorian calendar, and fixed Sunday as the official day of rest and religious celebration.[6] However, the other attributes of the republican calendar, the months, and years, remained as they were.

The French Republic ended with the coronation of Napoleon as Empereur des Français (Emperor of the French) on 11 Frimaire, Year XIII (2 December 1804), but the republican calendar would remain in place for another year. Napoleon finally abolished the republican calendar with effect from 1 January 1806 (the day after 10 Nivôse Year XIV), a little over twelve years after its introduction. It was, however, used again briefly in the Journal officiel for some dates during a short period of the Paris Commune, 6–23 May 1871 (16 Floréal–3 Prairial Year LXXIX).[7]

### Calendar design

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L AN 2 DE LA REPUBLIQUE FR (Year 2 of the French Republic) on a barn near Geneva, dating to 1793 or 1794

Years appear in writing as Roman numerals (usually), with epoch 22 September 1792, the beginning of the "Republican Era" (the day the French First Republic was proclaimed, one day after the Convention abolished the monarchy). As a result, Roman Numeral I indicates the first year of the republic, that is, the year before the calendar actually came into use. By law, the beginning of each year was set at midnight, beginning on the day the apparent autumnal equinox falls at the Paris Observatory.

There were twelve months, each divided into three ten-day weeks called décades. The tenth day, décadi, replaced Sunday as the day of rest and festivity. The five or six extra days needed to approximate the solar or tropical year were placed after the final month of each year and called complementary days. This arrangement was an almost exact copy of the calendar used by the Ancient Egyptians, though in their case the year did not begin and end on the autumnal equinox.

A period of four years ending on a leap day was to be called a "Franciade". The name "Olympique" was originally proposed[8] but changed to Franciade to commemorate the fact that it had taken the revolution four years to establish a republican government in France.[9]

The leap year was called Sextile, an allusion to the "bissextile" leap years of the Julian and Gregorian calendars, because it contained a sixth complementary day.

### Decimal time

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Main article: Decimal time § France

Each day in the Republican Calendar was divided into ten hours, each hour into 100 decimal minutes, and each decimal minute into 100 decimal seconds. Thus an hour was 144 conventional minutes (2.4 times as long as a conventional hour), a minute was 86.4 conventional seconds (44% longer than a conventional minute), and a second was 0.864 conventional seconds (13.6% shorter than a conventional second).

Clocks were manufactured to display this decimal time, but it did not catch on. Mandatory use of decimal time was officially suspended 7 April 1795, although some cities continued to use decimal time as late as 1801.[10]

The numbering of years in the Republican Calendar by Roman numerals ran counter to this general decimalisation tendency.

## Months

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The Republican calendar year began the day the autumnal equinox occurred in Paris, and had twelve months of 30 days each, which were given new names based on nature, principally having to do with the prevailing weather in and around Paris and sometimes evoking the Medieval Labours of the Months. The extra five or six days in the year were not given a month designation, but considered Sansculottides or Complementary Days.

* Autumn:
* Vendémiaire (from French vendange, which means 'grape harvest', derived from Latin vindemia 'vintage'), starting 22, 23, or 24 September
* Brumaire (from French brume 'mist', from Latin brūma 'winter solstice; winter; winter cold'), starting 22, 23, or 24 October
* Frimaire (from French frimas 'frost'), starting 21, 22, or 23 November
* Winter:
* Nivôse (from Latin nivosus 'snowy'), starting 21, 22, or 23 December
* Pluviôse (from French pluvieux, derived from Latin pluvius 'rainy'), starting 20, 21, or 22 January
* Ventôse (from French venteux, derived from Latin ventosus 'windy'), starting 19, 20, or 21 February
* Spring:
* Germinal (from French germination), starting 21 or 22 March
* Floréal (from French fleur, derived from Latin flos 'flower'), starting 20 or 21 April
* Prairial (from French prairie 'meadow'), starting 20 or 21 May
* Summer:
* Messidor (from Latin messis 'harvest'), starting 19 or 20 June
* Thermidor (from Greek θέρμη, thermē, 'summer heat'), starting 19 or 20 July; on many printed calendars of Year II (1793–94), the month of Thermidor was named Fervidor (from Latin fervidus, "burning hot")
* Fructidor (from Latin fructus 'fruit'), starting 18 or 19 August

Most of the month names were new words coined from French, Latin, or Greek. The endings of the names are grouped by season. -dor comes from δῶρον, dō̂ron means 'giving' in Greek.[11]

In Britain, a contemporary wit mocked the Republican Calendar by calling the months: Wheezy, Sneezy, and Freezy; Slippy, Drippy, and Nippy; Showery, Flowery, and Bowery; Hoppy, Croppy, and Poppy.[12][13] The historian Thomas Carlyle suggested somewhat more serious English names in his 1837 work The French Revolution: A History,[11] namely Vintagearious, Fogarious, Frostarious, Snowous, Rainous, Windous, Buddal, Floweral, Meadowal, Reapidor, Heatidor, and Fruitidor. Like the French originals, they are neologisms suggesting a meaning related to the season.

## Ten days of the week

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French Revolutionary pocket watch showing ten-day décade names and thirty-day month numbers from the Republican Calendar, but with duodecimal time. On display at the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire (Neuchâtel) In Switzerland.

The month is divided into three décades or "weeks" of ten days each, named:

* primidi (first day)
* duodi (second day)
* tridi (third day)
* quartidi (fourth day)
* quintidi (fifth day)
* sextidi (sixth day)
* septidi (seventh day)
* octidi (eighth day)
* nonidi (ninth day)
* décadi (tenth day)

Décadis became official days of rest instead of Sundays, in order to diminish the influence of the Roman Catholic Church. They were used for the festivals of a succession of new religions meant to replace Catholicism: the Cult of Reason, the Cult of the Supreme Being, the Decadary Cult, and Theophilanthropy. Christian holidays were officially abolished in favor of revolutionary holidays.

The law of 13 Fructidor year VI (August 30, 1798) required that marriages must only be celebrated on décadis. This law was applied from the 1st Vendémiaire year VII (September 22, 1798) to 28 Pluviôse year VIII (February 17, 1800).

Décades were abandoned at the changeover from Germinal to Floréal year X (20 to 21 April 1802), after Napoleon's Concordat with the Pope.[14]

## Rural calendar

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The Roman Catholic Church used a calendar of saints, which named each day of the year after an associated saint. To reduce the influence of the Church, Fabre d'Églantine introduced a Rural Calendar in which each day of the year had a unique name associated with the rural economy, stated to correspond to the time of year. Every décadi (ending in 0) was named after an agricultural tool. Each quintidi (ending in 5) was named for a common animal. The rest of the days were named for "grain, pasture, trees, roots, flowers, fruits" and other plants, except for the first month of winter, Nivôse, during which the rest of the days were named after minerals.[15][16]

> Our starting point was the idea of celebrating, through the calendar, the agricultural system, and of leading the nation back to it, marking the times and the fractions of the year by intelligible or visible signs taken from agriculture and the rural economy. (...)

> As the calendar is something that we use so often, we must take advantage of this frequency of use to put elementary notions of agriculture before the people – to show the richness of nature, to make them love the fields, and to methodically show them the order of the influences of the heavens and of the products of the earth.

> The priests assigned the commemoration of a so-called saint to each day of the year: this catalogue exhibited neither utility nor method; it was a collection of lies, of deceit or of charlatanism.

> We thought that the nation, after having kicked out this canonised mob from its calendar, must replace it with the objects that make up the true riches of the nation, worthy objects not from a cult, but from agriculture – useful products of the soil, the tools that we use to cultivate it, and the domesticated animals, our faithful servants in these works; animals much more precious, without doubt, to the eye of reason, than the beatified skeletons pulled from the catacombs of Rome.

> So we have arranged in the column of each month, the names of the real treasures of the rural economy. The grains, the pastures, the trees, the roots, the flowers, the fruits, the plants are arranged in the calendar, in such a way that the place and the day of the month that each product occupies is precisely the season and the day that Nature presents it to us.

> — Fabre d'Églantine, "Rapport fait à la Convention nationale au nom de la Commission chargée de la confection du Calendrier",[17] Imprimerie nationale, 1793

The following pictures, showing twelve allegories for the months, were illustrated by French painter Louis Lafitte (1779–1828), and engraved by Salvatore Tresca [fr] (1750–1815).[18]

### Autumn

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Vendémiaire
(22/24 September – 21/23 October)
1 | 22 Sep |  Raisin (Grape)
2 | 23 Sep |  Safran (Saffron)
3 | 24 Sep |  Châtaigne (Chestnut)
4 | 25 Sep |  Colchique (Autumn Crocus)
5 | 26 Sep |  Cheval (Horse)
6 | 27 Sep |  Balsamine (Impatiens)
7 | 28 Sep |  Carotte (Carrot)
8 | 29 Sep |  Amaranthe (Amaranth)
9 | 30 Sep |  Panais (Parsnip)
10 | 1 Oct |  Cuve (Vat)
11 | 2 Oct |  Pomme de terre (Potato)
12 | 3 Oct |  Immortelle (Strawflower)
13 | 4 Oct |  Potiron (Winter squash)
14 | 5 Oct |  Réséda (Mignonette)
15 | 6 Oct |  Âne (Donkey)
16 | 7 Oct |  Belle de nuit (Four o'clock flower)
17 | 8 Oct |  Citrouille (Pumpkin)
18 | 9 Oct |  Sarrasin (Buckwheat)
19 | 10 Oct |  Tournesol (Sunflower)
20 | 11 Oct |  Pressoir (Wine-Press)
21 | 12 Oct |  Chanvre (Hemp)
22 | 13 Oct |  Pêche (Peach)
23 | 14 Oct |  Navet (Turnip)
24 | 15 Oct |  Amaryllis (Amaryllis)
25 | 16 Oct |  Bœuf (Ox)
26 | 17 Oct |  Aubergine (Eggplant)
27 | 18 Oct |  Piment (Chili pepper)
28 | 19 Oct |  Tomate (Tomato)
29 | 20 Oct |  Orge (Barley)
30 | 21 Oct |  Tonneau (Barrel)

Brumaire
(22/24 October – 20/22 November)
1 | 22 Oct |  Pomme (Apple)
2 | 23 Oct |  Céleri (Celery)
3 | 24 Oct |  Poire (Pear)
4 | 25 Oct |  Betterave (Beetroot)
5 | 26 Oct |  Oie (Goose)
6 | 27 Oct |  Héliotrope (Heliotrope)
7 | 28 Oct |  Figue (Common fig)
8 | 29 Oct |  Scorsonère (Black Salsify)
9 | 30 Oct |  Alisier (Chequer Tree)
10 | 31 Oct |  Charrue (Plough)
11 | 1 Nov |  Salsifis (Salsify)
12 | 2 Nov |  Mâcre (Water caltrop)
13 | 3 Nov |  Topinambour (Jerusalem artichoke)
14 | 4 Nov |  Endive (Endive)
15 | 5 Nov |  Dindon (Turkey)
16 | 6 Nov |  Chervis (Skirret)
17 | 7 Nov |  Cresson (Watercress)
18 | 8 Nov |  Dentelaire (Leadworts)
19 | 9 Nov |  Grenade (Pomegranate)
20 | 10 Nov |  Herse (Harrow)
21 | 11 Nov |  Bacchante (Baccharis)
22 | 12 Nov |  Azerole (Azarole)
23 | 13 Nov |  Garance (Madder)
24 | 14 Nov |  Orange (Orange)
25 | 15 Nov |  Faisan (Pheasant)
26 | 16 Nov |  Pistache (Pistachio Nut)
27 | 17 Nov |  Macjonc (Tuberous pea)
28 | 18 Nov |  Coing (Quince)
29 | 19 Nov |  Cormier (Service tree)
30 | 20 Nov |  Rouleau (Roller)

Frimaire
(21/23 November – 20/22 December)
1 | 21 Nov |  Raiponce (Rampion)
2 | 22 Nov |  Turneps (Cattle turnip)
3 | 23 Nov |  Chicorée (Chicory)
4 | 24 Nov |  Nèfle (Medlar)
5 | 25 Nov |  Cochon (Pig)
6 | 26 Nov |  Mâche (Lamb's lettuce)
7 | 27 Nov |  Chou-fleur (Cauliflower)
8 | 28 Nov |  Miel (Honey)
9 | 29 Nov |  Genièvre (Juniper)
10 | 30 Nov |  Pioche (Pickaxe)
11 | 1 Dec |  Cire (Wax)
12 | 2 Dec |  Raifort (Horseradish)
13 | 3 Dec |  Cèdre (Cedar tree)
14 | 4 Dec |  Sapin (Fir)
15 | 5 Dec |  Chevreuil (Roe deer)
16 | 6 Dec |  Ajonc (Gorse)
17 | 7 Dec |  Cyprès (Cypress Tree)
18 | 8 Dec |  Lierre (Ivy)
19 | 9 Dec |  Sabine (Savin Juniper)
20 | 10 Dec |  Hoyau (Fork hoe)
21 | 11 Dec |  Érable à sucre (Sugar Maple)
22 | 12 Dec |  Bruyère (Heather)
23 | 13 Dec |  Roseau (Reed plant)
24 | 14 Dec |  Oseille (Sorrel)
25 | 15 Dec |  Grillon (Cricket)
26 | 16 Dec |  Pignon (Pine nut)
27 | 17 Dec |  Liège (Cork)
28 | 18 Dec |  Truffe (Truffle)
29 | 19 Dec |  Olive (Olive)
30 | 20 Dec |  Pelle (Shovel)

### Winter

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Nivôse
(21/23 December – 19/21 January)
1 |  21 Dec |  Tourbe (Peat)
2 |  22 Dec |  Houille (Coal)
3 |  23 Dec |  Bitume (Bitumen)
4 |  24 Dec |  Soufre (Sulphur)
5 |  25 Dec |  Chien (Dog)
6 |  26 Dec |  Lave (Lava)
7 |  27 Dec |  Terre végétale (Topsoil)
8 |  28 Dec |  Fumier (Manure)
9 |  29 Dec |  Salpêtre (Saltpeter)
10 |  30 Dec |  Fléau (Flail)
11 |  31 Dec |  Granit (Granite)
12 |  1 Jan |  Argile (Clay)
13 |  2 Jan |  Ardoise (Slate)
14 |  3 Jan |  Grès (Sandstone)
15 |  4 Jan |  Lapin (Rabbit)
16 |  5 Jan |  Silex (Flint)
17 |  6 Jan |  Marne (Marl)
18 |  7 Jan |  Pierre à chaux (Limestone)
19 |  8 Jan |  Marbre (Marble)
20 |  9 Jan |  Van (Winnowing fan)
21 |  10 Jan |  Pierre à plâtre (Gypsum)
22 |  11 Jan |  Sel (Salt)
23 |  12 Jan |  Fer (Iron)
24 |  13 Jan |  Cuivre (Copper)
25 |  14 Jan |  Chat (Cat)
26 |  15 Jan |  Étain (Tin)
27 |  16 Jan |  Plomb (Lead)
28 |  17 Jan |  Zinc (Zinc)
29 |  18 Jan |  Mercure (Mercury)
30 |  19 Jan |  Crible (Sieve)

Pluviôse
(20/22 January – 18/20 February)
1 |  20 Jan |  Lauréole (Spurge-laurel)
2 |  21 Jan |  Mousse (Moss)
3 |  22 Jan |  Fragon (Butcher's Broom)
4 |  23 Jan |  Perce-neige (Snowdrop)
5 |  24 Jan |  Taureau (Bull)
6 |  25 Jan |  Laurier-thym (Laurustinus)
7 |  26 Jan |  Amadouvier (Tinder polypore)
8 |  27 Jan |  Mézéréon (Daphne mezereum)
9 |  28 Jan |  Peuplier (Poplar)
10 |  29 Jan |  Coignée (Axe)
11 |  30 Jan |  Ellébore (Hellebore)
12 |  31 Jan |  Brocoli (Broccoli)
13 |  1 Feb |  Laurier (Bay laurel)
14 |  2 Feb |  Avelinier (Filbert)
15 |  3 Feb |  Vache (Cow)
16 |  4 Feb |  Buis (Box Tree)
17 |  5 Feb |  Lichen (Lichen)
18 |  6 Feb |  If (Yew tree)
19 |  7 Feb |  Pulmonaire (Lungwort)
20 |  8 Feb |  Serpette (Billhook)
21 |  9 Feb |  Thlaspi (Pennycress)
22 |  10 Feb |  Thimelé (Rose Daphne)
23 |  11 Feb |  Chiendent (Couch grass)
24 |  12 Feb |  Trainasse (Common Knotgrass)
25 |  13 Feb |  Lièvre (Hare)
26 |  14 Feb |  Guède (Woad)
27 |  15 Feb |  Noisetier (Hazel)
28 |  16 Feb |  Cyclamen (Cyclamen)
29 |  17 Feb |  Chélidoine (Celandine)
30 |  18 Feb |  Traîneau (Sleigh)

Ventôse
(19/21 February – 20/22 March)
1 |  19 Feb |  Tussilage (Coltsfoot)
2 |  20 Feb |  Cornouiller (Dogwood)
3 |  21 Feb |  Violier (Matthiola)
4 |  22 Feb |  Troène (Privet)
5 |  23 Feb |  Bouc (Billygoat)
6 |  24 Feb |  Asaret (Wild Ginger)
7 |  25 Feb |  Alaterne (Italian Buckthorn)
8 |  26 Feb |  Violette (Violet)
9 |  27 Feb |  Marceau (Goat Willow)
10 |  28 Feb |  Bêche (Spade)
11 |  1 Mar |  Narcisse (Narcissus)
12 |  2 Mar |  Orme (Elm)
13 |  3 Mar |  Fumeterre (Common fumitory)
14 |  4 Mar |  Vélar (Hedge mustard)
15 |  5 Mar |  Chèvre (Goat)
16 |  6 Mar |  Épinard (Spinach)
17 |  7 Mar |  Doronic (Doronicum)
18 |  8 Mar |  Mouron (Pimpernel)
19 |  9 Mar |  Cerfeuil (Chervil)
20 |  10 Mar |  Cordeau (Twine)
21 |  11 Mar |  Mandragore (Mandrake)
22 |  12 Mar |  Persil (Parsley)
23 |  13 Mar |  Cochléaria (Scurvy-grass)
24 |  14 Mar |  Pâquerette (Daisy)
25 |  15 Mar |  Thon (Tuna)
26 |  16 Mar |  Pissenlit (Dandelion)
27 |  17 Mar |  Sylvie (Wood Anemone)
28 |  18 Mar |  Capillaire (Maidenhair fern)
29 |  19 Mar |  Frêne (Ash tree)
30 |  20 Mar |  Plantoir (Dibber)

### Spring

[edit]

Germinal
(21/23 March – 19/21 April)
1 | 21 Mar |  Primevère (Primrose)
2 | 22 Mar |  Platane (Plane Tree)
3 | 23 Mar |  Asperge (Asparagus)
4 | 24 Mar |  Tulipe (Tulip)
5 | 25 Mar |  Poule (Hen)
6 | 26 Mar |  Bette (Chard)
7 | 27 Mar |  Bouleau (Birch)
8 | 28 Mar |  Jonquille (Daffodil)
9 | 29 Mar |  Aulne (Alder)
10 | 30 Mar |  Couvoir (Incubator)
11 | 31 Mar |  Pervenche (Periwinkle)
12 | 1 Apr |  Charme (Hornbeam)
13 | 2 Apr |  Morille (Morel)
14 | 3 Apr |  Hêtre (Beech Tree)
15 | 4 Apr |  Abeille (Bee)
16 | 5 Apr |  Laitue (Lettuce)
17 | 6 Apr |  Mélèze (Larch)
18 | 7 Apr |  Ciguë (Hemlock)
19 | 8 Apr |  Radis (Radish)
20 | 9 Apr |  Ruche (Beehive)
21 | 10 Apr |  Gainier (Judas tree)
22 | 11 Apr |  Romaine (Romaine lettuce)
23 | 12 Apr |  Marronnier (Horse chestnut)
24 | 13 Apr |  Roquette (Arugula or Rocket)
25 | 14 Apr |  Pigeon (Pigeon)
26 | 15 Apr |  Lilas (Lilac)
27 | 16 Apr |  Anémone (Anemone)
28 | 17 Apr |  Pensée (Pansy)
29 | 18 Apr |  Myrtille (Bilberry)
30 | 19 Apr |  Greffoir (Grafting knife)

Floréal
(20/22 April – 19/21 May)
1 | 20 Apr |  Rose (Rose)
2 | 21 Apr |  Chêne (Oak Tree)
3 | 22 Apr |  Fougère (Fern)
4 | 23 Apr |  Aubépine (Hawthorn)
5 | 24 Apr |  Rossignol (Nightingale)
6 | 25 Apr |  Ancolie (Common Columbine)
7 | 26 Apr |  Muguet (Lily of the valley)
8 | 27 Apr |  Champignon (Button mushroom)
9 | 28 Apr |  Hyacinthe (Hyacinth)
10 | 29 Apr |  Râteau (Rake)
11 | 30 Apr |  Rhubarbe (Rhubarb)
12 | 1 May |  Sainfoin (Sainfoin)
13 | 2 May |  Bâton d'or (Wallflower)
14 | 3 May |  Chamerisier (Fan Palm tree)
15 | 4 May |  Ver à soie (Silkworm)
16 | 5 May |  Consoude (Comfrey)
17 | 6 May |  Pimprenelle (Salad burnet)
18 | 7 May |  Corbeille d'or (Basket of Gold)
19 | 8 May |  Arroche (Orache)
20 | 9 May |  Sarcloir (Weeding hoe)
21 | 10 May |  Statice (Sea thrift)
22 | 11 May |  Fritillaire (Fritillary)
23 | 12 May |  Bourrache (Borage)
24 | 13 May |  Valériane (Valerian)
25 | 14 May |  Carpe (Carp)
26 | 15 May |  Fusain (Euonymus)
27 | 16 May |  Civette (Chives)
28 | 17 May |  Buglosse (Bugloss)
29 | 18 May |  Sénevé (White mustard)
30 | 19 May |  Houlette (Shepherd's crook)

Prairial
(20/22 May – 18/20 June)
1 | 20 May |  Luzerne (Lucerne)
2 | 21 May |  Hémérocalle (Daylily)
3 | 22 May |  Trèfle (Clover)
4 | 23 May |  Angélique (Angelica)
5 | 24 May |  Canard (Duck)
6 | 25 May |  Mélisse (Lemon balm)
7 | 26 May |  Fromental (Oat grass)
8 | 27 May |  Martagon (Martagon lily)
9 | 28 May |  Serpolet (Wild Thyme)
10 | 29 May |  Faux (Scythe)
11 | 30 May |  Fraise (Strawberry)
12 | 31 May |  Bétoine (Betony)
13 | 1 Jun |  Pois (Pea)
14 | 2 Jun |  Acacia (Acacia)
15 | 3 Jun |  Caille (Quail)
16 | 4 Jun |  Œillet (Carnation)
17 | 5 Jun |  Sureau (Elderberry)
18 | 6 Jun |  Pavot (Poppy plant)
19 | 7 Jun |  Tilleul (Linden or Lime tree)
20 | 8 Jun |  Fourche (Pitchfork)
21 | 9 Jun |  Barbeau (Cornflower)
22 | 10 Jun |  Camomille (Camomile)
23 | 11 Jun |  Chèvrefeuille (Honeysuckle)
24 | 12 Jun |  Caille-lait (Bedstraw)
25 | 13 Jun |  Tanche (Tench)
26 | 14 Jun |  Jasmin (Jasmine)
27 | 15 Jun |  Verveine (Vervain)
28 | 16 Jun |  Thym (Thyme)
29 | 17 Jun |  Pivoine (Peony)
30 | 18 Jun |  Chariot (Handcart)

### Summer

[edit]

Messidor
(19/21 June – 18/20 July)
1 | 19 Jun |  Seigle (Rye)
2 | 20 Jun |  Avoine (Oat)
3 | 21 Jun |  Oignon (Onion)
4 | 22 Jun |  Véronique (Speedwell)
5 | 23 Jun |  Mulet (Mule)
6 | 24 Jun |  Romarin (Rosemary)
7 | 25 Jun |  Concombre (Cucumber)
8 | 26 Jun |  Échalote (Shallot)
9 | 27 Jun |  Absinthe (Wormwood)
10 | 28 Jun |  Faucille (Sickle)
11 | 29 Jun |  Coriandre (Coriander)
12 | 30 Jun |  Artichaut (Artichoke)
13 | 1 Jul |  Girofle (Clove)
14 | 2 Jul |  Lavande (Lavender)
15 | 3 Jul |  Chamois (Chamois)
16 | 4 Jul |  Tabac (Tobacco)
17 | 5 Jul |  Groseille (Redcurrant)
18 | 6 Jul |  Gesse (Hairy Vetchling)
19 | 7 Jul |  Cerise (Cherry)
20 | 8 Jul |  Parc (Livestock pen)
21 | 9 Jul |  Menthe (Mint)
22 | 10 Jul |  Cumin (Cumin)
23 | 11 Jul |  Haricot (Bean)
24 | 12 Jul |  Orcanète (Alkanet)
25 | 13 Jul |  Pintade (Guineafowl)
26 | 14 Jul |  Sauge (Sage)
27 | 15 Jul |  Ail (Garlic)
28 | 16 Jul |  Vesce (Tare)
29 | 17 Jul |  Blé (Wheat)
30 | 18 Jul |  Chalémie (Shawm)

Thermidor
(19/21 July – 17/19 August)
1 | 19 Jul |  Épeautre (Spelt)
2 | 20 Jul |  Bouillon blanc (Common mullein)
3 | 21 Jul |  Melon (Melon)
4 | 22 Jul |  Ivraie (Ryegrass)
5 | 23 Jul |  Bélier (Ram)
6 | 24 Jul |  Prêle (Horsetail)
7 | 25 Jul |  Armoise (Mugwort)
8 | 26 Jul |  Carthame (Safflower)
9 | 27 Jul |  Mûre (Blackberry)
10 | 28 Jul |  Arrosoir (Watering can)
11 | 29 Jul |  Panic (Foxtail millet)
12 | 30 Jul |  Salicorne (Common Glasswort)
13 | 31 Jul |  Abricot (Apricot)
14 | 1 Aug |  Basilic (Basil)
15 | 2 Aug |  Brebis (Ewe)
16 | 3 Aug |  Guimauve (Marshmallow)
17 | 4 Aug |  Lin (Flax)
18 | 5 Aug |  Amande (Almond)
19 | 6 Aug |  Gentiane (Gentian)
20 | 7 Aug |  Écluse (Lock)
21 | 8 Aug |  Carline (Carline thistle)
22 | 9 Aug |  Câprier (Caper)
23 | 10 Aug |  Lentille (Lentil)
24 | 11 Aug |  Aunée (Inula)
25 | 12 Aug |  Loutre (Otter)
26 | 13 Aug |  Myrte (Myrtle)
27 | 14 Aug |  Colza (Rapeseed)
28 | 15 Aug |  Lupin (Lupin)
29 | 16 Aug |  Coton (Cotton)
30 | 17 Aug |  Moulin (Mill)

Fructidor
(18/20 August – 16/18 September)
1 | 18 Aug |  Prune (Plum)
2 | 19 Aug |  Millet (Millet)
3 | 20 Aug |  Lycoperdon (Puffball)
4 | 21 Aug |  Escourgeon (Six-row Barley)
5 | 22 Aug |  Saumon (Salmon)
6 | 23 Aug |  Tubéreuse (Tuberose)
7 | 24 Aug |  Sucrion (Winter Barley)
8 | 25 Aug |  Apocyn (Apocynum)
9 | 26 Aug |  Réglisse (Liquorice)
10 | 27 Aug |  Échelle (Ladder)
11 | 28 Aug |  Pastèque (Watermelon)
12 | 29 Aug |  Fenouil (Fennel)
13 | 30 Aug |  Épine vinette (European Barberry)
14 | 31 Aug |  Noix (Walnut)
15 | 1 Sep |  Truite (Trout)
16 | 2 Sep |  Citron (Lemon)
17 | 3 Sep |  Cardère (Teasel)
18 | 4 Sep |  Nerprun (Buckthorn)
19 | 5 Sep |  Tagette (Mexican Marigold)
20 | 6 Sep |  Hotte (Harvesting basket)
21 | 7 Sep |  Églantier (Wild Rose)
22 | 8 Sep |  Noisette (Hazelnut)
23 | 9 Sep |  Houblon (Hops)
24 | 10 Sep |  Sorgho (Sorghum)
25 | 11 Sep |  Écrevisse (Crayfish)
26 | 12 Sep |  Bigarade (Bitter orange)
27 | 13 Sep |  Verge d'or (Goldenrod)
28 | 14 Sep |  Maïs (Maize or Corn)
29 | 15 Sep |  Marron (Sweet Chestnut)
30 | 16 Sep |  Panier (Pack Basket)

## Complementary days

[edit]

Main article: Sansculottides

Five extra days – six in leap years – were national holidays at the end of every year. These were originally known as les sans-culottides (after sans-culottes), but after year III (1795) as les jours complémentaires:

* 1st complementary day: La Fête de la Vertu, "Celebration of Virtue", on 17 or 18 September
* 2nd complementary day: La Fête du Génie, "Celebration of Talent", on 18 or 19 September
* 3rd complementary day: La Fête du Travail, "Celebration of Labour", on 19 or 20 September
* 4th complementary day: La Fête de l'Opinion, "Celebration of Convictions", on 20 or 21 September
* 5th complementary day: La Fête des Récompenses, "Celebration of Honours (Awards)", on 21 or 22 September
* 6th complementary day: La Fête de la Révolution, "Celebration of the Revolution", on 22 or 23 September (on leap years only)

## Converting from the Gregorian Calendar

[edit]

### During the Republic

[edit]

Fountain in Octon, Hérault, with date 5 Ventôse an 109 (24 February 1901)

Below are the Gregorian dates each year of the Republican Era (Ère Républicaine in French) began while the calendar was in effect.

ER  | AD/CE

|

I (1)  | 22 September 1792
II (2)  | 22 September 1793
III (3)  | 22 September 1794
IV (4)  | 23 September 1795*
V (5)  | 22 September 1796
VI (6)  | 22 September 1797
VII (7)  | 22 September 1798
VIII (8)  | 23 September 1799*
IX (9)  | 23 September 1800
X (10)  | 23 September 1801
XI (11)  | 23 September 1802
XII (12)  | 24 September 1803*
XIII (13)  | 23 September 1804
XIV (14)  | 23 September 1805

LXXIX (79)  | 23 September 1870

Leap years are highlighted

* Extra (sextile) day inserted before date, due to previous leap year[19]

### After the Republic

[edit]

The Republican Calendar was abolished in the year XIV (1805). After this year, there are two historically attested calendars which may be used to determine dates. Both calendars gave the same dates for years 17 to 52 (1808–1844), always beginning on 23 September, and it was suggested, but never adopted, that the reformed calendar be implemented during this period, before the Republican Calendar was abolished.

* Republican Calendar: The only legal calendar during the Republic. The first day of the year, 1 Vendémiaire, is always the day the autumn equinox occurs in Paris. About every 30 years, leap years are 5 years apart instead of 4, as happened between the leap years 15 and 20.[20] The lengths of the first 524 years were calculated by Delambre.
* Reformed Republican Calendar: Following a proposal by Delambre in order to make leap years regular and predictable, with leap years being every year divisible by 4, except years divisible by 100 and not by 400. Years divisible by 4000 would also be ordinary years. Intended to be implemented in year 3, the reformed calendar was abandoned after the death of the head of the calendar committee, Gilbert Romme. This calendar also has the benefit that every year in the third century of the Republican Era (1992–2091) begins on 22 September.[21]

ER  | AD/CE  | Republican  | Reformed

|
|
|

XV (15)

1806

23 September

23 September

XVI (16)

1807

24 September*

23 September

XVII (17)

1808

23 September

23 September*

XVIII (18)

1809

23 September

23 September

XIX (19)

1810

23 September

23 September

XX (20)

1811

23 September

23 September

|  |

CCXXIX (229)

2020

22 September

22 September*

CCXXX (230)

2021

22 September

22 September

CCXXXI (231)

2022

23 September*

22 September

CCXXXII (232)

2023

23 September

22 September

CCXXXIII (233)

2024

22 September

22 September*

CCXXXIV (234)

2025

22 September

22 September

CCXXXV (235)

2026

23 September*

22 September

CCXXXVI (236)

2027

23 September

22 September

CCXXXVII (237)

2028

22 September

22 September*

CCXXXVIII (238)

2029

22 September

22 September

CCXXXIX (239)

2030

22 September

22 September

CCXL (240)

2031

23 September*

22 September

CCXLI (241)

2032

22 September

22 September*

Leap years are highlighted

* Extra (sextile) day inserted before date, due to previous leap year

## Current date and time

[edit]

For this calendar, Delambre's revised method of calculating leap years is used. Other methods may differ by one day. Time may be cached and therefore not accurate. Decimal time is according to Paris mean time, which is 9 minutes 21 seconds (6.49 decimal minutes) ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. (This tool calibrates the time, if calibration is desired.)

Year: 233  | Month: Ventôse | Year: CCXXXIII

|
|

| Day of the 10-day
week (décade)

Primidi
Duodi
Tridi
Quartidi
Quintidi
Sextidi
Septidi
Octidi
Nonidi
Décadi
| décade 16

1  | Wednesday
19 February 2025
2  | Thursday
20 February 2025
3  | Friday
21 February 2025
4  | Saturday
22 February 2025
5  | Sunday
23 February 2025
6  | Monday
24 February 2025
7  | Tuesday
25 February 2025
8  | Wednesday
26 February 2025
9  | Thursday
27 February 2025
10  | Friday
28 February 2025
| décade 17

11  | Saturday
1 March 2025
12  | Sunday
2 March 2025
13  | Monday
3 March 2025
14  | Tuesday
4 March 2025
15  | Wednesday
5 March 2025
16  | Thursday
6 March 2025
17  | Friday
7 March 2025
18  | Saturday
8 March 2025
19  | Sunday
9 March 2025
20  | Monday
10 March 2025
| décade 18

21  | Tuesday
11 March 2025
22  | Wednesday
12 March 2025
23  | Thursday
13 March 2025
24  | Friday
14 March 2025
25  | Saturday
15 March 2025
26  | Sunday
16 March 2025
27  | Monday
17 March 2025
28  | Tuesday
18 March 2025
29  | Wednesday
19 March 2025
30  | Thursday
20 March 2025
| Decimal time – 10 h/day

Paris
2h17m18s
Ventôse
05:03:24
Time of day - 24 h/day
Greenwich

## Criticism and shortcomings

[edit]

Clock dial displaying both decimal and duodecimal time

Leap years in the calendar are a point of great dispute, due to the contradicting statements in the establishing decree[22] stating:

> Each year begins at midnight, with the day on which the true autumnal equinox falls for the Paris Observatory.

and:

> The four-year period, after which the addition of a day is usually necessary, is called the Franciade in memory of the revolution which, after four years of effort, led France to republican government. The fourth year of the Franciade is called Sextile.

These two specifications are incompatible, as leap years defined by the autumnal equinox in Paris do not recur on a regular four-year schedule. It was erroneously believed that one leap day would be skipped automatically every 129 years,[23] on average, but actually five years would sometimes pass between leap years, about three times per century. Thus, the years III, VII, and XI were observed as leap years, and the years XV and XX were also planned as such, even though they were five years apart.

Clock dial displaying both decimal (inside the circle) and duodecimal time (on the outer rim)

A fixed arithmetic rule for determining leap years was proposed by Jean Baptiste Joseph Delambre and presented to the Committee of Public Education by Gilbert Romme on 19 Floréal An III (8 May 1795). The proposed rule was to determine leap years by applying the rules of the Gregorian calendar to the years of the French Republic (years IV, VIII, XII, etc. were to be leap years) except that year 4000 (the last year of ten 400-year periods) should be a common year instead of a leap year. Shortly thereafter, Romme was sentenced to the guillotine and committed suicide, and the proposal was never adopted, although Jérôme Lalande repeatedly proposed it for a number of years. The proposal was intended to avoid uncertain future leap years caused by the inaccurate astronomical knowledge of the 1790s (even today, this statement is still valid due to the uncertainty in ΔT). In particular, the committee noted that the autumnal equinox of year 144 was predicted to occur at 11:59:40 pm local apparent time in Paris, which was closer to midnight than its inherent 3 to 4 minute uncertainty.

The calendar was abolished by an act dated 22 Fructidor an XIII (9 September 1805) and signed by Napoleon, which referred to a report by Michel-Louis-Étienne Regnaud de Saint-Jean d'Angély and Jean Joseph Mounier, listing two fundamental flaws.

1. The rule for leap years depended upon the uneven course of the sun, rather than fixed intervals, so that one must consult astronomers to determine when each year started, especially when the equinox happened close to midnight, as the exact moment could not be predicted with certainty.
2. Both the era and the beginning of the year were chosen to commemorate a historical event that occurred on the first day of autumn in France, whereas the other European nations began the year near the beginning of winter or spring, thus being impediments to the calendar's adoption in Europe and America, and even a part of the French nation, where the Gregorian calendar continued to be used, as it was required for religious purposes.

The report also noted that the 10-day décade was unpopular and had already been suppressed three years earlier in favor of the seven-day week, removing what was considered by some as one of the calendar's main benefits.[24] The 10-day décade was unpopular with laborers because they received only one full day of rest out of ten, instead of one in seven, although they also got a half-day off on the fifth day (thus 36 full days and 36 half days in a year, for a total of 54 free days, compared to the usual 52 or 53 Sundays). It also, by design, conflicted with Sunday religious observances.

Another criticism of the calendar was that despite the poetic names of its months, they were tied to the climate and agriculture of metropolitan France and therefore not applicable to France's overseas territories.[25]

## References to the calendar

[edit]

This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (October 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

See also: Glossary of the French Revolution § Events commonly known by their Revolutionary dates

Décret de la Convention 9 Brumaire An III above the entrance to the ENS

The "Coup of 18 Brumaire" or "Brumaire" was the coup d'état of Napoleon Bonaparte on 18 Brumaire An VIII (9 November 1799), which many historians consider to be the end of the French Revolution. Karl Marx's 1852 essay The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte compares the coup d'état of 1851 of Louis Napoléon unfavorably to his uncle's earlier coup, with the statement "History repeats ... first as tragedy, then as farce".

Another famous revolutionary date is 9 Thermidor An II (27 July 1794), the date the Convention turned against Maximilien Robespierre, who, along with others associated with the Mountain, was guillotined the following day. Based on this event, the term "Thermidorian" entered the Marxist vocabulary as referring to revolutionaries who destroy the revolution from the inside and turn against its true aims. For example, Leon Trotsky and his followers used this term about Joseph Stalin.

Émile Zola's novel Germinal takes its name from the calendar's month of Germinal.

The seafood dish Lobster Thermidor was named after the 1891 play Thermidor, set during the Revolution.[26][27]

The French frigates of the Floréal class all bear names of Republican months.

## See also

[edit]

* Agricultural cycle
* Calendar reform
* Dechristianisation of France
* Decimal time
* Soviet calendar
* Solar Hijri calendar, astronomical equinox-based calendar used in Iran
* World Calendar

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The 12 Months of the French Republican Calendar | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Archived from the original on 19 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2023.
2. ^ Sylvain, Maréchal (1836). Almanach des Honnêtes-gens. Gallica. pp. 14–15\. Archived from the original on 3 September 2015. Retrieved 3 June 2014 - via gallica.bnf.fr.14-15&rft.pub=Gallica&rft.date=1836&rft.aulast=Sylvain&rft.aufirst=Maréchal&rft_id=http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k48116c.swf.f3.langFR&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:French+Republican+calendar" class="Z3988">
3. ^ Sylvain, Maréchal (1799). "Almanach des honnêtes gens pour l'an VIII". gallica.bnf.fr. Gallica. Archived from the original on 25 May 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
4. ^ James Guillaume, Procès-verbaux du Comité d'instruction publique de la Convention nationale, t. I, pp. 227–228 et t. II, pp. 440–448; Michel Froechlé, " Le calendrier républicain correspondait-il à une nécessité scientifique ? ", Congrès national des sociétés savantes : scientifiques et sociétés, Paris, 1989, pp. 453–465.
5. ^ Le calendrier républicain: de sa création à sa disparition. Bureau des longitudes. 1994. p. 19\. ISBN 978-2-910015-09-1.
6. ^ "Concordat de 1801 Napoleon Bonaparte religion en france Concordat de 1801". Roi-president.com. 21 November 2007. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
7. ^ Réimpression du Journal Officiel de la République française sous la Commune du 19 mars au 24 mai 1871. V. Bunel. 1871. pp. 477–. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 26 December 2018.
8. ^ Le calendrier républicain: de sa création à sa disparition. Bureau des longitudes. 1994. p. 26\. ISBN 978-2-910015-09-1.
9. ^ Le calendrier républicain: de sa création à sa disparition. Bureau des longitudes. 1994. p. 36\. ISBN 978-2-910015-09-1.
10. ^ Richard A. Carrigan, Jr. "Decimal Time". American Scientist, (May–June 1978), 66(3): 305–313.
11. ^ a b Thomas Carlyle (1867). The French revolution: a history. Harper. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
12. ^ Sporting Magazine, vol. 15, Rogerson and Tuxford, January 1800, p. 210, archived from the original on 6 April 2023, retrieved 23 December 2014
13. ^ John Brady (1812), Clavis Calendaria: Or, A Compendious Analysis of the Calendar; Illustrated with Ecclesiastical, Historical, and Classical Anecdotes, vol. 1, Rogerson and Tuxford, p. 38, archived from the original on 27 May 2024, retrieved 10 October 2018
14. ^ Antoine Augustin Renouard (1822). Manuel pour la concordance des calendriers républicain et grégorien (2 ed.). A. A. Renouard. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
15. ^ Edouard Terwecoren (1870). Collection de Précis historiques. J. Vandereydt. p. 31.
16. ^ Philippe-Joseph-Benjamin Buchez, Prosper Charles Roux (1837). Histoire parlementaire de la révolution française. Paulin. p. 415.
17. ^ Convention nationale. Rapport fait à la Convention nationale, dans la séance du 3 du second mois de la seconde année de la République Française, au nom de la Commission chargée de la confection du Calendrier; Par Ph. Fr. Na. Fabre-D'Eglantine,... Imprimé par ordre de la Convention nationale available at Gallica
18. ^ "Vendémiaire". Paris Musées. Les collections. Archived from the original on 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
19. ^ Parise, Frank (2002). The Book of Calendars. Gorgias Press. p. 376\. ISBN 978-1-931956-76-5.
20. ^ Sébastien Louis Rosaz (1810). Concordance de l'Annuaire de la République française avec le calendrier grégorien.
21. ^ "Brumaire – Calendrier Républicain". Prairial.free.fr. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2009.
22. ^ "Le Calendrier Republicain". Gefrance.com. 30 May 2020. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
23. ^ "Instruction sur l'ère de la République, à la suite du décret du 3 brumaire, an II" (PDF). Université de Toulouse. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
24. ^ Antoine Augustin Renouard (1822). Manuel pour la concordance des calendriers républicain et grégorien: ou, Recueil complet de tous les annuaires depuis la première année républicaine (2 ed.). A. A. Renouard. p. 217.
25. ^ Canes, Kermit (2012). The Esoteric Codex: Obsolete Calendars. LULU Press. ISBN 978-1-365-06556-9.
26. ^ James, Kenneth (15 November 2006). Escoffier: The King of Chefs. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 44\. ISBN 978-1-85285-526-0. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
27. ^ "Lobster thermidor". Online Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Archived from the original on 20 June 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2012.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Ozouf, Mona, 'Revolutionary Calendar' in Furet, François and Mona Ozouf, eds., Critical Dictionary of the French Revolution (1989)
* Shaw, Matthew, Time and the French Revolution: a history of the French Republican Calendar, 1789-Year XIV (2011)

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to French Republican Calendar.

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Decree of the National Convention on the establishment of the Republican calendar

* Date converter for numerous calendars, including this one
* Simple converter from Gregorian date to Republican date and vice versa. Limited to the period during which the latter was actually in use.
* iCalendar files for the French Republican calendar, for use in Outlook, Google Calendar, etc.
* Dials & Symbols of the French revolution. The Republican Calendar and Decimal time.

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Months in the French Republican calendar

* Vendémiaire
* Brumaire
* Frimaire
* Nivôse
* Pluviôse
* Ventôse
* Germinal
* Floréal
* Prairial
* Messidor
* Thermidor
* Fructidor
* Sansculottides

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French Revolution

* Causes
* Timeline
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* Revolution
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* Directory
* Consulate
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Significant civil and political events by year

1788|

* Day of the Tiles (7 Jun 1788)
* Assembly of Vizille (21 Jul 1788)

1789|

* What Is the Third Estate? (Jan 1789)
* Réveillon riots (28 Apr 1789)
* Convocation of the Estates General (5 May 1789)
* Death of the Dauphin (4 June 1789)
* National Assembly (17 Jun – 9 Jul 1790)
* Tennis Court Oath (20 Jun 1789)
* National Constituent Assembly (9 Jul – 30 Sep 1791)
* Storming of the Bastille (14 Jul 1789)
* Great Fear (20 Jul – 5 Aug 1789)
* Abolition of Feudalism (4–11 Aug 1789)
* Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (26 Aug 1789)
* Women's March on Versailles (5 Oct 1789)
* Nationalization of the Church properties (2 Nov 1789)

1790|

* Abolition of the Parlements (Feb–Jul 1790)
* Abolition of the Nobility (23 Jun 1790)
* Civil Constitution of the Clergy (12 Jul 1790)
* Fête de la Fédération (14 Jul 1790)

1791|

* Flight to Varennes (20–21 Jun 1791)
* Champ de Mars massacre (17 Jul 1791)
* Declaration of Pillnitz (27 Aug 1791)
* The Constitution of 1791 (3 Sep 1791)
* National Legislative Assembly (1 Oct 1791 – Sep 1792)

1792|

* France declares war (20 Apr 1792)
* Brunswick Manifesto (25 Jul 1792)
* Paris Commune becomes insurrectionary (Jun 1792)
* 10th of August (10 Aug 1792)
* September Massacres (Sep 1792)
* National Convention (20 Sep 1792 – 26 Oct 1795)
* First republic declared (22 Sep 1792)

1793|

* Execution of Louis XVI (21 Jan 1793)
* Revolutionary Tribunal (9 Mar 1793 – 31 May 1795)
* Reign of Terror (27 Jun 1793 – 27 Jul 1794)
* Committee of Public Safety
* Committee of General Security
* Fall of the Girondists (2 Jun 1793)
* Assassination of Marat (13 Jul 1793)
* Levée en masse (23 Aug 1793)
* The Death of Marat (painting)
* Law of Suspects (17 Sep 1793)
* Marie Antoinette is guillotined (16 Oct 1793)
* Anti-clerical laws (throughout the year)

1794|

* Danton and Desmoulins guillotined (5 Apr 1794)
* Law of 22 Prairial (10 Jun 1794)
* Thermidorian Reaction (27 Jul 1794)
* Robespierre guillotined (28 Jul 1794)
* White Terror (Fall 1794)
* Closing of the Jacobin Club (11 Nov 1794)

1795–6|

* Insurrection of 12 Germinal Year III (1 Apr 1795)
* Constitution of the Year III (22 Aug 1795)
* Directoire (1795–99)
* Council of Five Hundred
* Council of Ancients
* 13 Vendémiaire 5 Oct 1795
* Conspiracy of the Equals (May 1796)

1797|

* Coup of 18 Fructidor (4 Sep 1797)
* Second Congress of Rastatt (Dec 1797)

1798|

* Law of 22 Floréal Year VI (11 May 1798)

1799|

* Coup of 30 Prairial VII (18 Jun 1799)
* Coup of 18 Brumaire (9 Nov 1799)
* Constitution of the Year VIII (24 Dec 1799)
* Consulate

Revolutionary campaigns

1792|

* Verdun
* Thionville
* Valmy
* Royalist Revolts
* Chouannerie
* Vendée
* Dauphiné
* Lille
* Siege of Mainz
* Jemappes
* Namur

1793|

* First Coalition
* War in the Vendée
* Battle of Neerwinden
* Battle of Famars (23 May 1793)
* Expedition to Sardinia (21 Dec 1792 - 25 May 1793)
* Battle of Kaiserslautern
* Siege of Mainz
* Battle of Wattignies
* Battle of Hondschoote
* Siege of Bellegarde
* Battle of Peyrestortes (Pyrenees)
* Siege of Toulon (18 Sep – 18 Dec 1793)
* First Battle of Wissembourg (13 Oct 1793)
* Battle of Truillas (Pyrenees)
* Second Battle of Wissembourg (26–27 Dec 1793)

1794|

* Battle of Villers-en-Cauchies (24 Apr 1794)
* Second Battle of Boulou (Pyrenees) (30 Apr – 1 May 1794)
* Battle of Tourcoing (18 May 1794)
* Battle of Tournay (22 May 1794)
* Glorious First of June (1 Jun 1794)
* Battle of Fleurus (26 Jun 1794)
* Chouannerie
* Battle of Aldenhoven (2 Oct 1794)
* Siege of Luxembourg (22 Nov 1794 - 7 Jun 1795)

1795|

* Siege of Luxembourg (22 Nov 1794 - 7 Jun 1795)
* Peace of Basel

1796|

* Italian campaign (1796)
* Battle of Lonato (3–4 Aug 1796)
* Battle of Castiglione (5 Aug 1796)
* Battle of Theiningen
* Battle of Neresheim (11 Aug 1796)
* Battle of Amberg (24 Aug 1796)
* Battle of Würzburg (3 Sep 1796)
* Battle of Rovereto (4 Sep 1796)
* First Battle of Bassano (8 Sep 1796)
* Battle of Emmendingen (19 Oct 1796)
* Battle of Schliengen (26 Oct 1796)
* Second Battle of Bassano (6 Nov 1796)
* Battle of Calliano (6–7 Nov 1796)
* Battle of Arcole (15–17 Nov 1796)
* Ireland expedition (Dec 1796)

1797|

* Italian campaign (1797)
* Naval Engagement off Brittany (13 Jan 1797)
* Battle of Rivoli (14–15 Jan 1797)
* Battle of the Bay of Cádiz (25 Jan 1797)
* Treaty of Leoben (17 Apr 1797)
* Battle of Neuwied (18 Apr 1797)
* Treaty of Campo Formio (17 Oct 1797)

1798|

* French invasion of Switzerland (28 January – 17 May 1798)
* French Invasion of Egypt (1798–1801)
* Irish Rebellion of 1798 (23 May – 23 Sep 1798)
* Quasi-War (1798–1800)
* Peasants' War (12 Oct – 5 Dec 1798)

1799|

* Second Coalition (1798–1802)
* Siege of Acre (20 Mar – 21 May 1799)
* Battle of Ostrach (20–21 Mar 1799)
* Battle of Stockach (25 Mar 1799)
* Battle of Magnano (5 Apr 1799)
* Battle of Cassano (27–28 Apr 1799)
* First Battle of Zurich (4–7 Jun 1799)
* Battle of Trebbia (17–20 Jun 1799)
* Battle of Novi (15 Aug 1799)
* Second Battle of Zurich (25–26 Sep 1799)

1800|

* Battle of Marengo (14 Jun 1800)
* Convention of Alessandria (15 Jun 1800)
* Battle of Hohenlinden (3 Dec 1800)
* League of Armed Neutrality (1800–02)

1801|

* Treaty of Lunéville (9 Feb 1801)
* Treaty of Florence (18 Mar 1801)
* Algeciras campaign (8 Jul 1801)

1802|

* Treaty of Amiens (25 Mar 1802)
* Treaty of Paris (25 Jun 1802)

Military leaders

France|

| French Army|

* Eustache Charles d'Aoust
* Charles-Pierre Augereau
* Alexandre de Beauharnais
* Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte
* Louis-Alexandre Berthier
* Jean-Baptiste Bessières
* Napoléon Bonaparte
* Guillaume Brune
* Jean François Carteaux
* Jean-Étienne Championnet
* Chapuis de Tourville
* Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine
* Louis-Nicolas Davout
* Louis Desaix
* Jacques François Dugommier
* Thomas-Alexandre Dumas
* Charles François Dumouriez
* Pierre Marie Barthélemy Ferino
* Louis-Charles de Flers
* Paul Grenier
* Emmanuel de Grouchy
* Jacques Maurice Hatry
* Lazare Hoche
* Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
* François Christophe de Kellermann
* Jean-Baptiste Kléber
* Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
* Jean Lannes
* Charles Leclerc
* Claude Lecourbe
* François Joseph Lefebvre
* Étienne Macdonald
* Jean-Antoine Marbot
* Marcellin Marbot
* François Séverin Marceau
* Auguste de Marmont
* André Masséna
* Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey
* Jean Victor Marie Moreau
* Édouard Mortier, Duke of Trévise
* Joachim Murat
* Michel Ney
* Pierre-Jacques Osten [fr]
* Nicolas Oudinot
* Catherine-Dominique de Pérignon
* Jean-Charles Pichegru
* Józef Poniatowski
* Laurent de Gouvion Saint-Cyr
* Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer
* Jean-Mathieu-Philibert Sérurier
* Joseph Souham
* Jean-de-Dieu Soult
* Louis-Gabriel Suchet
* Belgrand de Vaubois
* Claude Victor-Perrin, Duc de Belluno

|

French Navy|

* Charles-Alexandre Linois

Opposition|

|  Austria|

* József Alvinczi
* Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
* Count of Clerfayt (Walloon)
* Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg
* Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze (Swiss)
* Friedrich Adolf, Count von Kalckreuth
* Pál Kray (Hungarian)
* Charles Eugene, Prince of Lambesc (French)
* Maximilian Baillet de Latour (Walloon)
* Karl Mack von Leiberich
* Rudolf Ritter von Otto (Saxon)
* Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld
* Peter Vitus von Quosdanovich
* Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen
* Johann Mészáros von Szoboszló (Hungarian)
* Karl Philipp Sebottendorf
* Dagobert von Wurmser

|

Britain|

* Sir Ralph Abercromby
* James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez
* Edward Pellew, 1st Viscount Exmouth
* Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany

Netherlands|

* William V, Prince of Orange

Prussia|

* Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
* Frederick Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen

Russia|

* Alexander Korsakov
* Alexander Suvorov
* Andrei Rosenberg

Spain|

* Luis Firmin de Carvajal
* Antonio Ricardos

Other significant figures and factions

Patriotic Society of 1789|

* Jean Sylvain Bailly
* Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
* François Alexandre Frédéric, duc de la Rochefoucauld-Liancourt
* Isaac René Guy le Chapelier
* Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau
* Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès
* Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord
* Nicolas de Condorcet

Feuillants
and monarchiens

* Grace Elliott
* Arnaud de La Porte
* Jean-Sifrein Maury
* François-Marie, marquis de Barthélemy
* Guillaume-Mathieu Dumas
* Antoine Barnave
* Lafayette
* Alexandre-Théodore-Victor, comte de Lameth
* Charles Malo François Lameth
* André Chénier
* Jean-François Rewbell
* Camille Jordan
* Madame de Staël
* Boissy d'Anglas
* Jean-Charles Pichegru
* Pierre Paul Royer-Collard
* Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac

Girondins|

* Jacques Pierre Brissot
* Jean-Marie Roland de la Platière
* Madame Roland
* Father Henri Grégoire
* Étienne Clavière
* Marquis de Condorcet
* Charlotte Corday
* Marie Jean Hérault
* Jean Baptiste Treilhard
* Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud
* Jérôme Pétion de Villeneuve
* Jean Debry
* Olympe de Gouges
* Jean-Baptiste Robert Lindet
* Louis Marie de La Révellière-Lépeaux

The Plain|

* Abbé Sieyès
* de Cambacérès
* Charles-François Lebrun
* Pierre-Joseph Cambon
* Bertrand Barère
* Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot
* Philippe Égalité
* Louis Philippe I
* Mirabeau
* Antoine Christophe Merlin de Thionville
* Jean Joseph Mounier
* Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours
* François de Neufchâteau

Montagnards|

* Maximilien Robespierre
* Georges Danton
* Jean-Paul Marat
* Camille Desmoulins
* Louis Antoine de Saint-Just
* Paul Barras
* Louis Philippe I
* Louis Michel le Peletier de Saint-Fargeau
* Jacques-Louis David
* Marquis de Sade
* Georges Couthon
* Roger Ducos
* Jean-Marie Collot d'Herbois
* Jean-Henri Voulland
* Philippe-Antoine Merlin de Douai
* Antoine Quentin Fouquier-Tinville
* Philippe-François-Joseph Le Bas
* Marc-Guillaume Alexis Vadier
* Jean-Pierre-André Amar
* Prieur de la Côte-d'Or
* Prieur de la Marne
* Gilbert Romme
* Jean Bon Saint-André
* Jean-Lambert Tallien
* Pierre Louis Prieur
* Antoine Christophe Saliceti

Hébertists
and Enragés|

* Jacques Hébert
* Jacques-Nicolas Billaud-Varenne
* Pierre Gaspard Chaumette
* Charles-Philippe Ronsin
* Antoine-François Momoro
* François-Nicolas Vincent
* François Chabot
* Jean Baptiste Noël Bouchotte
* Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Gobel
* François Hanriot
* Jacques Roux
* Stanislas-Marie Maillard
* Charles-Philippe Ronsin
* Jean-François Varlet
* Theophile Leclerc
* Claire Lacombe
* Pauline Léon
* Gracchus Babeuf
* Sylvain Maréchal

Others|

| Figures|

* Charles X
* Louis XVI
* Louis XVII
* Louis XVIII
* Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien
* Louis Henri, Prince of Condé
* Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé
* Marie Antoinette
* Napoléon Bonaparte
* Lucien Bonaparte
* Joseph Bonaparte
* Joseph Fesch
* Joséphine de Beauharnais
* Joachim Murat
* Jean Sylvain Bailly
* Jacques-Donatien Le Ray
* Guillaume-Chrétien de Malesherbes
* Talleyrand
* Thérésa Tallien
* Gui-Jean-Baptiste Target
* Catherine Théot
* Madame de Lamballe
* Madame du Barry
* Louis de Breteuil
* de Chateaubriand
* Jean Chouan
* Loménie de Brienne
* Charles Alexandre de Calonne
* Jacques Necker
* Jean-Jacques Duval d'Eprémesnil
* List of people associated with the French Revolution

|

Factions|

* Jacobins
* Cordeliers
* Panthéon Club
* Social Club

Influential thinkers

* Les Lumières
* Beaumarchais
* Edmund Burke
* Anacharsis Cloots
* Charles-Augustin de Coulomb
* Pierre Claude François Daunou
* Diderot
* Benjamin Franklin
* Thomas Jefferson
* Antoine Lavoisier
* Montesquieu
* Thomas Paine
* Jean-Jacques Rousseau
* Abbé Sieyès
* Voltaire
* Mary Wollstonecraft

Cultural impact

* La Marseillaise
* Cockade of France
* Flag of France
* Liberté, égalité, fraternité
* Marianne
* Muscadin
* Bastille Day
* Panthéon
* French Republican calendar
* Metric system
* Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
* Cult of the Supreme Being
* Cult of Reason
* Temple of Reason
* Sans-culottes
* Phrygian cap
* Women in the French Revolution
* Incroyables and merveilleuses
* Symbolism in the French Revolution
* Historiography of the French Revolution
* Influence of the French Revolution
* Films

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* BnF data
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