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21-676: The Padua Circular met with little enthusiasm by the other powers of Europe so there was no basis for any kind of collective action by the powers on behalf of the French king. However, it led to a convention between Prussia and Austria on 25 July 1791, which settled all outstanding disputes, pledged co-operation over France and paved the way for the more substantive Declaration of Pillnitz , authored jointly by Austria and Prussia, in August 1791. Text of Circular This article about politics in Europe

42-495: A warning to the French revolutionaries to stop infringing on the king's prerogatives and to permit his resumption of power. The declaration stated that Austria would go to war if and only if all the other major European powers also went to war with France. Leopold chose this wording so that he would not be forced to go to war. He knew that the British prime minister, William Pitt , did not support war with France. Leopold issued

63-606: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Declaration of Pillnitz The Declaration of Pillnitz was a statement of five sentences issued on 27 August 1791 at Pillnitz Castle near Dresden ( Saxony ) by Frederick William II of Prussia and the Habsburg Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor who was Marie Antoinette 's brother. It declared the joint support of the Holy Roman Empire and of Prussia for King Louis XVI of France against

84-746: The Comtat for short, was a part of the Papal States from 1274 to 1791, in what is now the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southern France . The region was an enclave within the Kingdom of France , comprising the area around the city of Avignon (itself always a separate comtat ) roughly between the Rhône , the Durance and Mont Ventoux , and a small exclave located to

105-691: The French Revolution . Since the French Revolution of 1789, Leopold had become increasingly concerned about the safety of his sister, Marie Antoinette, and her family but felt that any intervention in French affairs would only increase their danger. At the same time, many French aristocrats were fleeing France and taking up residence in neighbouring countries, spreading fear of the Revolution and agitating for foreign support to Louis XVI. After Louis and his family had fled Paris in

126-454: The Holy Roman Empire belonged to Joan, Countess of Toulouse , and her husband, Alphonse, Count of Poitiers . Alphonse bequeathed it to the Holy See on his death in 1271. Since this happened during an interregnum , there was no Holy Roman Emperor to protect Joan's rights. The Comtat became a Papal territory in 1274. The region was named after its former capital, Venasque , which

147-539: The Crown and the Church. It was also subjected to trade and customs restrictions during the reigns of Louis XIV and Louis XV . Papal control continued until 1791, when an unauthorized plebiscite , under pressure from French revolutionaries, was held and the inhabitants voted for annexation by France. The process was facilitated by Pierre-Antoine Antonelle , then mayor of Arles . A few years later, Vaucluse département

168-562: The French Crown. It became a haven for French Jews , who received better treatment under papal rule than in the rest of France. The Carpentras synagogue , built in the 14th century, is the oldest in France, and until the French Revolution preserved a distinctive Provençal Jewish tradition . Successive French rulers sought to annex the region to France. It was invaded by French troops in 1663, 1668 and 1768–1774 during disputes between

189-1075: The French annexation of the Comtat Venaissin including Avignon from the Papal States in September 1791. Austria and Prussia concluded a defensive alliance in February 1792. Radical Frenchmen who called for war, such as Jacques Pierre Brissot , used the Declaration of Pillnitz as a pretext to gain influence and declare war on 20 April 1792, leading to the campaigns of 1792 in the French Revolutionary Wars . [REDACTED] Media related to Declaration of Pillnitz at Wikimedia Commons Comtat Venaissin The Comtat Venaissin ( French pronunciation: [kɔ̃ta vənɛsɛ̃] ; Occitan : lo Comtat Venaicin ; 'County of Venaissin'), often called

210-452: The King of France), and of M. le Comte d'Artois, jointly declare that they regard the present situation of His Majesty the King of France, as a matter of common interest to all the sovereigns of Europe. They trust that this interest will not fail to be recognized by the powers, whose aid is solicited, and that in consequence they will not refuse to employ, in conjunction with their said majesties,

231-757: The Lieutenant of the Rector, also a papal appointee. He had judicial powers similar to those of the Rector. The administration of the Comtat was in the hands of the Estates of the Comtat, which consisted of the Élu (a nobleman), the Bishop of Carpentras, the Bishop of Cavaillon, the Bishop of Vaison, and eighteen representatives of the three judicial districts into which the Comtat was divided. The Estates held their meetings at Carpentras. The Apostolic Camera (Treasury of

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252-467: The Rector, until the Cardinal virtually held the position of a governor, and the Rector had the functions of a judge. In both cases their tenure was for a period of three years, renewable. The Rector had the right to receive the feudal oaths of homage of all the papal vassals. He also had the right to receive the oaths of bishops who held property by virtue of their office which was in feudal tenure from

273-610: The declaration only to satisfy the French émigrés who had taken refuge in his country and were calling for foreign interference in their homeland. (The Pillnitz Conference itself dealt mainly with the Polish Question and the war of Austria against the Ottoman Empire .) His Majesty, the Emperor, and his Majesty, the King of Prussia, having given attention to the wishes and representations of Monsieur (the brother of

294-460: The forces necessary to obtain the desired common end. In the meantime they will give such orders to their troops as are necessary in order that these may be in a position to be called into active service. The National Assembly of France interpreted the declaration to mean that Austria and Prussia were threatening the revolution, which had the result of radicalising the French revolutionaries and increasing tensions. The National Assembly voted for

315-577: The hopes of inciting a counter-revolution, known as the Flight to Varennes in June 1791, Louis had been apprehended and was returned to Paris and kept under armed guard. On 6 July 1791, Leopold issued the Padua Circular , calling on the sovereigns of Europe to join him in demanding Louis' freedom. Calling on European powers to intervene if Louis was threatened, the declaration was intended to serve as

336-602: The incumbents were in fact prelates, either Archbishops or Bishops, and the Rector therefore had the right to wear a purple garb, similar to that of an Apostolic Chamberlain. His official residence was in Carpentras. He had no authority over Avignon, however, which was administered by a Cardinal Legate or a Vice-Legate, also appointed directly by the Pope. Gradually, however, the power of the Vice-Legate encroached on that of

357-461: The most efficient means in proportion to their resources to place the King of France in a position to establish, with the most absolute freedom, the foundations of a monarchical form of government, which shall at once be in harmony with the rights of sovereigns and promote the welfare of the French nation. In that case [ Alors et dans ce cas ] their said majesties the Emperor and the King of Prussia are resolved to act promptly and in common accord with

378-625: The north around the town of Valréas purchased by Pope John XXII . The Comtat also bordered (and mostly surrounded) the Principality of Orange . The region is still known informally as the Comtat Venaissin , although this no longer has any political meaning. In 1096, the Comtat was part of the Margraviate of Provence that was inherited by Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse from William Bertrand of Provence . These lands in

399-665: The pope. The Rector named the Notaries of the Comtat. He presided at the negotiation and payment of revenues of the Apostolic Chamber. His court was the Supreme Court of the Comtat Venaissin, and he had both criminal and civil jurisdiction of the first instance, and appellate jurisdiction from the courts of the regular judges of the three judicial circuits. The Rector was seconded by a Vice-Rector, named

420-570: Was created based on Comtat Venaissin including the exclave of Valréas and a part of the Luberon for the southern half. The papacy did not recognise this formally until 1814. Under the Counts of Toulouse, the chief officer of the Comtat Venaissin was the Seneschal. From 1294 to 1791 the chief administrator of the Comtat Venaissin was the Rector, who was appointed directly by the Pope. Most of

441-446: Was replaced as capital by Carpentras in 1320. Avignon was sold to the papacy by Joanna I , Queen of Naples and Countess of Provence, in 1348, whereupon the two comtats were joined to form a unified papal enclave geographically, though retaining their separate political identities. The enclave's inhabitants did not pay taxes and were not subject to military service , making life in the Comtat considerably more attractive than under

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