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Lot Essay
The French Republican Calendar (French: calendrier républicain français) or French Revolutionary Calendar (calendrier révolutionnaire français) was a calendar created and implemented during the French Revolution, and used by the French government for about 12 years from late 1793 to 1805. Napoléon finally abolished the calendar with effect from 1 January 1806 (the day after 10 Nivôse an XIV), a little over twelve years after its introduction. However, it was used again during the brief Paris Commune, 6–23 May 1871 (16 Floréal–3 Prairial An LXXIX).
The Republican calendar year began at the Southward equinox and had twelve months of 30 days each, which were given new names based on nature, principally having to do with the prevailing weather in and around Paris.
• Autumn:
o Vendémiaire in French (from Latin vindemia, "grape harvest"), starting 22, 23 or 24 September
o Brumaire (from French brume, "fog"), starting 22, 23 or 24 October
o Frimaire (From French frimas, "frost"), starting 21, 22 or 23 November
• Winter:
o Nivôse (from Latin nivosus, "snowy"), starting 21, 22 or 23 December
o Pluviôse (from Latin pluvius, "rainy"), starting 20, 21 or 22 January
o Ventôse (from Latin ventosus, "windy"), starting 19, 20 or 21 February
• Spring:
o Germinal (from Latin germen, "germination"), starting 20 or 21 March
o Floréal (from Latin flos, "flower"), starting 20 or 21 April
o Prairial (from French prairie, "pasture"), starting 20 or 21 May
• Summer:
o Messidor (from Latin messis, "harvest"), starting 19 or 20 June
o Thermidor (or Fervidor) (from Greek thermon, "summer heat"), starting 19 or 20 July
o Fructidor (from Latin fructus, "fruit"), starting 18 or 19 August
In Britain, a contemporary wit mocked the Republican Calendar by calling the months: Wheezy, Sneezy and Freezy; Slippy, Drippy and Nippy; Showery, Flowery and Bowery; Wheaty, Heaty and Sweety
The Republican calendar year began at the Southward equinox and had twelve months of 30 days each, which were given new names based on nature, principally having to do with the prevailing weather in and around Paris.
• Autumn:
o Vendémiaire in French (from Latin vindemia, "grape harvest"), starting 22, 23 or 24 September
o Brumaire (from French brume, "fog"), starting 22, 23 or 24 October
o Frimaire (From French frimas, "frost"), starting 21, 22 or 23 November
• Winter:
o Nivôse (from Latin nivosus, "snowy"), starting 21, 22 or 23 December
o Pluviôse (from Latin pluvius, "rainy"), starting 20, 21 or 22 January
o Ventôse (from Latin ventosus, "windy"), starting 19, 20 or 21 February
• Spring:
o Germinal (from Latin germen, "germination"), starting 20 or 21 March
o Floréal (from Latin flos, "flower"), starting 20 or 21 April
o Prairial (from French prairie, "pasture"), starting 20 or 21 May
• Summer:
o Messidor (from Latin messis, "harvest"), starting 19 or 20 June
o Thermidor (or Fervidor) (from Greek thermon, "summer heat"), starting 19 or 20 July
o Fructidor (from Latin fructus, "fruit"), starting 18 or 19 August
In Britain, a contemporary wit mocked the Republican Calendar by calling the months: Wheezy, Sneezy and Freezy; Slippy, Drippy and Nippy; Showery, Flowery and Bowery; Wheaty, Heaty and Sweety