Marat company

The Compagnie Marat was created the October 14th 1793 by the revolutionary committee Nantes. This company prevails in the Nantes countryside under the French revolution. Composed of an small group of men under the command of Fleury, it was in charge of repression, of the monitoring, but also of the punishment of the Royaliste S, Muscadins and moderate. The Marat company was a kind of Political police.

Creation of the Marat company

The Marat company existed before the arrival of Jean-Baptiste Carrier in Nantes. It had been instituted by the revolutionary Committee of Nantes on October 14th, 1793, with the approval of the representative Francastel. Jean-Baptiste Carrier had simply had to approve this creation.

Functions of the revolutionary armies, of which the Marat company

The Marat company seems one of most specific and given of them. However the revolutionary armies constitute an essential component of the terrorist system (ref. necessary). Composed of Craftsman S rather than true Proletarian S, " they represent Terror travelling, Terror at the village, they make fear, and it is well the goal of their creators: they are the instruments of vigilance and of revenge, charged to punish the culprits, to strike terror the tepid ones and the indifferent ones, to regenerate the public spirit by the force, to supply the urban markets by the force… the creation of these armies represent the triumph of set up violence of political method and sometimes, a goal in it-même" (Richard Cobb).

Description of the Marat company

With Nantes, " Marats" were never numerous, around fifty at most. Balanced 10 books per day, having sworn " died with the Royaliste S, the fanatics, the Muscadins, the Breaking into leaf, moderated some color, of some mask, some form that they revêtent" , these " Marats" post a military pretense of discipline and must obey only the orders of the Nantes Committee or the representative. In fact, they behave like a not easily controllable, prompt political police with the exactions, the plunders and the murders. But more interested to seize the goods of the Nantes, suspect or emigrated rich person, they take part only episodically in the drownings of the Vendéens. Jean-Baptiste Carrier is wary of the " Marats" (because too subordinated to the Committee), hastens to reduce their importance before dissolving them purely and simply. At the end of December 1793, the company does not exist any more but several of its members remain with the service of the Committee in the capacity as police chiefs.

Identification of some " Marat"

About thirty " Marat could be identified. it is about small Artisan S, of Ouvrier S of the port among which the figures are detached from Fleury, ordering Company, J.C. Richard, adjudant, of Jean-Baptiste Jolly, member of the Nantes Committee, and Rene Naux, known as Naux the elder one, relative (?) of Louis Naux member of the Nantes Committee.

Downgraded or marginal, with for only class consciousness a mentality of " Levelling S primitifs" (Richard Cobb), " Marats form a frightening militia able to carry out nasty jobs (ref. necessary).

Reference

Richard Cobb, (to be supplemented)

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