Wydarzenia we Francji w pierwszych miesiącach rewolucji (maj–październik 1789 roku) w świetle doniesień ambasadora Szwecji w Paryżu (Wersalu) Erika Magnusa Staëla von Holsteina

Zbigniew Anusik

doi:10.18778/1644-857X.15.01.03

Authors

Zbigniew Anusik Uniwersytet Łódzki, Wydział Filozoficzno-Historyczny, Instytut Historii, Katedra Historii Nowożytnej

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1644-857X.15.01.03

Keywords:

Sweden–France in 18th century, Swedish diplomatic service, French revolution 1789–1799, Erik Magnus Staël von Holstein

Abstract

Erik Magnus Staël von Holstein (*1749) became an Ambassador of Sweden to Paris (Versailles) in November of 1783. In January of 1786 he married Anne Louise Germaine Necker, the daughter of a Swiss banker and one of the richest men in France – Jacques. After a wedding with the daughter of Jacques Necker the position of the Swedish Ambassador in France was quite unique. He was well seen both in Versailles, where he enjoyed the sympathy on the part of Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, princes of the blood, nobility and courtiers, and in Paris, where through his father-in-law he had established contacts with the environment of financiers, merchants and noblesse de robe. Staël also proved to be an excellent observer of the French political scene. In terms of political beliefs he was a supporter of the constitutional monarchy. For this reason, he condemned despotism of Louis XVI as well as of his own monarch. He was generally regarded as an aristocratic liberal. After having taken an office of the representative of the interests of the King of Sweden at the court of Versailles, Erik Magnus Staël von Holstein was sending to Stockholm very interesting diplomatic reports which recorded all current events taking place in France. At a time when the absolute monarchy of Louis XVI began to waver in its foundations, as an aristocratic liberal and son-in-law of Necker, he sympathised with the opposition of nobles and parliaments against actions of the Royal Government. On the basis of Staël von Holstein’s very detailed reports we have the possibility of keeping trace of the „revolt of the privileged”. During first months of the Revolution he was sending to Stockholm full of depth and political insight reports with a detailed description of events taking place in France. Presented by Staël image of the French political scene does not differ in principle from the way modern historians are writing about it. It is also impossible to find fault in his reports. The Ambassador was usually fairly informed about events taking place in France and even if he was wrong in some small details, he was able to penetrate an essence and atmosphere of change of which he was an eyewitness.

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