The Rebellion in the Cevennes, an Historical Novel. Vol. I. — John Shaqi
The Rebellion in the Cevennes, an Historical Novel. Vol. I.Tieck, Ludwig
History
The Rebellion in the Cevennes, an Historical Novel. Vol. I.
Tieck, Ludwig
France -- History -- Insurrection of the Camisards, 1702-1710 -- Fiction; German fiction -- Translations into English; Historical fiction
gone to Anglade to superintend the organization of his regiment, when
the wild peasantry, excited by his lieutenant and inspired by their
prophets, set out and marched into the neighbouring woods, declaring
firmly, the King should restore the edict of Nantes, without which
there was no security for them. At length, however, Villars succeeded
by his personal influence and by cutting off from them all means of
subsistence, to bring them under subjection. Many of them fled and
entered into the Piedmontese service, where they formed a regiment that
took part in the Spanish war, and later under Cavalier's command, was
destroyed at the battle of Almanza, which Berwick gave to the Count of
Stahremberg on the 25th of April, 1707. The whole insurrection,
however, was not, quelled by that subjugation. There were still
multitudes, among which one particularly distinguished itself, led on
by a certain Roland; but Villars sought only to become possessed of the
leaders. Roland, when taken prisoner, was shot by a dragoon, whereupon
the remaining leaders surrendered, and cards of security were given to
them, and their adherents by the Marshal, which secured them from every
persecution. Yet, before Villars had fully stilled the rebellion, he
was replaced by the Marshal of Berwick, who fell upon the chief leaders
of the Camisards in Montpellier, caused them to be burnt and broken on
the wheel, and the country cruelly laid waste. Driven to extremity by
this, the Camisards rose once again with more enthusiastic inspiration.
They were, however, too weak to finish this warfare successfully. Thus
they died, some with arms in their hands, some as emigrants, others
submitted in order to preserve their faith, even under the greatest
oppression, or were forcibly constrained to become Catholics. Thus
ended this insurrection with the total devastation of the province and
the annihilation, or exile of a large portion of its inhabitants. Since
then, in the South of France, merely a war of opinion, lay smouldering,
which after the restoration of the Bourbons in the year 1815, gave rise
to frightful scenes in Nismes, and at other places. Only when in March
1819, a great number of the inhabitants of the Cevennes threatened the
town of Nismes--"Thirty thousand men are ready to descend from their
mountains, with the weapons of despair, if the salvation of their
brethren demand it,"--the persecutions of the Protestants were put a
stop to. See "Histoire des Camisards," (2 vols, London, 1744) Court de
Gebelin, "Le Patriote français et impartial," (2 vols, Villefranche
1753) by the same "Histoire des troubles des Cevennes, ou de la guerre
des Camisards," (3 vols, Villefranche, 1760, new edition 1820) Schulz,
"Geschichte der Camisarden" (Weimar 1790), and Tieck's novel, "Der
Aufruhr in den Cevennen" (Berlin 1826).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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