French Provisional Government of 1815 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids French Executive Commission of 1815 |
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| Cabinet of First French Empire | |
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| Date formed | 22 June 1815 |
| Date dissolved | 7 July 1815 |
| People and organisations | |
| Head of state | Napoleon II (de jure) |
| Head of government | Joseph Fouché |
| History | |
| Predecessor | French government of the Hundred Days |
| Successor | Ministry of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord |
The French Provisional Government was a temporary group of leaders in France in 1815. It was also called the French Executive Commission. This government took over after Napoleon's rule, known as the French government of the Hundred Days, ended. Napoleon had returned from his exile on the island of Elba before this.
This new government was created on June 22, 1815. This happened after Napoleon gave up his power, which is called abdicating. He did this after losing the famous Battle of Waterloo.
The government officially acted under the name of Napoleon II. He was technically the new Emperor after his father, Napoleon, stepped down. However, this was just a formality. Napoleon II was only four years old at the time. He was living in Austria with his mother, Marie Louise. Because of this, he could not actually rule.
The Provisional Government lasted only a short time. On July 9, 1815, it was replaced. This happened when the Bourbon royal family returned to power in France. The new government was led by Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord.
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How the Government Was Formed
On June 12, 1815, Napoleon left Paris. He traveled to what is now Belgium. There, two large armies were gathering. These armies were part of the Seventh Coalition against him. One army was led by the Duke of Wellington from Britain. The other was a Prussian army under Prince Blücher.
Napoleon fought these armies at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. He was defeated in this important battle. After his loss, he went back to Paris. On June 22, 1815, Napoleon gave up his power for the second time.
On that same day, two parts of the French government chose new leaders. These leaders formed the Provisional Government. This group was meant to rule France until the Bourbon kings returned to power.
Who Were the Main Members?
The main leaders of the commission were chosen on June 22, 1815. These five people were in charge of the new government:
- Joseph Fouché (He was the President of the group)
- Lazare Carnot
- Paul Grenier
- Armand Augustin Louis de Caulaincourt
- Nicolas Marie Quinette
Important Government Ministers
On June 23, 1815, new temporary leaders were chosen. These people were called commissioners. They were put in charge of four important government departments, called ministries:
- Foreign Affairs: Louis Pierre Édouard, Baron Bignon (He handled France's relationships with other countries)
- Interior: Claude-Marie Carnot (He managed things inside France)
- Police: Joseph Pelet de la Lozère (He was in charge of law and order)
- Justice: Antoine Boulay de la Meurthe (He oversaw the legal system)
Other leaders kept their jobs from Napoleon's previous government. They continued to serve as ministers:
- Finance: Martin-Michel-Charles Gaudin (He managed the country's money)
- Treasury: Nicolas François, Count Mollien (He oversaw the government's funds)
- Navy and Colonies: Denis Decrès (He was in charge of the navy and French colonies)
- War: Louis-Nicolas Davout (He led the army)
Key Events During This Time
On June 23, 1815, Napoleon II was officially announced as Emperor. However, as mentioned, he was too young to rule.
Meanwhile, the two armies from the Coalition, led by Prince Blücher and the Duke of Wellington, kept moving forward. They advanced from the north and surrounded the city of Paris.
On July 3, 1815, the leaders of the Provisional Government decided to surrender Paris. They signed an agreement called the Convention of St. Cloud.
With the capital city and other areas taken over by the Coalition armies, the Executive Commission could no longer do its job. So, on July 7, 1815, the members of the government resigned.
Two days later, on July 9, 1815, a new government officially took over. This was the ministry of Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord.
