Fate of the Flora

I recently read a very interesting account of the Versailles gardens, and it prompts me to look in to those gardens during the 18th Century.

Of course, the land at Versailles as a long history. They cover nearly 2,000 acres, but during the time of Louis XIV, a goodly portion was transformed into formal gardens in the French style, which was perfected by Andre Le Notre, who became the King's landscape artist, planning special areas to suit the King's taste with bosquets of various themes. Bosquets, from the Italian word "bosco" or grove, are formal plantations of trees with walkways or paths of gravel or stone.

Upon the King's death in 1715, the palace and gardens entered into a time of uncertainty, and by 1722, the new Louis, the XV, reeled in the funds for non-essential things, including the gardens. The only significant addition to the Gardens was the Bassin de Neptune, built from 1738-1741. Louis VX was an avid botanist, and devoted most of his attention to an botanical garden on site. Botanical gardens generally have scientific, educational or ornamental purpose. But the King fell ill with small pox and died in 1774, and along with this death came the death of the formal garden in preference of a more natural, rambling landscape that the English garden offers.

But owing to the topography of the land, the attempts to convert Le Notre's work to an English garden failed. Louis XVI ordered palisades, the labor-intensive clipping of hedges that formed walls in the bosquets, to be replaced with lime and chestnut trees. He also had therotte des Bains d'Appolon built, a rockwork in the English style, designed by his landscaper, Hubert Robert.

In 1792 by order of the National Convention, a political assembly formed during the French Revolution, some of the trees at Versailles were felled, while some parts of the Grand Parc were parceled off and dispersed. Louis Claude Marie Richard, director of the botanical gardens, lobbied to save Versailles. He succeeded in preventing further dispersing, suggesting to use the gardens to grow vegetables and fruits for "the people". The gardens became open to the public, with people seen doing their laundry in the fountains! For shame, but as they say, c'est la vie!

Marchons! Marchons!

France's national anthem, La Marseillaise, is one of the most captivating and defiant of all anthems.

In 1792 Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle, captain in the French army, composed it, after Austrian and Prussian troops invaded France, hoping to stop the revolution. The mayor of Strasbourg asked Rouget to write something that would rally the troops who were under threat. It was originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armee du Rhin", and it was dedicated to Marshal Nicholas Luckner, the army's Bavarian commander.

The lyrics stated that the children of the Fatherland's day of glory has arrived, but there was also a terrible warning, that "ferocious soldiers" were coming under the "Bloody banner" of tyranny to "cut the throats of your sons, your women". Citizens were to take up arms and "Marchons! Marchons"  (let's march on !)

Sung by troops from Marseilles as they approached Paris, this is how it got its nickname. It became the French anthem in 1795, but lost its status when Napoleon I reigned.

La Marseillaise was restored again during France's third republic - from 1870 when the modern idea of what France means was established. Unlike Britian's "God Save the Queen", it is not aristocratic, but about the people, about being a citizen.

And, so, here is the song, and a translation!

Allons enfants de la Patrie, (Arise, children of the Fatherland)

Le jour de gloire est arrive! (The day of glory has arrived!)

Contre nous de la tyrannie, (Against us tyranny's)

L'etendard sanglant est leve (repeat) (Bloody banner is raised)

Entendez-vous dans les campagnes (Do you hear, in the countryside)

Mugir ces feroces soldats? (The roar of those ferocious soldiers?)

Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras (They're coming right into your arms)

Egorger vos fils, vos compagnes! (To cut the throats of your sons, your women!)

Chorus: Aux armes, citoyens, (To arms, citizens)

Formez vos bataillons, (Form your battalions)

Marchons, marchons, (Let's march, let's march)

Qu'un sang impur (Let an impure blood)

Abreuve nos sillons (repeat) (Water our furrows)

And, if you want to see a great rendition, watch it performed at Rick's in the film Casablanca! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM-E2H1ChJM

Showing Support!

With the hideous terrorist attacks in Paris, it is natural to want to show some kind of support for France and the Parisians. I was in Paris not too long ago, and the people were very friendly, helpful and showed support for the United States, especially in the Normandy area where D Day occurred.

People around the free world are flying the French tri-color flag along with their own. It's a beautiful sentiment.

I looked into another interesting, if not lovely, way to show alliance during the 18th Century. The "Cockade", or knot of ribbons, arranged in a circular shape and worn on the side of a man's tricorne hat, or on lapels or in the hair of women. The cockade would generally show, at that time, allegiance to some political faction, their rand, or as part of a servant's livery.

In pre-revolutionary France, the cockade of the Bourbons was all white. In Great Britian, supporters of the Jacobites wore them white, and in the Hanoverian monarchy, they were black.

In 1780, a blue cockade was worn as a symbol of anti-government feelings worn by rioters in the Gordon Riots.

During the American Revolution, the Continental army wore them in various colors, until General George Washington stated  

"As the Continental Army has unfortunately no uniforms, and consequently many inconveniences must arise from not being able to distinguish the commissioned officers from the privates, it is desired that some badge of distinction be immediately provided; for instance that the field officers may have red or pink colored cockades in their hats, the captains yellow or buff, and the subalterns green."

Eventually the Continental Army reverted to a black cockade that they inherited from the British. When France became a US ally, the Army pinned the white cockade of the French Ancien Regime onto the old black cockade. The French in turn pinned a black circle of ribbons to their white. These became known as the "Union Cockade". Later on, the French would develop the tri-color (red, white, blue - the arms of Paris) cockade, known as the "Tricolore".

And there you have it, the origins of a very pretty as well as powerful symbol of allegiance. Makes me want to sew one up right now!

Happy Bastille Day!

A friend reminded me that today is Bastille Day, and so Happy Bastille Day! Today marks the 225th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, marking the culmination in Paris of the violent revolution that begun in 1797, and the unity of the French people against the monarchy. 

By order of the new government, the prison was torn down. On February 6, 1790 the last stone of the hated fortress was presented to the National Assembly. Not too long after, the 14th of July was made the official national holiday.

And by the way, the key to the prison was entrusted by French General Marquis de Lafayette to Thomas Paine, to give to General George Washington as a symbol of solidarity and friendship. The key, to this day, hangs in the entryway hall of Mount Vernon!

The Key to Freedom

Bastille Day is celebrated on July 14, and so it is not too late to comment on it. In France it is known as La Fete Nationale, or national celebration. It marks the storming of the Bastille in 1789, the beginning of the French Revolution. The Bastille, formally known as the Bastille Saint-Antoine, was a fortress in Paris, used as a state prison by the kings of France.

Basically it serves as the "shot heard 'round the world" for the French people, fed up with the ill-treatment by the royals. Things had gotten so bad, that Louis XVI did meet with the Estates-General who represented the common man, to hear their grievances. There was hope for the drafting of a constitution, but it was not to be. By July 11, the finance minister who was sympathetic to the people, was dismissed, and the people stormed the fortress to gain ammunition and gunpowder to arm themselves against the monarchy. The Bastille also held political prisoners, and though only about seven inmates were confined, their release was symbolic.

Shortly after this event, on August 4th, feudalism was abolished, and on August 26, a declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen was proclaimed.

An interesting bit is that the young Marquis de Lafayette quickly assumed a role in the Revolution. He was placed in command of the local national guard formed to keep order. The main key to the Bastille was given to him by angry citizens making a gesture of freedom. Lafayette was also optimistic about the American Revolution, and decided to ship the key to George Washington in March 1790. He entrusted the key to Thomas Paine, who in turn gave it to John Rutledge, Jr. to have the honor of handing it to Washington!

Made of cast iron and weighing in at only one pound, three ounces, it is a heavy symbol, indeed. Washington displayed it in the presidential household, then later in his home in Mount Vernon in his entry hall where it remains today.