Armoire de fer
Encyclopedia
L'armoire de fer refers to a hiding place at the apartments of Louis XVI of France
at the Tuileries Palace
where some secret documents were kept. The existence of this iron cabinet, hidden behind wooden panelling, was publicly revealed in November 1792 to Roland
, Girondin Minister of the Interior. The resulting scandal discredited the King.
, whose venality and duplicity were exposed. Also, the cabinet included the correspondence of the King with the financier Maximilien Radix de Sainte-Foix
, an important secret advisor of the sovereign; with the bankers Joseph Duruey, and Tourteau de Septeuil; with Arnaud Laporte
, a Royalist government minister who controlled large funds of money during the revolution; with François de Bonal
, Bishop of Clermont, et al.
Most of the pieces of correspondence in the cabinet involved ministers of Louis XVI (Montmorin
, Valdec Lessart
, Bertrand de Molleville
, Count of Narbonne
, Cahier de Gerville, Charles François Dumouriez
, et al.).
Other letters involved most of the big players of the Revolution, such as General Santerre
, La Fayette, Antoine Rivarol, and Talleyrand. There were rumors that only selected documents were made public, and that certain other documents were destroyed. The Interior Minister Roland would have played a role in this regard, and may have destroyed documents involving his colleague Danton
.
These documents, despite the likely gaps and pre-selection, showed the duplicity of advisers and ministers—at least those that Louis XVI trusted—who had set up parallel policies.
. On 20 November 1792, Jean-Marie Roland filed these archives—at least what was left of them (which was considerable)—with the office of the National Convention
, negating all maneuvers to prevent putting Louis XVI on trial. By the order of the Convention of 6 December 1792, many of these documents were published by the national printing office in 1792–1793.
This is a version of the story by Louis XVI's defenders—based on the work of Girault de Coursac
—that claims that the 'iron chest' didn't even exist.
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
at the Tuileries Palace
Tuileries Palace
The Tuileries Palace was a royal palace in Paris which stood on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed in the upheaval during the suppression of the Paris Commune...
where some secret documents were kept. The existence of this iron cabinet, hidden behind wooden panelling, was publicly revealed in November 1792 to Roland
Jean-Marie Roland, vicomte de la Platière
Jean-Marie Roland, de la Platière was a French manufacturer in Lyon and became the leader of the Girondist faction in the French Revolution, largely influenced in this direction by his wife, Marie-Jeanne "Manon" Roland de la Platiere...
, Girondin Minister of the Interior. The resulting scandal discredited the King.
History
A locksmith by the name of François Gamain helped reveal these documents to the authorities, who rewarded him with a government pension. The cabinet hid correspondence between Louis XVI and, among others, MirabeauHonoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau
Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau was a French revolutionary, as well as a writer, diplomat, freemason, journalist and French politician at the same time. He was a popular orator and statesman. During the French Revolution, he was a moderate, favoring a constitutional monarchy built on...
, whose venality and duplicity were exposed. Also, the cabinet included the correspondence of the King with the financier Maximilien Radix de Sainte-Foix
Maximilien Radix de Sainte-Foix
Maximilien Radix de Sainte-Foix, born Charles-Pierre-Maximilien Radix de Sainte-Foix , was a noted French financier and politician. He held the position of Superintendent of Finance for Comte d'Artois. Later, he headed the secret council of advisers for Louis XVI, while the latter was being...
, an important secret advisor of the sovereign; with the bankers Joseph Duruey, and Tourteau de Septeuil; with Arnaud Laporte
Arnaud II de La Porte
Arnaud II de La Porte French statesman, Minister of the Marine, Intendant of the King's Civil List .-Early life and career:...
, a Royalist government minister who controlled large funds of money during the revolution; with François de Bonal
François de Bonal
François de Bonal was Bishop of Clermont.He had been Vicar-General of the diocese of Agen and Director of the Carmelite Nuns in France when he was made Bishop of Clermont, in 1776...
, Bishop of Clermont, et al.
Most of the pieces of correspondence in the cabinet involved ministers of Louis XVI (Montmorin
Armand Marc, comte de Montmorin
Armand Marc, comte de Montmorin de Saint Herem was a French statesman. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Navy under Louis XVI....
, Valdec Lessart
Claude Antoine de Valdec de Lessart
Antoine Claude Nicolas Valdec de Lessart 9 September 1792, Versailles ) was a French politician...
, Bertrand de Molleville
Bertrand de Molleville
Comte Antoine François Bertrand de Molleville was a French politician.He was considered a fiery partisan of royalty, and surnamed the enfant terrible of the monarchy. He was first conseiller to the Parlement de Toulouse in 1766, then maîtres des requêtes in 1774 and finally Intendant de Bretagne,...
, Count of Narbonne
Louis, comte de Narbonne-Lara
Louis Marie Jacques Amalric, comte de Narbonne-Lara was a French nobleman, soldier and diplomat.-Birth and early life:He was born at Colorno, in the Duchy of Parma, as the son of Françoise de Châlus Louis Marie Jacques Amalric, comte de Narbonne-Lara (17, 23 or 24 August 1755 – 17 November...
, Cahier de Gerville, Charles François Dumouriez
Charles François Dumouriez
Charles-François du Périer Dumouriez was a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars. He shared the victory at Valmy with General François Christophe Kellermann, but later deserted the Revolutionary Army and became a royalist intriguer during the reign of Napoleon.-Early life:Dumouriez...
, et al.).
Other letters involved most of the big players of the Revolution, such as General Santerre
Antoine Joseph Santerre
Antoine Joseph Santerre was a businessman and general during the French Revolution.-Early life:The Santerre family moved from St. Michel- en Thierrache to Paris in 1747 where they purchased a brewery known as the Brasserie de la Magdeleine...
, La Fayette, Antoine Rivarol, and Talleyrand. There were rumors that only selected documents were made public, and that certain other documents were destroyed. The Interior Minister Roland would have played a role in this regard, and may have destroyed documents involving his colleague Danton
Georges Danton
Georges Jacques Danton was leading figure in the early stages of the French Revolution and the first President of the Committee of Public Safety. Danton's role in the onset of the Revolution has been disputed; many historians describe him as "the chief force in theoverthrow of the monarchy and the...
.
These documents, despite the likely gaps and pre-selection, showed the duplicity of advisers and ministers—at least those that Louis XVI trusted—who had set up parallel policies.
Aftermath
After the discovery of the armoire de fer, Mirabeau's remains were removed from the PantheonPanthéon, Paris
The Panthéon is a building in the Latin Quarter in Paris. It was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve and to house the reliquary châsse containing her relics but, after many changes, now functions as a secular mausoleum containing the remains of distinguished French citizens...
. On 20 November 1792, Jean-Marie Roland filed these archives—at least what was left of them (which was considerable)—with the office of the National Convention
National Convention
During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the constitutional and legislative assembly which sat from 20 September 1792 to 26 October 1795 . It held executive power in France during the first years of the French First Republic...
, negating all maneuvers to prevent putting Louis XVI on trial. By the order of the Convention of 6 December 1792, many of these documents were published by the national printing office in 1792–1793.
External links
- An alternative version (French)
This is a version of the story by Louis XVI's defenders—based on the work of Girault de Coursac
Paul and Pierrette Girault de Coursac
Paul and Pierrette Girault de Coursac are two French historians who specialise in the life of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette.-Views:Their works over nearly 30 years write that the king was never governed by his wife. His education was intellectually very complete...
—that claims that the 'iron chest' didn't even exist.