French Republican Calendar: Difference between revisions

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=== History of the Calendar ===
=== History of the Calendar ===


The French Republican calendar (also known as the Revolutionary calendar) was introduced during the French Revolution to replace the Gregorian calendar and begin a new era. The calendar was based on scientific rather than Christian principles.  
The French Republican calendar (also known as the Revolutionary calendar) was introduced during the French Revolution to replace the Gregorian calendar and begin a new era. The calendar was based on scientific rather than Christian principles.  
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This calendar was used for twelve years, from 24 October 1793 to 31 December 1805. (An attempt was made in 1871 to reinstate it, but this attempt failed.) It was used for civil registration records, notarial records, and other government records throughout France and other areas under French rule, including modern Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. It also affected records in other areas ruled by the French government, such as Egypt, Malta, Reunion, Louisiana, Guiana, and some Caribbean islands.  
This calendar was used for twelve years, from 24 October 1793 to 31 December 1805. (An attempt was made in 1871 to reinstate it, but this attempt failed.) It was used for civil registration records, notarial records, and other government records throughout France and other areas under French rule, including modern Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. It also affected records in other areas ruled by the French government, such as Egypt, Malta, Reunion, Louisiana, Guiana, and some Caribbean islands.  


=== Principles of the New Calendar ===
=== Principles of the New Calendar ===


Each year began on the autumn equinox, and the years were counted from the founding of the French Republic on 22 September 1792.  
Each year began on the autumn equinox, and the years were counted from the founding of the French Republic on 22 September 1792.  
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Every four years, beginning with the third year of the Republic, an extra complementary day was added. (Days were added to years 3, 7, 11, and so forth.) During this period, the standard calendar had only two leap years (in 1796 and 1804).  
Every four years, beginning with the third year of the Republic, an extra complementary day was added. (Days were added to years 3, 7, 11, and so forth.) During this period, the standard calendar had only two leap years (in 1796 and 1804).  


=== The Months ===
=== The Months ===


The twelve months of the French Republican calendar were based on the natural events of the seasons of the year. They do not correspond to the standard months of January through December.  
The twelve months of the French Republican calendar were based on the natural events of the seasons of the year. They do not correspond to the standard months of January through December.  
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=== Months of the French Republican Calendar  ===
=== Months of the French Republican Calendar  ===


==== Autumn Months ====
==== Autumn Months ====


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==== Winter months ====
==== Winter months ====


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==== Spring months ====
==== Spring months ====


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==== Summer months ====
==== Summer months ====


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*Only used in leap years
*Only used in leap years


=== Complementary Days ===
=== Complementary Days ===


The extra days at the end of the year were called jours complémentaires (complementary days or holidays) or jours-sansculottides (days of the revolutionaries). The complementary days were feast days and each had a name. The above chart shows the names in each language where the calendar was used.  
The extra days at the end of the year were called jours complémentaires (complementary days or holidays) or jours-sansculottides (days of the revolutionaries). The complementary days were feast days and each had a name. The above chart shows the names in each language where the calendar was used.  


=== How Dates were Recorded ===
=== How Dates were Recorded ===


Dates were usually written out in French or the local language. For example:  
Dates were usually written out in French or the local language. For example:  
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*Example: the third complementary day of the ninth year of the French Republic.
*Example: the third complementary day of the ninth year of the French Republic.


=== How to Calculate the Standard Date for a French Republican Date ===
=== How to Calculate the Standard Date for a French Republican Date ===


Four calendars are on the following pages. Each calendar has the French Republican months across the top, and thirty days on the left-hand column.  
Four calendars are on the following pages. Each calendar has the French Republican months across the top, and thirty days on the left-hand column.  
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On Calendar Three, find the number 10 in the left column and move across the page to the column for Vendémiaire. This box says 2 Oct. Dates on the left side of the heavy black line for the ninth year of the Republic correspond to 1800. Thus 10 Vendémiaire IX corresponds to 2 October 1800.  
On Calendar Three, find the number 10 in the left column and move across the page to the column for Vendémiaire. This box says 2 Oct. Dates on the left side of the heavy black line for the ninth year of the Republic correspond to 1800. Thus 10 Vendémiaire IX corresponds to 2 October 1800.  


 
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{| style="width: 657px; height: 690px" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="657" border="1"
{| style="width: 657px; height: 690px" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="657" border="1"
|-
|-
|  
|  
| VEND &nbsp;
| VEND &nbsp;  
| BRUM
| BRUM  
| FRIM
| FRIM  
| NIVO
| NIVO  
| PLUV
| PLUV  
| VENT
| VENT  
| GERM
| GERM  
| FLOR
| FLOR  
| PRAIR
| PRAIR  
| MESS
| MESS  
| THERM
| THERM  
| FRUCT
| FRUCT  
| COMPL
| COMPL
|-
|-
| 1
| 1  
| 22 Sep
| 22 Sep  
| 22 Oct
| 22 Oct  
|  
| 21 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 2
| 2  
| 23 Sep
| 23 Sep  
|  
| 23 Oct
|  
| 22 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 3
| 3  
| 24 Sep
| 24 Sep  
|  
| 24 Oct
|  
| 23 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 4
| 4  
| 25 Sep
| 25 Sep  
|  
| 25 Oct
|  
| 24 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 5
| 5  
| 26 Sep
| 26 Sep  
|  
| 26 Oct
|  
| 25 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 6
| 6  
| 27 Sep
| 27 Sep  
|  
| 27 Oct
|  
| 26 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 7
| 7  
| 28 Sep
| 28 Sep  
|  
| 28 Oct
|  
| 27 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 8
| 8  
| 29 Sep
| 29 Sep  
|  
| 29 Oct
|  
| 28 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 9
| 9  
| 30 Sep
| 30 Sep  
|  
| 30 Oct
|  
| 29&nbsp;Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 10
| 10  
| &nbsp;1 Oct
| &nbsp;1 Oct  
|  
| 31 Oct
|  
| 30 Nov
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 11
| 11  
| &nbsp;2 Oct
| &nbsp;2 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;1 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;1 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 12
| 12  
| &nbsp;3 Oct
| &nbsp;3 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;2 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;2 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 13
| 13  
| &nbsp;4 Oct
| &nbsp;4 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;3 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;3 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 14
| 14  
| &nbsp;5 Oct
| &nbsp;5 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;4 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;4 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 15
| 15  
| &nbsp;6 Oct
| &nbsp;6 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;5 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;5 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 16
| 16  
| &nbsp;7 Oct
| &nbsp;7 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;6 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;6 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 17
| 17  
| &nbsp;8 Oct
| &nbsp;8 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;7 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;7 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 18
| 18  
| &nbsp;9 Oct
| &nbsp;9 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;8 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;8 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 19
| 19  
| 10 Oct
| 10 Oct  
|  
| &nbsp;9 Nov
|  
| &nbsp;9 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 20
| 20  
| 11 Oct
| 11 Oct  
|  
| 10 Nov
|  
| 10 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 21
| 21  
| 12 Oct
| 12 Oct  
|  
| 11 Nov
|  
| 11 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 22
| 22  
| 13 Oct
| 13 Oct  
|  
| 12 Nov
|  
| 12 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 23
| 23  
| 14 Oct
| 14 Oct  
|  
| 13 Nov
|  
| 13 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 24
| 24  
| 15 Oct
| 15 Oct  
|  
| 14 Nov
|  
| 14 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 25
| 25  
| 16 Oct
| 16 Oct  
|  
| 15 Nov
|  
| 15 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 26
| 26  
| 17 Oct
| 17 Oct  
|  
| 16 Nov
|  
| 16 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 27
| 27  
| 18 Oct
| 18 Oct  
|  
| 17 Nov
|  
| 17 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 28
| 28  
| 19 Oct
| 19 Oct  
|  
| 18 Nov
|  
| 18 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 29
| 29  
| 20 Oct
| 20 Oct  
|  
| 19 Nov
|  
| 19 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|  
|  
|-
|-
| 30
| 30  
| 21 Oct
| 21 Oct  
|  
| 20 Nov
|  
| 20 Dec
|  
|  
|  
|  
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|}
|}


 
<br>


=== Calendar Four  ===
=== Calendar Four  ===

Revision as of 14:06, 16 April 2010

History of the Calendar[edit | edit source]

The French Republican calendar (also known as the Revolutionary calendar) was introduced during the French Revolution to replace the Gregorian calendar and begin a new era. The calendar was based on scientific rather than Christian principles.

This calendar was used for twelve years, from 24 October 1793 to 31 December 1805. (An attempt was made in 1871 to reinstate it, but this attempt failed.) It was used for civil registration records, notarial records, and other government records throughout France and other areas under French rule, including modern Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. It also affected records in other areas ruled by the French government, such as Egypt, Malta, Reunion, Louisiana, Guiana, and some Caribbean islands.

Principles of the New Calendar[edit | edit source]

Each year began on the autumn equinox, and the years were counted from the founding of the French Republic on 22 September 1792.

Each year had twelve months of thirty days each.

Five days, called complementary days, were added to the end of the year to bring the total to 365.

Every four years, beginning with the third year of the Republic, an extra complementary day was added. (Days were added to years 3, 7, 11, and so forth.) During this period, the standard calendar had only two leap years (in 1796 and 1804).

The Months[edit | edit source]

The twelve months of the French Republican calendar were based on the natural events of the seasons of the year. They do not correspond to the standard months of January through December.

In areas that were not French-speaking, the names of the months were often translated into the language of the record, as shown by the following chart:

Months of the French Republican Calendar[edit | edit source]

Autumn Months[edit | edit source]

English French German Dutch Italian Latin
grape harvest Vendémiaire Weinlesemonat Wijnoogstmaand vendemmaio mensis vindemiarum
fog Brumaire Nebelmonat Mistmaand brumaio mensis brumarum
frost Frimaire Reifmonat Rijpmaand frimaio mensus frimarum

Winter months[edit | edit source]

snow Nivôse Schneemonat Sneeuwmaand nevoso mensis nivium
rain Pluviôse Regenmonat Regenmaand piovoso mensis pluviarum
wind Ventôse Windmonat Windmaand ventoso mensis ventorum

Spring months[edit | edit source]

germination Germinal Keimmonat Kiemmaand germinale mensis germinum
flowering Floréal Blütenmonat Blœmmaand floreale mensis florum
pasture Prairial Wiesenmonat Grasmaand pratile mensis prætorum

Summer months[edit | edit source]

harvest Messidor Erntemonat Oostmaand messidoro mensis messium
heat Thermidor* Hitzemonat Hittemaand termidoro mensis thermarum
fruit Fructidor Fruchtmonat Vruchtmaand fruttidoro mensis fructuum
  • Occasionally, the name Fervidor(heat) was used for Thermidor.

Complementary or Feast Days[edit | edit source]

English French German Dutch Italian Latin
Feast of... Fête de... Fest der... Feest der... giorno della... Festum...
First day virtue la vertu Tugend Deugd virtù virtutis
Second day genius le genie Geistes Vernuft genio ingenii
Third day labor le travail Arbeit Werkzaamheid lavoro laboris
Fourth day opinion l’opinion Meinung Gezindheid opinione opinionis
Fifth day rewards récompenses Belohnungen Beloning ricompènse pretiorum
Sixth day* revolution la révolution Umsturzes/ Revolution Revolutie rivoluzione revolutionis
  • Only used in leap years

Complementary Days[edit | edit source]

The extra days at the end of the year were called jours complémentaires (complementary days or holidays) or jours-sansculottides (days of the revolutionaries). The complementary days were feast days and each had a name. The above chart shows the names in each language where the calendar was used.

How Dates were Recorded[edit | edit source]

Dates were usually written out in French or the local language. For example:

  • Le treizième jour du mois de Pluviôse l’an sept de la République Française (The 13th of Pluviose in the seventh year of the French Republic).

The years of the Republic were often designated by Roman numerals. For example:

  • 13 Pluviôse VII (13 Pluviose, seventh year of the Republic).

The complementary (feast) days were recorded in two ways:

  • By the name of the feast. Example: the feast day of Labor in the ninth year of the French Republic.
  • By the number (first, second, third, and so on) of the day.
  • Example: the third complementary day of the ninth year of the French Republic.

How to Calculate the Standard Date for a French Republican Date[edit | edit source]

Four calendars are on the following pages. Each calendar has the French Republican months across the top, and thirty days on the left-hand column.

Find the French Republican year for the date you are converting at the top of one of the four calendars.

Find the day (of the French month) in the left column, and move across the page to the French month (abbreviated at the top of the chart). This will give you the standard (Gregorian) month and day.

Return to the top of the calendar. The corresponding standard years are on the same horizontal line as the French Republican year. The correct standard year for the date you are converting is on the same side of the heavy black line as the month and day you found in step 2.

Example: 10 Vendémiaire de l’an IX

Year IX is on Calendar Three[edit | edit source]

On Calendar Three, find the number 10 in the left column and move across the page to the column for Vendémiaire. This box says 2 Oct. Dates on the left side of the heavy black line for the ninth year of the Republic correspond to 1800. Thus 10 Vendémiaire IX corresponds to 2 October 1800.


VEND   BRUM FRIM NIVO PLUV VENT GERM FLOR PRAIR MESS THERM FRUCT COMPL
1 22 Sep 22 Oct 21 Nov
2 23 Sep 23 Oct 22 Nov
3 24 Sep 24 Oct 23 Nov
4 25 Sep 25 Oct 24 Nov
5 26 Sep 26 Oct 25 Nov
6 27 Sep 27 Oct 26 Nov
7 28 Sep 28 Oct 27 Nov
8 29 Sep 29 Oct 28 Nov
9 30 Sep 30 Oct 29 Nov
10  1 Oct 31 Oct 30 Nov
11  2 Oct  1 Nov  1 Dec
12  3 Oct  2 Nov  2 Dec
13  4 Oct  3 Nov  3 Dec
14  5 Oct  4 Nov  4 Dec
15  6 Oct  5 Nov  5 Dec
16  7 Oct  6 Nov  6 Dec
17  8 Oct  7 Nov  7 Dec
18  9 Oct  8 Nov  8 Dec
19 10 Oct  9 Nov  9 Dec
20 11 Oct 10 Nov 10 Dec
21 12 Oct 11 Nov 11 Dec
22 13 Oct 12 Nov 12 Dec
23 14 Oct 13 Nov 13 Dec
24 15 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec
25 16 Oct 15 Nov 15 Dec
26 17 Oct 16 Nov 16 Dec
27 18 Oct 17 Nov 17 Dec
28 19 Oct 18 Nov 18 Dec
29 20 Oct 19 Nov 19 Dec
30 21 Oct 20 Nov 20 Dec


Calendar Four[edit | edit source]

Paper publication: First Edition, Feb. 1991.

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