EMIGRES, tu'irg.'grti' (Fr., p.p. of emigrer, from Lat. emigrarc, to emigrate). The name given to the Royalists who fled from France dur ing the Revolution of 1789. After the disturb ances at Paris and the taking of the Bastille (July 14, 1789), the princes of the royal family departed from France with a- numerous following of the French nobility. In the autumn of the same year an even larger number took flight, and the climax was reached in 1791. at the time of the adoption of the new Constitution. Nobles, prelates, priests. and monks crossed the frontier into Germany, Holland, and Switzerland, and even penetrated in large numbers as far as Italy. France was drained of her aristocracy and left to the mercy of hot-headed revolutionists, while the flight of so many of the nobility brought sus picion on the King and those few who remained. The emigres, in fact, did incalculable harm to France, not only by leaving their country at a time of grave crises and danger. lout also by plot ting with her enemies at a critical moment. and thus exasperating the Republicans. A court formed itself round the Bouillon princes at blenz; a government, with ministers and a ribuna I of justice, was established, and communi cation was kept up with all the foreign courts unfavorable to the Revolution. Under the command of the Prince of a corps of emigres was formed, which attached it self to the force of the Duke of Brunswick, gathered at Coldenz. The result was that the severest laws were now put in force against the emigres. Their lands were confiscated, and the penalty of death was proclaimed against any one who should support or enter into communica tion with them; thirty thousand of the nobility were placed on the list of emigres and exiled forever from the soil of France, although many of them had refused to bear arms against their coun try. Not until after the failure of their attempt
to land at Quiberon in 1795 did they abandon all thoughts of penetrating into France by force of arms. Cond6's corps, after the Peace of Lune ville (1801), was obliged formally to disband, and its leader sought an asylum in Russia. Already under the Directory (q.v.), however, many emigres had endeavored to obtain permission to return to France. The general amnesty proclaim ed by Napoleon as First Consul (1799) was, therefore, joyfully hailed by the greater portion of the emigres. Many, however,did not return un til after the downfall of Napoleon. Dignities, pen sions, and offices were then showered upon these faithful adherents of the Bourbons; but, ac cording to the Charter of 1814, they were unable to recover either their estates or their privileges. Finally, under the \Miele Ministry. those who had lost their land estates received a compen sation of thirty million francs yearly based on a capital of one thousand million francs. This was by the law of April 27, 1825. After the July revolution, however, the grant was with drawn. Consult.: Saint-Gervais. Ilistoire des emigres francais depuis 1789 jusqu'it 182S (3 vols., Paris, 182S) ; Morse-Stephens. History of the French Revolution (London, 1891) ; Daudet, Tlistoire de l'emigration Coldenz, 1789-1793 (Paris, 1889). See FRANCE.