Ultra-royalist facts for kids

The Ultra-royalists (called Ultras for short) were a political group in France. They were active from 1815 to 1830, during a time called the Bourbon Restoration. This was when the Bourbon royal family returned to power after the French Revolution and Napoleon.

Ultras were usually from noble families. They strongly believed that Roman Catholicism should be the only official religion in France. They also fully supported the Bourbon kings and the idea of a traditional society with clear social classes. They thought only certain people should have the right to vote. The Ultras did not like new ideas like liberalism or democracy.

After the July Revolution in 1830, another group called the Legitimists were sometimes linked to the Ultras. The Legitimists also wanted the Bourbon kings to rule.

A Time of Fear: The Second White Terror

After King Louis XVIII returned to power in 1815, there was a period known as the Second White Terror. People who were thought to have supported the French Revolution or Napoleon were arrested. In some areas, especially in southern France, angry crowds killed several hundred people. Others were executed after quick trials.

Historians say that many Ultra-royalists had just returned from being exiled. They saw this as a chance to fight against the changes brought by the French Revolution and Napoleon. They believed France was full of traitors and wanted to find and punish their enemies. The government at the time found it hard to stop these violent acts.

The Bourbon Restoration and Ultra Power

Charles X became king in 1824. He agreed more with the Ultras than his brother, Louis XVIII.

The Bourbon Restoration lasted from 1814 to 1830. During this time, the Ultras became a very strong political force. They won many seats in the Chamber of Deputies, which was like a parliament. They had a majority from 1815 to 1816 and again from 1824 to 1827. People often said they were "more royalist than the king."

The Ultras were the main political group under both King Louis XVIII (1815–1824) and King Charles X (1824–1830). They did not like the idea of a constitutional monarchy, where the king's power was limited. Instead, they wanted to bring back the old system, called the Ancien Régime. They hoped to undo the changes caused by the French Revolution.

The Ultras were strongly against liberalism, republicanism, and democracy. King Louis XVIII wanted a more moderate return to the old ways. He hoped to make it acceptable to people who had supported the Revolution. However, the Ultras wanted a complete return to the past. Their power grew partly because of the voting rules. These rules favored them, allowing them to control the Chamber of Deputies.

Jean-Baptiste de Villèle was an Ultra-royalist and served as Prime Minister of France from 1821 to 1828.

In 1815, the Ultras won a large majority in the Chamber of Deputies. King Louis XVIII was so surprised by how royalist they were that he called them La Chambre Introuvable, meaning "the unfindable chamber." His chief minister, the Duc de Richelieu, advised him to dissolve this assembly.

After this, there was a "Liberal Interlude" from 1816 to 1820. This was a difficult time for the Ultras. But on February 13, 1820, a royal family member, the Duke of Berry, was killed. This event made the Ultras stronger. They then passed new laws, like the Law of the Double Vote, which helped them gain even more control in the Chamber of Deputies. As King Louis XVIII's health declined, he found it harder to resist the Ultras' demands. Even before he became king, Charles X (then the Comte d'Artois) already had a lot of influence over the government.

When Louis XVIII died in 1824, the Ultras were happy because they thought he was too moderate. They expected their leader, the new king Charles X, to become an absolute monarch. This meant he would rule with total power, answering only to God. In 1825, the government passed the Anti-Sacrilege Act. This law made stealing sacred church items punishable by death. This law was rarely used and was removed when Louis Philippe became king in 1830. The Ultras also wanted to create special courts to punish Radicals and passed laws that limited freedom of the press.

Legitimists: Successors to the Ultras

The July Revolution of 1830 removed the Bourbon kings from power. A more liberal branch of the royal family, the Orléanists, took over. This sent the Ultras back to their private lives in their country homes. However, they still had some influence for many years.

Over time, their views became a bit softer. Their main goal became bringing back the Bourbon royal family. From 1830 onwards, they became known as the Legitimists. Historian René Rémond identified the Legitimists as the first of the "right-wing families" in French politics. He said they were followed by the Orléanists and the Bonapartists. Some modern far-right groups are seen as part of the Legitimist family.

Important Ultra-royalists

How the Ultras Voted: Election Results

Election year	Number of overall votes	Percentage of overall vote	Number of overall seats won	Change	Position	Leader
Chamber of Deputies
1815	35,200	87.5%	350 / 400	New	1st (majority)	François-Régis de La Bourdonnaye, Comte de La Bretèche
1820	34,780	36.9%	160 / 434	190	2nd (minority)	Jean-Baptiste Séraphin, Comte de Villèle
1824	90,240	96%	413 / 430	253	1st (majority)	Jean-Baptiste Séraphin, Comte de Villèle
1827	40,420	43.1%	185 / 430	228	1st (majority)	Jean-Baptiste Séraphin, Comte de Villèle
1830	47,940	50.7%	282 / 556	97	1st (majority)	Jules de Polignac, Duke de Polignac

See also

• Anti-Sacrilege Act
• Legitimists
• Political parties under Restoration