Chouannerie

Chouannerie was a series of royalist uprisings in western France between 1793 and 1800, opposing the revolutionary government. Named after Chouan, a leader’s pseudonym, these insurrections aimed to restore the monarchy and traditional social order, often supported by rural peasants and some nobility. They involved guerrilla warfare, sabotaging revolutionary forces and infrastructure. The movement reflected deep regional and political divisions during the French Revolution, emphasizing loyalty to the monarchy and Catholic Church. Despite initial successes, the Chouannerie was eventually suppressed, but it remains a symbol of resistance to revolutionary change and the complex regional conflicts of that era.