Legends and curiosities of history (part 2).

 

Prefecture of Arras, France. Photo: Pir6mon, 2011.
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A wolf in sheep's clothes. 

By the year 1785, in Arras, a small city, to the north of France, lived a young and unknown lawyer. He was not a particularly appealing person. For sure, he only was another one, destined to become a bureaucrat... just one more, among many! In him, a bourgois air lived, elegantly dressed, with a powdered wig, so much in vogue between the wealthy people. But, at the same time, he was a passionate addict to the writings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. With his  controversial thoughts, this intellectual molded the ideas of many youngsters of the last third of the eighteenth century. His addiction was such, that even could be said that scratched in the unhealthy. The truth is, that those kind of readings, prepared the soil, for the remarkable events to come, not only in France, but in the rest of the western hemisphere. 

Robespierre's House. Arras, France. Built in 1730. Photo: Sabe68, 2013.
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In those days, would have been be almost impossible to harbor any doubt about the destiny of that young lawyer: he would become a righteous man. How could he cause a bad impression, with his poet's spirit and normal appearance? Besides, he showed an uncommon kindness and compassion. Is well known, that once he did not accept a designation as a judge, for one simple reason. His conscience, would have never permitted him dictate a death sentence, if it was required. The sole idea was repulsive and horrible for a man with his humanitarian feelings. 

Maximilien de Robespierre, ca. 1790. Museum Carnavalet. Photo: www.paris.fr/portail/Culture
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Who could imagine by then, that the same person would suffer a truly staggering transformation? In him, all the high concepts about the republican virtues, took root. But he went so far, that would end as a monster. He became someone who tried to impose his ideas, no matter the cost. He would finally send to the scaffold an impressive number of people. This personage was Maximilien Robespierre, the real author of the reign of terror, lived in France, in times of the famous revolution of 1789. 

The Storming of the Bastille. Watercolor by Jean Pierre Houël, 1789.
National Library of France.

His political career may be considered as stunning, meteoric, increasingly bright as the revolution became more intense. But it also turned off, when the movement faded. When the Storming of the Bastille took place, he went to Paris, attending as a representative, to the Estates General election. Later, he reached the presidency, at the National Convention. By then, he enjoyed great prestige, for his speeches, considered as cold, but filled with logical, potent and demolishing thoughts. His arguments were very hard to refute. He soon discovered how to manipulate the public opinion, at his own will. At last, he acquired such a strength and eloquence, that fatally would spread his disease: an uncontrolled fanaticism.

The execution of Louis XVI. Engraving by Stanislas Helman, 1794. National Library of France.

Something that began with a fundamental principles and rights proclamation, would turn into a true bloody orgy. And the incorruptible Jacobin took the place as the leader of the Commitee of Public Safety. In his hands, seemed to carry the sickle, which cut so many lives: the guillotin blade. Hundreds of aristocrats, suddenly saw their last moments coming... But the deadly device had an increasing appetite, and even the royal heads of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette fell, in front of a roaring mob. Since then, the events would begin to open the path to the suspicion and the betrayal. In that strained atmosphere, not a few fanatic revolutionaries also had an appointment with the executioner. The revolution was devouring its own children. After the death of one of the principal leaders, Danton, was impossible to sleep quietly. That horrific fire, under the cold look of Robespierre, threatened to consume everything. That man who seemed destined to build, sadly ended as a destructor. 

In just a little more than a year, over two thousand persons were beheaded. On certain days, thirty executions could take place! The nearest comrades of Robespierre, decided to get ahead, and arrested him, after a slight quarreling, on July 27th of 1794. Without judgement, as was the usual, he found himself before the guillotine, a day later. Surely he tasted the bitterness of becoming another victim of his own creation. 

Possibly, it was like one of those fires, which fertilize the land, for further sowing. The wheel of History would begin to spin once more...

The apprentice king

The old Russia, from the late 17th century, was an enigmatic and isolated territory, according to the European point of view. In fact, it was an extremely traditionalist country, attached to a medieval feudalism. It could be affirmed without doubts, that it was a backward country. From that environment, would raise a controversial personage, who managed to modernize Russia, integrating it to the western world. As we all know, it would be of decissive influence, over the world geopolitical equilibrium, since then.

Peter I the Great. Csar of Russia. Copied from Jean-Marc Nattier, 1717.
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Such a person was Peter I, the Great, Csar of all the Russias. The crown ended over his head, almost by chance, despite the strong opposition he found from his half sister. He was the third, in the sucession line... During his childhood, he was victim of a marked family segregation. But, instead of harming, it made him physically stronger. In addition, the contact with strangers, allowed him to open the eyes, to an almost unknown world for the people from his country. So, into that boy, a true autodidact, began to develop a practical conscience. He would become a person who recognized the great value of basic learning and constant effort, to achieve an objective. Without any question, he was ahead for the Russia of those times.

Peter I at the worshop. By M.Klodt, 1872. {{PD-US}}

In 1697, only very few would note the presence of a Russian boy, at Zaandam, one of the best shipyards from Holland. He stayed there for a short time, working hard as a true apprentice. That young man, willing to learn the basics about those magnificent sailing ships, was no other than the Csar of Russia, Peter I, the Great. The very monarch of a vast territory, was living there, the same as any other worker, in a modest wooden house. By the way that cabin, still exists and is open to the visitors.

Peter the Great inspecting a ship at Amsterdam. By Abraham Storck, ca. 1700. 
Photo: Royal Museums, Greeenwich {{PD-US}}

This says a lot, about the personality of that man, who wanted to transform his country into a maritime power. So he decided to learn about the ships construction by himself, without delegating the responsability on anyone. He ambitioned, to open Russia to the great novelties and knowledge of that time. Sometimes he travelled, in incognito, just like one more, among the delegations he sent to other countries. According to his logic, his presence could interfere the natural flow of information.

Peter the Great achieved all his goals, constructing a powerful navy and also modernizing the Russian army. Once again, he would choose to start from zero, as a simple assistant, instead of a high officer. He would have to earn his promotions, to become later into a skilled commander. He was quite a personage, no question about it!

Trimming a boyar's beard. By G. von Urlaub, 1893. 
Source: http://allegro.pl {{PD-US}}

He had an extraordinary vitality, that also permitted him to lead a rampant life. But he managed to modernize Russia, even against many people's will. More than one arrogant boyar, had to suffer a humiliation, when the Csar cut their thick beards, with his own hands. The dress of women and men, was also adapted to the modern times. Those changes, gave rise to a rebellion, that ended drowned in blood. It was the dark side of Peter I of Russia.

Naval battle of Grengam, the last big battle of the Great War of the North, by Alexei Fyodiorovich Zubov, 1721.
Source: http://album.photo.ru Museum Hermitage, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

After a cruel twenty years war against Sweden, the Russians conquered an access to the Baltic Sea. So many years of pain, diplomatic efforts, never surrendering after several hard defeats, had finally given its sweet fruits. And all that, had been thanks to the vision of the Monarch... To secure their victory and as a sign of his rapprochment policy with Europe, between channels, would emerge an amazing new city. It was Saint Petersburg, so called the Northern Venice.

Surely, by then, Peter the Great, Csar of all the Russias, did not see the necessity to travel as incognito, nevermore...

 

Interior of the Comédie-Française, Paris. Endings of the 18th century.
Watercolor by A. Meunier. Source: http://gallica.bnf.fr {{PD-US}}

He wrote his own finale.

The art of comedy was not always well regarded. There were times, when the difference between an actor and a thieve, was not evident, for many people. Paradoxically, at the same time, it was very popular. By the early 17th century, numerous audiences crowded together, at some places of Paris, to spend a good time with the street comedies. Those farces, were sprinkled with a simple and naughty sense of humor, based on the actor's improvisation. They abounded in equivocal situations, mimics of some public personages and... beatings. It was the Italian popular comedy, which had planted its roots in France, thus influencing on the constitution of their own companies.

It has to be said that most of the audience were common villagers. Nonetheless, concealed into the crowd, were persons of any social level. Is also easy to imagine the children, struggling among the many adult people, to get a good spot, to see the function. With the pass of time, one of those boys, would make the French theatre soar and bright. His name was Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, but would be better known by a pseudonym.  

His father was a prosperous artisan, nothing less than the favorite upholsterer of the king Louis XIII. It seemed to predict a promising future to the young Jean-Baptiste. He also had the chance to receive a magnificent education, as he studyied Philosophy and Law.

Molière. By Pierre Mignard, ca. 1658.
Photo: Rene-Gabriel Ojeda. Musée Condé, France.
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Ah... but his fate was quite different. His irrepressible passion for the theater and possibly love, made him displease his father. He joined a group of artists, known as the Béjart family. As might be expected, they did not enjoyed a good reputation. In that manner, with only twenty one, in love with Madeleine Béjart, he carried all his dreams in a bag, and became an actor. Due to the bad fame of the artists, he was forced to change his name. From then on, he would be known as Molière. 

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Louis XIV and Molière. By Jean-León Gérome, 1862. Malden Public Library, Malden Ma. 
Photo: Ribberlin {{PD-US}}

Since that moment, his life would turn to be hazardous, plenty of ups and downs. But his talent and genius finally took him to the place he deserved. Despite his controversial personality and the persecussions he came to suffer, the king Louis XIV, took him under his wing. In his inmortal works, he created unforgettable tragicomic characters. They represented and caricatured the main human types of a society, in which the hipocrisy ruled. By means of humor, he imparted acid lessons, portraits of more than one.

The School of Wives. Front page of the 1719 edition. 
Engraving by T. de Marc {{PD-US}}

Ironically, as he got older, seemed to become a victim of some of the situations, that he had satirized without mercy, so many times. His marriage with a much younger woman, Armande Béjart, had made of him, a jealous and mocked old man. Now, everybody could laugh at him. That farse marriage, together with the amount of work, made his life bitter. Hence, the premature old man, would fall into the hands of medics, something he hated. In his comedies, he had shown his phobia, every time he could. 

In his last comedy, entitled The Imaginary Invalid, Molière depicts a sick man, a hypochondriac. This made of him, the victim of all kind of medics and swindlers, who almost killed him with their false recipes. Of course, they were only looking for the money... Later, he discovers the fraud and got better by himself. Then comes the moment, when the now healthy man, makes believe his death, to laugh at the medics. During the fourth performance of that comedy, on february 17th of 1673, he suffered an acute hemoptysis attack. Molière, father of the Comédie-Française, had passed away. In the diary of the theater, someone simply wrote: "Today, during the representation, Molière died." 

The Comédie-Française’s facade. Photo by Dottore Gianni, 2007.
Source: Heironimohrkach.blogspot.com.mx
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Perhaps, for that very last time, the naughty minstrel had wanted to joke at himself, writing and playing his own death...