Conspiracy of Pontcallec

The conspiracy of Pontcallec is an attempt at rising of anti-tax origin which has occurred in Brittany in 1718 - 1720, at the beginning of the Régence. Carried out by part of the Breton minor nobility, it maintained the bonds still badly definite with the Conspiration of Cellamare, aiming at reversing the Régent with the profit of Philippe V of Spain. Badly prepared, it fails and four of its leaders are decapitated with Nantes.

Context

In 1715, year of died of Louis XIV, France is very heavily involved in debt with leaving many years of war. Estimating itself pressed wrongfully, the States of Brittany assembled with Saint-Brieuc refuse to grant new appropriations to the royal capacity. This sling is initially ignored, because of the waltz of the wallets which takes place then: the admiral de Chateaurenault, governor, are replaced by the marshal of Montesquiou. Arrived at Rennes to take possession of its province, this last makes first odd: he just agree to pass the head by the door of his car, whereas more than 300 gentlemen came to accommodate it. Moreover, it binds quickly with Michau de Montaran, treasurer of the States, hated of the Breton nobility.

In 1717, resistance hardens within the States: The marshal of Montesquiou must make them raise after only four days. The States send three emissary to Paris, to furnish proof itself to the Régent. In the passing, they stop with Sceaux, residence of the duke of Maine, one of bastard legitimated Louis XIV, large rival of the Régent. The Régent takes the party of the marshal of Montesquiou, to which it sends troops.

The marshal of Montesquiou then decides to raise the taxes by the force. He runs up against the Parliament of Brittany, which refuses to record the edicts of perception. Furious, it makes exile by Lettre de cachet the three emissary, of return in Brittany.

The Régent decides to convene the States again. The June 6th 1718, those are assembled with Dinan. They are dominated by the minor nobility, whose composition differs much from the remainder of France: it is a popular nobility, where the tradition of “dormant nobility” (absence of dérogeance) allows the survival of the noble poor, even very poor. Exasperated by the tax, the minor nobility dreams of an aristocratic Republic. The July 22nd 1718, 73 delegated States are exiled.

When the government increases the “import duties” on the wine and brandy, the conflict becomes open. The Parliament prohibits the lifting of the tax. The Régent initially yields, but prohibited the “offices diocesans”, local system to collect the taxes. Some members of Parliament are in their turn exiled and the censured registers of the Parliament. Entêtant itself, this last vote of the remonstrances.

At this stage, the Breton sling draws the attention of Spain. Its monarch, Philippe V, grandson of Louis XIV, is also in bond with the duke and the duchess of Maine, who conspire to reverse the Régent (see Conspiration of Cellamare). The count de Toulouse, also duke of Penthièvre and thus guard of Brittany, is used as box with letters to the duke of Maine. A Breton envoy is dispatched near Alberoni, minister of Philippe V.

Conspiracy

The August 26th 1718, a Lit of justice deprives the duke of Maine of the last prerogatives granted by Louis XIV in his will. The things accelerate: in Brittany, short noise that the duke of Maine wishes to recruit troops. In parallel, more the extremists of the slingers made adopt a “act union of the Breton nobility”. The count de Noyan, one of the craftsmen of the text, meets in September the marquis de Pontcallec, member of a family of great reputation and owner of a true fortress. Recruitment starts in the medium of the peasants, false-saulniers smugglers and, traditional customers of the Breton nobility.

The December 29th 1718, the duke and the duchess of Maine are stopped. Pontcallec maintains its plan and continuous its recruitment, whereas other gentlemen unite with him. Threatened to be stopped for smuggling, it orders a general gathering on the moors of Questembert. Arrived on the spot the June 24th 1719, it hardly finds more than 200 people. The threat proving without base, the small troop disperses. However, the gathering was spy: as of July, the Régent is informed.

At this point in time returns the envoy of Spain. This one, of its own boss, promised in Alberoni, with the help of the Spanish assistance, the rising not only of the Breton nobility, but also of that of the Dauphiné and Franche-Comté. These revolts were to make it possible to reverse the Régent and to install in its place Philippe V or the duke of Maine. Nothing like it was not envisaged at the beginning, but Pontcallec accepts all the same.

The August 15th, a troop of peasants carried out by Rohan of Pouldu puts in escape soldiers come to collect the tax. In September, the marshal of Montesquiou penetrates in Rennes with the head of an army of 15.000 men. By chance, one of the conspirators is stopped with Nantes: he acknowledges all. Alerted, the partisans of Pontcallec take refuge in its castle-fortress. However, Pontcallec does not manage to organize its defense: only about fifteen people answer her call. The October 3rd, the Régent institutes a room of justice to judge entreated.

In parallel, faithful to its promise, Alberoni sends towards Brittany three frigates for a total of 2000 men, all Irish. The ship fastest share in advance and damping with Rhuys, where it unloads money and letters, then a first quota of 300 men. One of the conspirators, thrown into a panic by the disproportion of the forces (2000 Spaniards against 15.000 men for the royal troops) and by the prospect for treason, persuades the quota to re-embark and prevents marshal of Montesquiou. This one launches the orders of arrest; some entreated flee in Spain. The two other frigates, blocked by the bad weather, arrive late. Hardly with ground, the Irish troops are mutinent, probably paid by the Régent. Spain does not insist.

Betrayed by one of his friends, the seneshal of Faou, with the pay of the French, Pontcallec is stopped the December 28th 1719. Talhouët, writer of the act of union, delivers the January 10th 1720.

The room of justice

The room of justice, located in Nantes, is chaired by Castanes, future Prévôt of the merchants. 70 prisoners must be judged. The duchess of Maine, in front of the pressures of the Regent, acknowledges a plot intended to reverse it thanks to rising of Paris and Brittany, and with the Spanish assistance. In fact, the bonds between the conspiracy of Pontcallec and that of Cellamare are difficult to check: testimonys are contradictory, and the majority of the document concerning to the two businesses disappeared.

The Regent, the abbot Dubois and the financier John Law designate as principal persons in charge 16 marked by contumacy and 7 marked (Pontcallec, Montlouis, Salarun, Talhouët, Of Couëdic, Coargan and Hire de Keranguen). The interrogations end the March 12th. The 26, the verdict fall: Pontcallec, Montlouis, Talhouët and Of Couëdic are condemned to death, and 16 others by contumacy. They are decapitated the same day, place of Bouffay.

The verdict strikes by its severity: the public opinion had expected a grace for a plot which, if it concerned the hautre treason well, was judged of operetta. Other made curious, the machinery of the lawsuit was disproportionate with the business: the total costs rise with 340.000 books, summons very important. In fact, this decision must be examined compared to the parallel execution of the count de Horn, coiled to have assassinated a clerk: the Régent intends well to keep the high hand on the nobility. Undoubtedly also the four entreated were the scapegoats of entreated considerably higher placed Conspiration of Cellamare. However, the business is choked soon by the rout of the Système of Law. After the execution, repression stops: the continuations end, confiscated fortunes are restored. Exiled can return to France after ten years.

Assessment

On the whole, the conspiracy of Pontcallec, following the example that of Cellamare, strikes by its unmethodical character and the indecision of its protagonists, without precise, prompt project with the reversal even with treason. If the dissatisfaction with the Breton nobility is general in 1715-1718, only a small number of gentlemen took share with the movement, from which the Breton people almost remained excluded. In spite of that, the conspiracy quickly becomes a legend and Pontcallec, a hero. Hersart of Villemarqué thus devotes to him a note in its Barzaz Breiz and brings back a song, Marv Pontkalleg ( the death of Pontcallec ), praising “the young marquis de Pontcallec, so beautiful, if merry, if full with heart”. This song, become very popular in Brittany, was in particular interpreted by Alan Stivell and Tri Yann groups it. Nowadays, the name of the marquis de Pontcallec is always honoured by the Breton nationalists.

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