Thermidor

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Image:Thermidor.jpg

Other uses of Thermidor; "Thermidor" and "Thermidor 2" were robots on Robot Wars"

Thermidor was the eleventh month in the French Republican Calendar. The month was named after the French word thermal, which means warm.

Thermidor was the second month of the summer quarter (mois d'été). It started July 19 or July 20. It ended August 17 or August 18. It follows the Messidor and precedes the Fructidor.


The Thermidorian Reaction, Revolution of Thermidor, or simply Thermidor refers to the coup of 9 Thermidor (27 July, 1794) in which Maximilien Robespierre was guillotined and the Reign of Terror ended.

Consequently, for historians of revolutionary movements, the term Thermidor has come to mean the phase in some revolutions when the political pendulum swings back towards something resembling a pre-revolutionary state, and power slips from the hands of the original revolutionary leadership. Leon Trotsky, in his book The Revolution Betrayed, refers to the rise of Stalin and the accompanying post-revolutionary bureaucracy as the "Soviet Thermidor".


The food "Lobster Thermidor" was named, directly or indirectly, after the month. (Sometimes it is said that it was first prepared for Napoleon during the month of Thermidor; others say that it was created by Tony Girod at the Cafe de Paris to celebrate the opening of a play called Thermidor.)

Lobster Thermidor was one of the last meals served on the RMS Titanic. It was also a menu option presented in the ubiquitous Monty Python skit "Spam (Monty Python)".

Day Name Table

Like all FRC monthes Thermidor lasted 30 days and was divided into 3 decades. Every day had the name of an agricultural plant, exept the 5th (Quintidi) and 10th day (Decadi) of every decade, which had the name of a domestic animal (Quintidi) or an agricultural tool (Decadi).

  1re Décade 2e Décade 3e Décade
Primidi 1. Epeautre (Spelt) 11. Panis (Eryngo) 21. Carline (Silver Thistle)
Duodi 2. Bouillon blanc (Mullein) 12. Salicor (Glasswort) 22. Caprier (Caper)
Tridi 3. Melon (Melon) 13. Abricot (Abricot) 23. Lentille (Lentil)
Quartidi 4. Ivraie (Ryegrass) 14. Basilic (Basil) 24. Aunée (Scabwort)
Quintidi 5. Bélier (Ram) 15. Brebis (Ewe) 25. Loutre (Otter)
Sextidi 6. Prêle (Horsetail) 16. Guimauve (Marsh Mallow) 26. Myrthe (Myrtle)
Septidi 7. Armoise (Mugwort) 17. Lin (Flax) 27. Colza (Rape)
Octidi 8. Carthame (Safflower) 18. Amande (Almond) 28. Lupin (Lupin)
Nonidi 9. Mûre (Mulberry) 19. Genthiane (Gentian) 29. Coton (Cotton)
Decadi 10. Arrosoir (Watering Can) 20. Écluse (Lock) 30. Moulin (Mill)

Conversion Table

Table for conversion between Republican and Gregorian Calendar
for the month "Thermidor"
I. II. III. IV. V. VI. VII.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
July 1793 1794 1795 1796 1797 1798 1799 August
VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
July 1800 1801 1802 1803 1804 1805 August

External links

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