Research Guides: French Revolution & Napoleon Collections: Revolutionary France

Researching the Revolution

The French Revolution signaled a break from Old Regime France. Throughout the revolution, multiple ideas and groups contested one another to determine the future of the French Nation. Special Collections & Archives contains a breadth of serials, rare books, and primary source collections that document the revolutionary era.

Manuscript Collections

David Bien Papers
Identifier: 01-MSS 2017-005
Date: Acquired 09/28/2017

The David Bien Papers contain research notes from different archival repositories and libraries in France and the United States. Subjects include but are not limited to the French Monarchy, financial institutions, Parlement, and the Nobility.

Series: Estates General
- The David Bien Papers includes a series comprised of his notes and photocopies of the Ba series at the Archives Nationals and other primary source collections devoted to provincial/departmental elections, addresses to local nobility, and cahiers de doléances.

French Revolution Collection on Camille Desmoulins, Lucile Duplessis, and Arthur Dillon
Identifier: 01-MSS 2011-0329
Date: Created 1702-1876

This collection documents the Desmoulins family and includes military records related to Arthur Dillon's army regiment in Old Regime France.

Le Vieux Cordelier
- A journal founded by Camille Desmoulins in 1793 that ran until 1794 known for its eventual critiques of the Reign of Terror and Robespierre. The seventh edition was published posthumously after Desmoulins' execution.

General Jean-Jacques-Germain Pelet-Clozeau Papers
While General Pelet began his military service in 1799, his papers include observations he made about the French Revolution as a student at college in Toulon as well as narratives about Napoleon's early military career and the Siege of Toulon.

In the Catalog

Catalog searching: You can search our library catalog online. Under the advanced search, you can narrow down the body of materials by choosing Strozier Library, Special Collections or Strozier, Napoleon Collection as a filter.

Helpful search terms in English or French to learn more about the French Revolution may include:

Estates-General
Government
- National Assembly, Legislative Assembly, First Republic, and Directory
National Debt

Almanach royal (1700-1792)
Call Number: FSU Special Collections and Archives, Napoleon JN2597 .A44
Publication Date: 1789-1792
Almanach national de France
Call Number: FSU Special Collections and Archives, Napoleon JN2597 .A44
Publication Date: 1793-1804

The Almanach royal had its beginnings in 1683 when Laurent d'Houry envisioned a calendar. In 1700 it became a royally sponsored publication that instead listed members of the royal family and the different administrators and incomes of the kingdom including clergy, bankers, military officers, and consuls. Its name changed throughout the Revolutionary and Napoleonic period but documented similar institutional information.

Journal militaire
Call Number: FSU Special Collections and Archives, Napoleon 355.05 J863
Publication Date: 1790-1813
The Journal militaire devoted itself to reporting military laws, current developments, rules and regulations, official circulars, officer promotions, and the movements of different army corps.

Also available to access online in the digital library.

In the Digital Library

Gazette Nationale, ou Le Moniteur Universel
Founded in Paris in 1789 by Charles-Joseph Panckoucke under the title Gazette Nationale, ou Le Moniteur Universel, this publication was the main French newspaper during the French Revolution and was the long time official journal for the French government.

In designing his newspaper, Panckoucke followed the format of English papers at the time and divided his paper into five main sections: The National Assembly, Domestic and Foreign Policy, Administration, Literature, Science and Arts, and General Announcements and Notes. The paper would become less political over time, publishing more articles on literature, science and art by 1811. It also dropped Gazette Nationale from its title in January of 1811 and became simply Le Moniteur Universel.

Our collection of Le Moniteur Universel starts with the 1789 issues and goes through the end of 1830. It includes the published indices from 1815-1829.

In designing his newspaper, Panckoucke followed the format of English papers at the time and divided his paper into five main sections: The National Assembly, Domestic and Foreign Policy, Administration, Literature, Science and Arts, and General Announcements and Notes. The paper would become less political over time, publishing more articles on literature, science and art by 1811. It also dropped Gazette Nationale from its title in January of 1811 and became simply Le Moniteur Universel.

Lettre de Camille Desmoulins, Depute de Paris a la Convention, Au General Dillon, En prison aux Madelonettes/Letter from Camille Desmoulins to General Arthur Dillon
Letter written by Camille Desmoulins, a member of the Paris Convention, to General Dillon, who was imprisoned at the time. This document also includes the letter from Dillon informing Desmoulins and the Convention of his wrongful imprisonment and Desmoulins's response.

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