Philippe Égalité
Born into the high nobility, the Duke of Orléans was considered a liberal even during the Ancien Régime. When the Estates-General were convened, he proved it with a dramatic change of sides: from the nobility to the Third Estate. Later, as a deputy in the Convention, he sided with the radicals. He gave up his ducal title and called himself Philippe Égalité. Equality instead of privilege. The former aristocrat wanted to become a true revolutionary — perhaps for his own benefit? He was never able to dispel the suspicion that he sought the throne. The Montagnards, nominally his political allies, never gave him the chance to prove the opposite. They sent him to the guillotine before he could defend himself.
JK
1747 - 1793
- April 13, 1747 · Louis Philippe Joseph is born in Saint-Cloud, the son of Louis Philippe I of Orléans and Louise Henriette of Bourbon.
- October 6, 1773 · Birth of his son Louis-Philippe, who will rule France as the Citizen King from 1830 to 1848.
- June 25, 1789 · Philippe d’Orléans leads the 47 nobles who join the Third Estate during the Estates-General.
- September 1792 · After giving up his title and calling himself citizen Égalité, he is elected as the last representative of Paris to the National Convention.
- January 16, 1793 · He votes, in the parliamentary decision on the fate of his cousin, the former Louis XVI, for death without delay.
- April 4, 1793 · Arrest of Philippe Égalité due to his son’s connection with General Dumouriez, who had defected to the Austrians.
- November 6, 1793 · Death sentence and execution in Paris.
Quotes
This matters to us, to your people, and especially to your father. You have a strong chance of ruling.
Danton, late September 1792, to Égalité’s son, the future Louis-Philippe I. He advised him to gain popularity within the army.
Guided solely by my duty and convinced that all those who have attacked or would attack the sovereignty of the people deserve death, I vote for the death penalty.
Égalité’s justification during the trial of the former king.
This is a waste of time. You can take my boots off when I’m dead. Let’s hurry!
Égalité’s last words to the executioner.
Talk to Égalité
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External links
Le Moniteur
Septidi, 2e décade de Brumaire, l'an 2 de la République une et indivisible
(November 7, 1793)
Philippe Égalité has his cousin guillotined.
