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Today, we are going to bring some new elements about the best kept secrets of the French Revolution. In those circumstances, it is important to link the Baron Jean de Batz (1754 - 1822) to another brave man of the Revolution epoch, the Count François-Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas (1756 - 1826).
Both were MPs at the edge of the Revolution : the first one represented the Nobility of Nérac (South West), and the second one the Third Estate of Annonay (South East).
When De Batz as President of the Liquidation Committee of the Constituent concluded that a certain Mr Sérier, head of the Water Company of Paris was owing 20 million French pounds to the King's treasury, the next one applauded. He meant that the administrator Sérier should have paid this amount to alleviate the French Debt.
Don't forget the origin of the convocation of the States-Generals for May 1789 by the King, was directly connected to the French Debt crisis !
In January 1793, as a MP of Convention this time, Boissy d'Anglas was bold enough to vote against the death of the King Louis XVI (1754 - 1793 ?), wickedly nicknamed "Louis the last one" ("Louis le dernier" in French). And the Baron de Batz was impressed a lot by his risky braveness, in a so exceptional situation.
The Count Boissy d'Anglas was a moderate protestant attached to the freedom of religion. Beyond their small religious difference, him and De Batz were united in the same beliefs of true Justice, Free speech, and Freedom in the Christian way.
Jean de Batz remembered his ancestor Manaud III de Batz saved in 1577, with three other men, the life of Henri of Navarra (1553 - 1610), a protestant at that time when he entered the town of Eause (Duchy of Albret). This happened before the latter founded the dynasty of Bourbons, Kings of France and Navarra, under the name of Henri IV.
You know already important details about the Baron Jean de Batz, through our previous articles. So you are informed, he launched a very bold operation of rescue of the King with a double, along the 52 rue de Beauregard in Paris, near Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, and could escape not alone (Morning of January 21st, 1793).
But, you ignore Boissy d'Anglas was wandering like others why the death certificate of Louis XVI, who was "officially" guillotined in front of a large crowd on January 21st, 1793, was so delayed ?
He knew Robespierre (1758 - 1794), was continuing to be angry about the daredevil operation of Jean de Batz to rescue the King. He had failed in catching the Baron, he saw as an annoying and challenging "Scaramouche", and his so important "protégé".
It indicated also, he was greatly doubting having killed the real Louis XVI on that fateful day.
And when this death certificate was finally drawn up almost two months after (!), on March 18th, 1793, to halt growing rumors of survival, his conviction was made.
About Robespierre, when you know he was strongly advocating for the abolition of death penalty in 1789, you really wander how he came to betray so much himself and his ideals in less than four years ?
It's important to notice that François-Antoine de Boissy d'Anglas, became member of the Committee of Public Safety one year after the fall of Robespierre during Thermidor 9th and 1Oth (July 27th and 28th, 1794). He himself played a role in this heavy fall. Robespierre, his brother, and his proximate supporters were then guillotined.
After Thermidor, Boissy d'Anglas came to be in charge of the food supply of Paris, and he took the lead of the Moderates of the "Plain" (Center).
It has to be underlined most historians don't consider he was a very strong character, at the difference of Robespierre for instance, which is debatable. Anyhow, the evidence is that him at least, he was clever enough to survive a so uncertain and dangerous period !
There is no total certainty about the protection, that Jean de Batz would have received from Boissy d'Anglas during the Revolution, and vice versa.
But one thing is clear : neither of them would have accepted that the other would perish or that something bad would happen to him. They had a too strong esteem for each other, and placed very high their rather discrete friendship.
For instance, on Prairial 5h, Year III (May 24th, 1795), when the Convention Boissy d'Anglas presided was invaded by bloody "Sans culottes" carrying the head of the MP Jean-Bertrand Féraud, he kept calm till the rather quick coming of the Royalist Sections of the National Guard.
Under the Directoire (1795 - 1799), that he directly contributed to establish for the appeasement of France, Boissy d'Anglas became an important member of the newly created Council of 5OO. And he rejoined the Royalist Club of Rue de Clichy thereafter.
Senator under the Empire of Napoleon I (1769 - 1821), he became a Peer of France under the Restoration.
The Count Boissy d'Anglas in the facts was more powerful and influent politically, than most historians have supposed. At the difference of Robespierre for instance, he never tried to show off.
Discretion, balance, respect for the respectful, and proficiency were his key words, just like Jean de Batz. As the lucky Baron, he litteraly "surfed" on political upheaveals in a very dangerous time. And he died happily at 69.
As an epilog, it is important to notice a descendant of Boissy d'Anglas, carrying the same name, was also a senator at the time of the Third Republic, which started in 1875.
Very extraordinarily, in 1910, because of the petition of the descendants of the enigmatic Naundorff - aka Carl Werg (1775 - 1845) -, he had to make a special report on the question Louis XVII for the Senate. It was published in 1911.
By a powerful Zeigarnik Effect, this report gave Boissy d'Anglas the unique opportunity to give his astonishing opinion as official rapporteur : the Dauphin could escape from the Jail Temple, because of the involvement of the British (and apparently also the Flemish). For him, it was even a "scientific" fact. And beyond the petition of someone in particular, this was the most important.
He added, in connection with the memory of his famous ancestor, that the will of the Convention was to kill the mute substitute boy, to appear having erased definitively the dynasty of Louis XVI. And nobody seems to have realized he didn't call Louis XVII this way, but the "Dauphin", as if his father was still alive when he was saved by the British Secret Services and another Count !
We hope you enjoyed those unforecasted elements and secrets about the French Revolution, with great characters who were skilled at surviving, without abandoning their ideals. Of course, it appears that providence and luck were on the side of those valorous men.
Anyhow, we will let you make your own opinion about those Masters of Survival, who were able to remain true with themselves, in a Revolutionary and uncertain period !
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