Chambre introuvable facts for kids
The Chambre introuvable (pronounced "Shahm-bruh an-troo-VAH-bluh") was a special group of lawmakers in France. The name means "Unobtainable Chamber" in French. It was the first group of elected representatives after the French monarchy was brought back in 1815. This group was mostly made up of people called Ultra-royalists. They strongly wanted to go back to the old ways of France, before the French Revolution. King Louis XVIII gave them this name because they were so difficult to work with.
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A New Parliament in France
Elections were held in France on August 14, 1815. Only certain people could vote at that time, based on how much tax they paid. These elections took place during a period of strong feelings against those who had supported the French Revolution. This time was sometimes called the "White Terror".
The Ultra-royalists Take Over
The elections led to a huge victory for the Ultra-royalists. Out of 402 members, 350 were Ultra-royalists. This meant they had almost complete control of the new parliament.
The "Unobtainable Chamber" met for the first time on October 7, 1815. They were very eager to bring back the power of the aristocracy (nobles) and the clergy (church leaders). Their main goal was to restore the "Ancien Régime", which was the old system of government before the Revolution.
What the Chamber Did
This new parliament made several important changes:
- They banned the display of tricolor flags. This flag was a symbol of the French Revolution.
- They set up special military courts. These courts were led by military police officers called provost-marshals.
- They forced out all the members of the National Convention who had voted for King Louis XVI to be executed. This was a form of banishment.
The Chamber was so determined that they even went against the king's wishes sometimes. They would shout, "Long live the king, no matter what!" This showed their strong loyalty but also their stubbornness.
The King's Decision
King Louis XVIII saw that many people in France were becoming unhappy with the Chamber's extreme actions. He listened to advice from important figures. These included Élie, duc Decazes, a liberal leader, and the Duc de Richelieu, who was the prime minister. Even the British commander, the Duke of Wellington, and the Russian ambassador suggested a change.
Because of this growing unhappiness, King Louis XVIII decided to dissolve the Chamber. He closed it down on September 5, 1816.
After the "Unobtainable Chamber"
New elections were held after the Chamber was dissolved. This time, the Ultra-royalists lost some of their power. More moderate royalists, called the "Ministériels", and more liberal thinkers, known as "Doctrinaires", took their place. These new groups tried to find a way to combine the ideas of the French Revolution with the monarchy.
Years later, in 1824, the Ultra-royalists won back their majority in parliament. This new group was then called the "Chambre retrouvée", which means the "Recovered Chamber". This name was a direct reference to the earlier "Chambre introuvable".
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