Bertrand de Moleville Counterrevolution Papers

Bertrand-de-Molleville, Ant.-Fr. (Antoine-François) (1744-1818)

The marquis de Bertrand de Moleville was a nobleman and navy minister in the French Constitutional Cabinet. He urged Louis XVI to flee Paris and was accused of being one of the "Austrian Committee," the shadowy circle accused of anti-revolutionary plots. He emigrated to England in 1793.

The collection consists of manuscripts and related material regarding Bertrand de Moleville's proposals to the British government for invading France and Spanish America. Included is a manuscript (1805) in English detailing a plan for a counterrevolution to recapture France from Napoleon Bonaparte and return the monarchy and King Louis XVIII to the French throne. Bertrand de Moleville gives details of where the soldiers of the army should come from, how much the expedition would cost the king of England, and how it should be executed. He suggests to the British monarch that the army capture the Ile d' Oléron which would present very little resistance, from there to capture the Ile de Ré́ and the Ile d' Aix, and finally to enter the French mainland at Rochefort.

The collection also contains manuscript material regarding Bertrand de Moleville's secret plans for an invasion of Spanish America, establishing an independent Mexico: his cover letter (in French, dated 2 January 1805) conveying the proposal to British government official Jonathan McArthur, requesting that he forward the material to Lord Melville, First Lord of the Admiralty; the four-part plan (in French); and an English précis of the proposal with McArthur's recommendation (7 January 1805) to Melville.

Arranged by country.

Invasion of France manuscript was the gift of Chas A. D. Burk in 1909.

Invasion of Mexico material was purchased from William Reese Co. in 2011 (AM2012-29).

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This collection was processed by John Delaney on 2011 September 30. Finding aid written by John Delaney on 2011 September 30.

No materials were separated during 2011 processing.

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Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Bertrand de Moleville Counterrevolution Papers, Box and Folder Number; Special Collections, Princeton University Library.

Publisher

Manuscripts Division

Finding aids author

John Delaney

Date

2011

Creator

Bertrand-de-Molleville, Ant.-Fr. (Antoine-François) (1744-1818)

Subject

Counterrevolutionaries -- France -- 19th century -- Manuscripts

Counterrevolutions -- France -- 19th century

Counterrevolutions -- Latin America -- 19th century

Napoleonic Wars, 1800-1815 -- History -- Sources

Place

France -- History -- invasions -- 19th century

Great Britain -- History, Military -- 19th century -- Sources

Mexico -- History -- Spanish colony, 1540-1810 -- Sources

Language

French

English

Form

Manuscripts, French -- 19th century

Proposals -- 19th century