A history of France : from the conquest of Gaul by Julius Cæsar to the reign of Louis Philippe, with conversations at the end of each chapter

Front matter

iiiili

HISTORY OP FRANCE,

FBOai THK

Contents

1.— rRUM THE CONQUEST OF GAUL BY JULIUS CiESAR, TO THE IX-

TINCTIOS OF THE ROMAN POWER BY CLOVIS 13

2. — TO THE ACCESSION OF CHARLEMAGNE - 20

Chapter I

FEOM THE CONaUEST OF GAUL BY JULIUS CAESAR, TO THIS EXTINCTION OF THE ROMAN POWER BY CLOVIS

CtOVlB.

Before we begin, our history, we will open the map, and take a survey of France. We shall there see what an extensive country it is, and what distinct boundaries nature has placed around it. The sea, the Pyrenees, and the Alps, including among the Alps the great chain of the Jura, almost encompass tliis fortunate region, except on one side, the side toward Germany.

France, thus placed, as you see, in the center of the temperate zone, enjoys a delightful climate. The air is pure, and is in great measure free from the oppressive heat which IS felt in Italy, and from the f^gs that are sc common in thfl north of Europe

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4 I ROM THE ROMAN CONQUEST [Chap. I

Most plants tod fruits that can contribute to the enjoyment of man grow in France in great abundance.

It is a land diversified with fertile plains, hills, woods, and rivers ; and I believe I do not exceed the truth in asserting that, of all the kno\vn countries of the world, this is, on the whole, the most favored by nature.

With regard to the inhabitants, it is of course difficult to give a decided character of a nation containing nearly thirty millions of people ; but I am inclined to think that the French arc, in general, a cheerful, light-hearted race, of feelings quick and impetuous for the moment, but not deep or lasting. And though many shocking acts of savage cruelty are found to ilisgrace the different periods of their history, these have, I suppose, beei owing rather to the sudden ebullitions of un^ subdued and selfish passion than to any habitual asperity of disposition. Indeed, I believe that in their common intercourse with one another they are remarkably good-natured and kind-hearted.

But let us look once more on the map. The country is now divided into eighty-six departments. The name of each of these departments, with a few exceptions, is taken from the chief river or rivers that run through it. Formerly France was divided into twenty-six provinces.^ Most of these provinces were, at one time or other, either httle independent sovereignties, or principalities dependent on the king as feudal chief. These little sovereignties and principahties were by degrees all merged in the crown, making the king of France one of the most powerful and absolute monarchs in Europe. How all these changes took place you shall hear in the course of this history.

The earliest knowledge we have of France is from the Romans,, who speak of it under the name of Gallia, or Gaul, and describe the inhabitants as a very warhke people, who, in the early times of the Roman history, made frequent incursions into Italy, and even to the very walls of Rome itself. The Romans in their turn made reprisals on Gaul, and, 124 years before Christ, founded a colony at Aix, in Provence. t Provence itself has indeed acquired its name from having been made at this early time a Roman province.

* The cliansje was made at the revolution. The object was to extin puish tlie jealousies and animosities which prevailed in the provinces, these lara:e and ancient divisions having had a sort of seminational char BCter. We preserve the division into provinces in the map, as it is the past histoi-y of Franrie, rather tlian its present condition, with which this work has to do. t Jn the southeastern part of the map.

13 C. 60- J rO THE TIME OF CLOVIS. 13

Fifty years before Christ, Julius Ceesar completed tlie conquest of Gaul, after a bloody war which had lasted ten years, and is said to have destroyed a large portion of its inliahitants.

Gaul was now reduced to the condition of a Roman province, and was governed by Roman laws. In the reign of Augustus it was divided into four proArinces — Gallia Narbonensis, to tl.e south and Boutheast ; Aquitania, to the west and southwest ; Gallia Belgica, to the northeast ; and Gallia Celtica, in the northwest, and in the center. The Romans continued undisturbed masters of this fine territory' during two whole centuries ; but aboiit the year 260 various nations of barbarians began to make incursions into it, and in 411 and 418 the Burgundians and the Visigoths, two nations of Germany, succeeded in obtaining from the emperox Honorius settlements in the southern parts of the country.

The most formidable enemies wliich the Romans had to contend with were a people who inhabited the districts lying on the lower Rhine and the Weser, and who called themselves Franks — an appellation which it is said they had assumed to express their rooted determination to be free. These people invaded Gallia Belgica, and, after a conturued struggle of 130 years, succeeded m making themselves masters of a considerable tract of land, and estabhshed their capital at Treves.*

Dm'ing this period the names of Pharamond, Merovee, and many others, have been handed down to us as kings of the Franks. Indeed Pharamond, like our own king Arthur, has been made a hero of romance, and the name of Merovingian has been given to the race of the earliest French kings, on account of their supposed descent from Merovee. But the mention of these monarchs in the old chronicles is so obscure, that modern writers have doubted whether they ever existed. It is, however, very certain, that in the fifth century the Franks became a powerful people, and gave the name of France to their conquests in Gaul ; and that ui the year 458 there was a king called Childeric, who extended his territories to the banks of the Loire. There is even a story thai after a siege of ten years he took the city of Paris.

Paris had been originally founded by the Celts, the mos\ ancient inhabitants of Gaul : Caesar himself speaks of it by the name of Lutetia ; but in his time it consisted of only a few circular huts, built of earth and wood, and thatched with

* Northeast of France, on the Moselle. See the map for this and alt subsequent references of tins nature

>b FROM THE ROMAN CONQUEST iChap. 1

reeds. The E-omans adorned it with many noble buildings , and some of their baths, and the remains of a magnificent palace, built by the emperor Julian, are still to be seen. When conquered by the Franks, it was esteemed a considerable place, although the whole of it was then contained withm the limits of the little island of the Seine, which now forma the center and smallest part of the present magnificent city.

The Burgundians and the Visigoths were established in Gallia Narbonensis. The Huns, Alans, with other barbarous people, overran -Aquitania, and the Romans found themselves reduced to the narrov/ limits of the country which lay between the Seine and the Loire, which was called A.rmorica, a part of which now forms the province of Bretagne. Here they continued for a time to maiatain them.- selves as a separate state. -

Gaul thus contained five, if not more, distinct states, each of which consisted of a different people, and kept up a continual warfare with all the others. By degrees the lesser states were swallowed up by the more powerful ones, and in process of time the Franks became sole masters, and gave the name of France to the whole country ; but this was not tiU a long time after the period we are now speaking of.

About the year 500 the little state of Armorica was extinguished by the victories of Clovis, king of the Franks,4he son and successor of ChUderic, and the principal founder of the French monarchy.

Christianity was introduced into Gaul in the second century. The first Christian bishop was Pothinus, bishop of Vienne

CONVERSATION ON CHAPTER I.

liichard. I suppose there are a great many Roman remains left in France ?

Mrs. Marklmm. By much the most celebrated are thosd at and near Nismes. The Roman amphitheater wdiich stiU exists in this town is often compared with that at Verona, and even with the Coliseum itself There stiU exist also near Nismes the remains of a noble aqueduct, one part of which, stretching across the valley of the little river Gardou, is almost perfect, and has now the name of the Pont du Gard. Travelers assure us that it is necessary to see it over and over again to be able to form any just idea of its grandeur, sym* m^^try, and beauty There is also at Nismes another very joKv.- TO THE TIME OF CLOVIS. 17

noble ruin, called the Maison Carree, wliich was erected by the emperor Augustus to the memory of the two sons of Agrippa : it is still in a state of excellent preservation. All the surrounding rubbish has been cleared away, and the greatest care is taken to protect it from injury, which is, mdeed, only what it merits, since we are assured that it is an exquisite model in architecture. There are also very considerable Roman remains to be found all along the banks of the Rhone, from Lyons to Aries.* But one of the most singular vestiges cf the great works of that extraordinary people is an amphitheater of earth, which is to be found in Normandy.

George. That must be very curious indeed : I can not imagine how a building of earth could have stood so long.

Mrs. M. I was going to explain to you, that this is not a building raised from the ground, but a work formed out of the ground itself In the center was hollowed out an arena.. and round it were terraces for the spectators to stand or sit, where they might view the games. Unfortunately no care seems to have been taken for the preservation of this singular monument of antiquity ; but the form of the arena and the position and number of the terraces are still visible. Advantage was doubtless taken of the natural shape of the ground,, as in some few other similar cases, which are elsewhere to bt found.

Richard. Pray, mamma, what part of France was Cisal pine Gaul?

Mrs. M. Cisalpine Gaul was no part whatever of the country called Gaul, properly speakmg. It was a tract of land on the Italian side of the Alps, of which the Gauls, before they were conquered by the Romans, had at one time made themselves masters.

Ricfiard. How wonderful it is that the Romans, who were, in a manner, the masters of the world, should have let themselves be conquered by a set of barbarians !

Mrs. M. It certainly is very extraordinary that the power of a great and enlightened people should have been so totally subverted : but, in fact, the immense extent of the Roman empire was one of the chief causes of its destruction. It fell to pieces, as it were, by its own weight. Other causes, also, conduced to its overthrow : the Romans of the latter times were not like those of the former, but were become enervated by indolence and luxury. From that time, particularly wh'3H * Aries is near the mouth of the Rhone.

18 FROM THE ROMAN CONQUEST LCHAr. 1

the seat of empire was removed from Rome to Constantinople, a general decay of physical and moral power became apparent throughout the empire. The emperors were more like eastern monarchs than like what we might have expected the descendants of the old E-omans to be. The efleminacy of the court spread to the camp, and all classes of the people seemed to degenerate, and to become incapable of opposing any efiectual resistance to the inroads of the barbarians.

Richard. Were the Visigoths and Ostrogoths the same people ?

Mrs. M. The Goths all came originally from the north of Europe. The names of Visigoth and Ostrogoth were at first merely given to distinguish the eastern Goths from the west ern.

Geoi'ge. They were very stupid people, were they not ? I have often heard stupid people called " Goths."

Mrs. M. It is probable that when they first came from their forests in the North they had no great taste for the fine arts ; but I do not believe that they desei-ved to have their name used as a term of opprobrium. They were indeed the least savage of all the barbarous people who overran the south of Europe. They were governed by a code of laws of their own, and appeared to have made some progress toward civilization. They even encouraged the study of philosophy, and were noted for their kindness and hospitality to strangers. Their name, I think, ought to bespeak them some favor, for the word Goth was derived from goten, good,

Kichard. What sort of people were the Franks ?

Mrs. M. They are described as being naturally hvely and active, but at the same time impetuous and restless, and were noted for being the most cruel of all barbarians, and fonder of war than of peaceable occupations.

George. What sort of weapons did they use ?

Mrs. M. Bows and arrows were the arms they originally used; but after their conquests in France we read of their having a gi'eat variety of weapons. They had the franbisquei a two-edged axe, fastened to a short wooden handle ; and their method of using it Avas to hurl it at their enemies, at the first signal of combat. They had, also, another very formidable instrument of war, the anga^i, which was a lance furnished at the end with a barbed hook hke^a fish-hook. Besides these they had swords and darts. They wore very little defensive armor excepting the buckler. Every Frank v/ho was capable of bearing arms was a soldier : they always fought oc

CoNv.l TO THE TIME OF CLOVIS. 19

foot, except the general or chief, who alone fought on horseback

Mary. If all the men went out fighting, how did they manage ahout sowing their corn, and getting in the harvest ''

Mrs. M. As war and the chase were the sole occupations af the Franks, they left the cares and labors of agriculture tc their slaves.

Richard. Then the Franks, it seems, had slaves, as well as the Saxons ?

Mrs. M. The prisoners they took in war were their slaves. It does not appear that they trafficked in slaves, or ever made slaves of one another.

George. Why, no ; they would not then have been freemen or Franks, you know.

Mary. All this is not at all amusing ; can not you, deai mamma, find something more entertaining to tell us ?

Mrs. M. Perhaps it may amuse you to hear a description of the way in which the families of the Roman patricians lived in Gaul. The houses were commonly spacious, and contained room, for a great number of persons. One side of every house was appropriated to the wohaen, who hved very much apart from the male inhabitants. Every family had a few confidential freedmen, whose business it was to act as upper servants, stewards, and masters of the house. All the rest were slaves, and as these people were commonly prisoners of war, and had been torn from their countries and their families, they hated their masters and panted for revenge and foi liberty. At night they were chained up like so many' wild beasts in their cells, with the exception, perhaps, of those female slaves who were, or who had been, nurses to the lady of the mansion and her children, and who were suffered to remain unchained ; for a nurse, standing in a kind of maternal relationship, was supposed to be too much attached to all the members of a family to wish to murder any of them. ,

Mary. I am very glad, mamma, that you are not a Roman lady.

Mrs. M. You must remember that I am only speaking of the Roman families who resided in Gaul, and who were surrounded by a wild and fierce population, chiefly, I suppose, the descendants of the ancient Gauls. Of their own bondsmen, also, they were in continual dread.

Geo7-ge. So that, after all, these proiid Romans were ia fact the slaves of their slaves.

FROM CLOriS TO THE

LChap. ii

Richard. Pray, mamma, what was the rehglon of the ancient Gaiils ?

Mrs. M. The rehgion of the Druids, which was the sama in all respects with the rehgion of the ancient Britons, liut after a wliile the Gauls intermixed some of the wild fancies of the heathen mythology, which they acquired from thei* Roman masters, with their own superstitions.

Chapter II

FROM CLOVIS TO THE ACCESSION OF CHAULEMAQNE [Years after Christ, 487-741.]

Throne of Daoobert. In the Museum at Paris.

When Clovis first became king of France he was a pagan , but on his marriage with Clotilda, niece to the king of the Burgundians, who was a Christian, he and his people embraced Christianity. The manner of his conversion is generally related as follows : — The Franks of Gaul being at war with the Franks of Germany, the two armies met near Co logne, and, during the heat of the battle, Clovis addressed himself to the God of Clotilda, and vowed that, should he (i^ain the victory, ho would embrace the religion which sha

A.D. 50r ] ACCBSSION OF OHAELEWAGNE. 21

professed. Clovis was victorious, and kept his vow, if that can be called keeping it, which consisted in following only the outward forms of Christianity, and practicing none of its pre- C3pts.

The reign of Clovis was a perpetual war. His -capital was at Soissons ; * hut even while there he hved constantly siorroiuided by his soldiers, more like the general of an army than like a king ; or, mdeed, I should rather compare him to a chief of banditti ; for his soldiers were only kept togethei by the constant hope and practice of plunder.

In 507 Clovis led his army against the Visigoths, whoso chief city in France was Bordeaux, and who were in possession of almost all the country between the E-hone, the Loire, and the Pyrenees. To give this war the apparent sanction of rehgion, Clovis affirmed that he had God's authority foi undertaking it ; and this he asserted on the following pretext :- — In the church of St. Martin's, at Tours,t the book of Psalms was chanted day and night without intermission by priests who were appointed to that service. Clovis sent some of his people to the church, who were to inform him of the precise words which the priests should be chanting at the moment of their entrance. These words were the 40th and 41st verses of the 18th Psalm : " Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me. They cried, but there was none to save them : even unto the Lord ; but he answered them not." These words Clovis chose to consider as applicable to himself, and he set forward in high spirits toward Poitiers. J

When he reached the banks of the river Vienne, he was at some loss how to convey his army across. The story is, that while he was hesitating what to do, a hind, which had been roused from a neighboring thicket, started from her concealment, and, rushing across the river in view of the army, showed the soldiers a ford by which they might pass in safety. The place, I am told, is called to this day " The passage of the hind."

Clovis advanced to the Clain, ten miles south of Poitiers, where he encountered the Visigoths, and gained a complete victory. Bordeaux and the whole province of Aquitania then Biibmitted to him. He was afterward defeated at Aries § by

* A short distance northeast of Paris.

i On tlie Loire, at some distance from its mouth.

J South of Tours.

§ Near the mouth of the Rhone.

22 FROM CLOVIS TO THE iCajLf. n

Theodoric, who had estabhshed in Italy the domuiion of th* Ostrogoths, but he contrived to regain the greater part of his conquests.

Clovis died in 511, having reigned thirty years. He was liberal to the clergy, and founded many churches ; and on this account the monkish historians gloss over the many acts of cruelty and treachery of which he was guilty.

By his queen, Clotilda, who was canonized as a saint, he had four sons :

(1.) Theodoric I., frequently called Thien-i. (2.) Clodomir (3.) Childebert. (4.) Clothaire.

it was the custom among the Franks, that, on the death of their king, his possessions should be equally shared among his sons. This arrangement must have been attended with many serious evils, and it also renders the early part of the French histoiy exceedingly intricate and confused, .ft is scarcely possible to collect from any of the old chronicles a regular detail of events ; indeed, at best, they supply us with nothing but a melancholy record of crimes ; I shall therefore pass this period over as briefly as possible.

Clothaire and Childebert, in the year 532, made themselves masters of the kingdom of the Burgundians, which extended at this time to the Alps and the Mediterranean.

Clothaire was the survivor of all his brothers, and became sole monarch of France. He put to death, with his own hands, the children of his deceased brother, Clodomir : one only escaped from him, whose name was Chlodoald, and who afterward became a monk, and founded Saint Cloud, a religious house near Paris, so called to tliis day, as you probably know.

Clothaire died in 561, after a reign of fifty years. He left four sons :

(1.) Charibert. (2.) Gonthran. (3.) Chilperic. (4.) Sigebert.

The sons of Clothaire shared the Idngdom in like mamier as the sons of Clovis had done, and their, reigns present another half century of howible crimes. Chilperic married Fredegonde, a woman of low birth, but of great talents Sigebert married Bruiihault, daughter of the king of Spain. The most violent hatrerl and rivalry for power subsisted between these two women, 5.nd led them to the commission of almost every crime of which human nature, when most perverted, is capable.

OS! Charibert littk. i.s recorded, exceptmg that he was the

A..1) 693.] ACCESSION OF CHARLExMAGNE. '24

father of ]5ertha, by whose marriage with Ethelbcrt, king of Xent, Christianity, as you have probably not forgot, was first uatroduced into Britain.

Of all the sons of Clothaire, Gonthran was the one least polluted by crimes. He survived his brother some years, and on his death, in 593, the kingdom was divided between his two nephews :

(1.) Childebert II., son of Sigebert and Brunhault.

(2.) Clothaire II., son of Chilperic and Fredegonde.

On account of the youth of these princes, their kingdoms were at first governed by their two mothers, of whose many crimes I will not shock you by the recital. Fredegonde died in 597, and her tomb is still shown in the church of St. Ger main des Pres, at Paris. Brunhault was put to death by Clothaire II., in the year 613. She was a woman of superior talents, and had a taste for architecture, and there are several buildings in France said to have been erected by her, and which still bear her name.

At this time the name of Neustria was commonly given to that portion of the French territory which stretched from the Meuse and Loire to the sea ; and the name of Austrasia to the district which lay between the Rhine, the Meuse, and the Moselle, and of which Metz was the capital.

Childebert II. died in 596, and left two sqns, who did not live many years. After their deaths Clothaire II. reigned alone till 628, when he died, leaving his kingdom between his two sons :

(1.) Dagobert I. (2.) Charibert II.

Dagobert, by the murder of his brother in 631, made him self master of the whole kingdom. This king bears a high character among the Merovingian princes. He was guilty of many atrocious crimes, but they were overlooked in the ' praise bestowed on him for his justice, which, we are told, he administered impartially, and without being bribed — a greatei proof of the vileness of his predecessors than of his own excellence.

France, during the reign of Dagobert, rose to some degree of consideration among the nations of Europe ; commerce began to flourish, and gold and silver, which before were scarcely known, now became plentiful. This, however, was but a short gleam of prosperity. Dagobert died in 638, and the monarchs who succeeded him were, either from their jouth or from their imbecility, incapable of taking any part in the governmenli. These kings, who rapidly succee(le<?

ii . FROM CLOVIS TO THB [Chap 11,

sacli other, and "whose line in succession you sliall have at the end of the chapter, are often entitled " The sluggards."* All power fell entirely into the hands of the mayors of the palace, officers whose dignity was next to that of the sovereign Neustria, Austrasia, and Burgundy had each their separate mayors of the palace, who all endeavored to attair. the principal power.

In 6S7 the whole power of the kingdom was usurped by Pepin d'Heristal, mayor of the palace of Austrasia, who merely suffered the reigning monarch to show himself to the people at the great amiual meeting of the Champ de Mars, keeping him at all other times almost a prisoner in his palace. Pepin died in 714, and his son Charles Martel succeeded him in his office and dignities. He was a man of great valor and activity, and kept the Franks cuntinually engaged in warlike enterprises.

About tliis time the Saracens, who had before conquered Africa, crossed over into Spain, and won from the Goths a large portion of that country. They next threatened France, and advanced as far as Poitiers ; but their farther progress was stopped by Charles, who, in 732, gained a signal victory over them between Tours and Poitiers, and another near Avignon,t in 737. In 737 died Thierri IV., the last of the " sluggard" kings, and Charles no longer thought it necessary to keep up the form of appointing another nominal king ; and at his death, in 741, he bequeathed the kingdom, as in absolute right, between his two sons, Pepin and Carloman. Aquitania, however, was not included in this bequest, for that province was governed by dukes of its own, and refused to acknowledge the authority of Charles.

Pepin and Carloman assumed the title as well as the power

* of kings, and thus put an end to the Merovingian d}masty, or

that of the race of Clovis, wliich had sat on the throne from

481 to 741, in all 260 years. The following is a table of

this first race of kings :

Clovis began to reign in 431.

Sons of Clovis.

Theodoric oi Thiem I., 'l

Clodomir, [Began tteir joint reigns in 511. CIotjiK're waf

Childebert I., ( the survivor, an i died in 561.

filothiiire I., J

Les rois faineans. t Near the mouth of the S.hoj e

A.D 74].] ACCESSION OF CHAKLEMAGIIE. 25

Sons of Clothaire.

Charibeii I,, 'l

Gonthran, I Began their joint reigns in 561.

Chilperic married Brunhault, f Gonthran was the survivor, and diedm 5»A Sigebert married Fredegonde, J

Childebert II., sou of Sigebert, ) j . j. ■^^^„^ Clothaire II., son of Chilperic, J °

Sons of Childebert II.

Theodebert, ) Reigned jointly with Clothaire II. tiU 613, when Clothaire* Thierri II., J became sole king.

Sons of Clothaire U.

Dagobert I., ) Began to reign in 628. In 631 Dagobert became sola Charibert II., ) king.

Sons of Dagobert.

Sigebert II., ? Began to reign in 638. Clovis, the survivor, died in 655

Dagobert II., Clothaire III., Thierri III., Childeric II., Clovis III., Dagobert III.,

pwP^.'^*' TV I Faineans, under the government of Charles, the son of ThieXrV., ■' 5 ^^Pi^-

Faineaus, who bore the title of kings from 656 to 714, and who were under the government of Pepin d'Heristal

The Merovingian kings are sometimes called the longhaired kings,* from the custom among the ancient Franks of distinguishing the members of the royal family from the rest of the people by their long hair, which they wore hanging down in curls over their shoulders, while all the other Franks had it cut very short.

Though the crown was hereditary, and in ordinary cases the- direct heir had a preference, yet it was not very unusual to set the direct heir aside, and to elect another member of the royal family, who for any reason might be better quahfied or more popular.

One of the principal ceremonies in the inauguration of a monarch was to place him on a shield borne on men's shoulders, and proclaim him as king to the surrounding multitude.

In the beginning of the sixth century some natives of Britain fled from the persecutions of their Saxon conquerors, and took refuge on the coasts of Armorica, which from them acquired the name of Bretagne.

These Bretons, although they held themselves subjeet to the kings of France, still remained a distinct people, were governed by their own laws, and retained many of their own