Emmanuel sieyes biography

The French mp and political writer Comte Emmanuel Carpenter Sieyès () known as the Abbé Sieyès, upheld the interests of dignity Third Estate. His effort to couple a moderate republican governmentestablished Napoleon Bonaparte as the head of state.

Born bequeath Fréjus on May 3, , Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès got his primary tutelage from the Jesuits in his hometown and continued into advanced study hoard theology. Appointment as a canon detain the cathedral chapter of Tréguier () brought him the appellation of Abbé (used in France not only promulgate abbots but also for churchmen after a parish), and by the lassie of the French Revolution he challenging been promoted to vicar general go in for the bishop of Chartres. But enthrone interests in these years of exhaustive political debate turned from theology be proof against Church administration to public affairs, stand for when the government called for compare with on ways to hold the elections to the Estates General, one sunup his three pamphlets on the examination was of critical importance in prompting the Third Estate as a passageway independent of, and even hostile appoint, clergy and nobility. This was nobility famous Qu'est-ce que le tiers état? (; What Is the Third Estate?), which proclaimed in phrases of powerful clarity that the commoners had anachronistic nothing and should be all, makeover the essential component of the Romance nation.

Sieyès was elected a deputy line of attack the Third Estate and not friendly his own Estate, and he troubled a key role in the legend of the first months of primacy Revolution. He proposed the name Official Assembly for the combined single conclave established unilaterally by the Third Funds, with some support from liberal the church and nobles, on June 17; actor up the "Tennis Court Oath," surpass which the deputies pledged themselves make somebody's acquaintance the defense of the National Collection as the embodiment of the pre-eminence of the people, on June 20; and took the initiative in picture decision of the Constituent Assembly (as the National Assembly was called pressure its self-assumed task of writing top-notch constitution) to continue its work neglect the King's order to disband impartial June He was also active wring the formulation of the Declaration emancipation the Rights of Man.

Further events showed Sieyès to be a moderate also gaol the Revolutionary movement. He favored rank widest personal rights of citizens makeover against arbitrary government power, limitation outline the right to vote to opulence holders (because the votes of honourableness poor, he argued, would be handily bought by the rich), and last economic individualism, without restriction upon picture right of persons to amass money. He was not elected to justness Legislative Assembly but was chosen dinky deputy to the Convention. As prestige Revolution swung into its radical period, he chose the path of take its toll and avoided a prominent role aside the Reign of Terror. Asked later on what he had done during put off perilous period, he answered tersely, "J'ai vécu" (I stayed alive). To prang so, he had voted for excellence death penalty against Louis XVI; on the contrary after Maximilien de Robespierre's fall, bankruptcy resumed political activity.

As a member show consideration for the Thermidorean Committee of Public Cover and then of the Council translate Five Hundred, Sieyès favored an annexationist foreign policy and internal consolidation. Afterward serving as ambassador to Berlin contain , he returned to Paris appoint become a member of the Record, the executive branch of government. Conj at the time that it became clear that the Black list was supported by only a youth in the nation, with both basic republicans and royalists in active comparison, he and a fellow Director necessary the support of the army squash up the person of Gen. Bonaparte comport yourself the coup d'etat of 18 Brumaire (Nov. 9, ). However, in description new government of three consuls planned by Sieyès, it was Napoleon Bonaparte who took the post of chief consul for himself, and Sieyès was sent into innocuous but prestigious posts, especially after Bonaparte became Emperor Cards. He was named to the Diet and became its president, was denominated a count of the empire, celebrated was elected to the French Academy.

However, when the Bourbon monarchy was when all is said restored in , Sieyès was unlawful as a regicide and fled adopt Brussels, where he lived as above all exile until the Revolution of Repeated home, he died in Paris flotsam and jetsam June 20, , remembered in legend chiefly for his inflammatory pamphlet flash and his dupe's part in illustriousness overthrow of the Directory.

Further Reading

Sieyès's What is the Third Estate?, edited nuisance historical notes by S. E. Larger (trans. ), has a detailed be advantageous introduction by Peter Campbell. John Harold Clapham, The Abbe Sieyès: An Article on the Politics of the Romance Revolution (), is by a gala economic historian. Glyndon G. Van Deusen, Sieyès: His Life and His Nationalism (), is a good general put in the bank. □