French Republican Calendar
| Messidor (Jun 19 ~ Jul 18) | Thermidor (Jul 19 ~ Aug 17) | Fructidor (Aug 18 ~ Sep 16) |
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Complementary days
Five extra days — six in leap years — were national holidays at the end of every year. These were originally known as les sans-culottides (after sans-culottes), but after year III (1795) as les jours complémentaires:
- 1st Complementary Day: La Fête de la Vertu "Celebration of Virtue" on Sept 17 or 18
- 2nd Complementary Day: La Fête du Génie "Celebration of Talent" on Sept 18 or 19
- 3rd Complementary Day: La Fête du Travail "Celebration of Labour" on Sept 19 or 20
- 4th Complementary Day: La Fête de l'Opinion "Celebration of Convictions" on Sept 20 or 21
- 5th Complementary Day: La Fête des Récompenses "Celebration of Honors (Awards)" on Sept 21 or 22
- Revolution Day: La Fête de la Révolution "Celebration of the Revolution" on Sept 22 or 23 (Leap years)
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Converting from the Gregorian Calendar
Quartidi
24
Prairial
CCXVI
The calendar was abolished in the year XIV (1805). After this date, opinions seem to differ on the method by which the leap years would have been determined if the calendar were still in force. There are at least four hypotheses used to convert dates from the Gregorian calendar:
- The leap years would continue to vary in order to ensure that each year the autumnal equinox falls on 1 Vendémiaire, as was the case from year I to year XIV. This is the only method that was ever in legal effect, although it means that sometimes five years pass between leap years.[7]
- The leap year would have jumped after year 15 to year 20, after which a leap year would have fallen on each year divisible by four (thus in 20, 24, 28…), except most century years, according to Romme's proposed fixed rules. This would have simplified conversions between the Republican and Gregorian calendars since the Republican leap day would usually follow a few months after 29 February, at the end of each year divisible by four, so that the date of the Republican New Year remains the same (September 22) in the Gregorian calendar for the entire third century of the Republican Era (1992-2091 CE).[8]
- The leap years would have continued in a fixed rule every four years from the last one (thus years 15, 19, 23, 27…) with the leap day added before, rather than after, each year divisible by four, except most century years. This rule has the advantage that it is both simple to calculate and is continuous with every year in which the calendar was in official use during the First Republic. Concordances were printed in France, after the Republican Calendar was abandoned, using this rule to determine dates for long-term contracts.[9][10]
- Beginning with year 20, years divisible by four would be leap years, except for years divisible by 128. Remark, that this rule was first proposed by von Mädler, not before the late 19th century. The date of the Republican New Year remains the same (September 23) in the Gregorian calendar every year from 129 to 256 (1920-2047 CE).[11][12][13]
The following table shows when several years of the Republican Era begin on the Gregorian calendar, according to each of the four above methods:
| RE | CE | Equinox | Romme | Continuous | 128-Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
CCXIV (214) |
2005 |
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CCXV (215) |
2006 |
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CCXVI (216) |
2007 |
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CCXVII (217) |
2008 |
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CCXVIII (218) |
2009 |
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CCXIX (219) |
2010 |
* Leap year, extra day added at end of year
Another, modern civil calendar proposal also applies the 128-years rule, keeps the year numbering and the names of the months, but maintains the old roman New Year's Day, the lengths of month like the seven-days-week. [14].
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References
- ^ Rapport sur l'ere de la Republique, par G. Romme, Seance de la Convention nationale du 20 septembre 1793, Le Calendrier Republicain, p. 26, Bureau des Longitudes, Paris 1994, ISBN: 2-910015-09-2
- ^ Seance de la Convention nationale du 5 octobre 1793, Article X, Le Calendrier Republicain, p. 36, Bureau des Longitudes, Paris 1994, ISBN: 2-910015-09-2. Reproduced in [1]
- ^ Le Calendrier Republicain, Bureau des Longitudes, p. 19, Paris 1994, ISBN: 2-910015-09-2
- ^ Le Calendrier Republicain, Bureau des Longitudes, Paris 1994, ISBN: 2-910015-09-2
- ^ Rapport sur l'ere de la Republique, par G. Romme, Seance de la Convention nationale du 20 septembre 1793,Le Calendrier Republicain, p. 26, Bureau des Longitudes, Paris 1994, ISBN: 2-910015-09-2
- ^ Rapport sur l'ere de la Republique, par G. Romme, Seance de la Convention nationale du 20 septembre 1793,Le Calendrier Republicain, p. 27, Bureau des Longitudes, Paris 1994, ISBN: 2-910015-09-2
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See also
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External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
- Date converter for numerous calendars, including this one
- Antique Decimal Watches
- Dials & Symbols of the French revolution. The Republican Calendar and Decimal time.
- Brumaire - The Republican Calendar, with Windows and Mac OS X applications, including a Dashboard's widget. (fr es en eo pt de nl)
- Another Republican calendar page, with an alternative Dashboard's widget
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