Wednesday, November 4, 2009

La Rochejaquelein

One of the greatest heroes of the Vendée.
His handsome youth and great courage made him a natural leader that his troops would follow anywhere. He once gave an order which has become one of the most famous phrases of the counterrevolutionary forces, "Mes amis, si j'avance, suivez-moi! Si je recule, tuez-moi! Si je meurs, vengez-moi!" - "Friends, if I advance, follow me! If I retreat, kill me! If I die, avenge me!"
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5 comments:

Stephanie A. Mann said...

Thanks for posting his profile. I have read some notes about how little this particular episode of the French Revolution is covered in schools in France. There have also been some efforts to have the atrocities of the Vendee massacres declared an act of genocide by the French Government and the United Nations. I recommend Michael Davies' book, "For Altar and Throne" as a good introduction.

Enbrethiliel said...

+JMJ+

So that is where the quote comes from! =) It's good to know. Thanks, Elena.

Julygirl said...

I am glad to hear that those kinds of acts as the Vendee Massacre are being recognized in this day and age as atrocities and unacceptable actions. In American, schools when I was growing up, the French Revolution was viewed as some sort of glorious example to peoples of the world.

lara77 said...

One of the greatest heroes of the Vendee; there is a famous painting of him with the white and gold flag of Royal France unfurled behind him with the words inscribed "For God and King". The day France acknowledges the genocide of the Vendee will be the day France realizes her revolution was not all glory and light!

Stephanie A. Mann said...

Julygirl, my experience in school was like yours. I went to Catholic grade and high school and I never heard that Catholic priests and nuns were persecuted and executed or that Catholic churches were desecrated and destroyed! The French Revolution was just part of the inevitable progress of democracy and freedom, as I was taught. I had to discover the truth on my own.