Beginning of the Month of Frimaire November 21st

The frosty month of the French revolutionary calendar.

The rational calendar (which we will deal with later in another post) divided the year into 12 30 day months, plus 5 days for end of year festivities. Leap year every 4 years.

Weeks were 10 days long, 3 per month. Days were named first day, second day up to tenth day. There were ten hours in a day, 100 minutes per hour, and 100 seconds per minute. But this last part didn’t last very long, french people really objected to their day being mucked up.

Revolutionary period pocket watch

The Revolutionary Year was adopted in 1793  but began retrospectively from September 22nd, 1792 when the Republic was proclaimed.

My French correspondent tells me that, therefore, the First Republic started on: Le premier Vendémiaire de l’an 1.

Napoleon gave it up in 1806.

First published November 21st 2022, Republished on November 21st 2023

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