The French Revolutionary calendar, also known as the Republican calendar or the French Republican calendar, is a system of timekeeping introduced in France during the French Revolution in 1793. It was devised by the French National Convention in an attempt to create a more rational and secular calendar, breaking away from the traditional Gregorian calendar used worldwide.
The French Revolutionary calendar aimed to eliminate religious and aristocratic references by replacing the seven-day week and Christian months with a ten-day week and new month names. The ten-day weeks were called décades, reflecting the decimal system prevalent during the revolution.
Each month in the French Revolutionary calendar consisted of three décades and lasted 30 days. Furthermore, the year began on the autumnal equinox, usually around September 22nd, to further distance itself from religious celebrations. A new era began with the proclamation of the French Republic in 1792, so the calendar is often referred to as "Year 1 of the Republic".
The French Revolutionary calendar also introduced new names for each month to reflect the seasons and nature, such as Vendémiaire (Vintage), Brumaire (Mist), and Thermidor (Heat). Additionally, the calendar included special days, known as sans-culottides, which marked the end of cadastral periods and were dedicated to leisure and cultural activities.
Although the French Revolutionary calendar was followed for over a decade, it was eventually abandoned in 1806 with the return of the Gregorian calendar under Napoleon Bonaparte. Nonetheless, it remains an intriguing historical example of attempts made during the revolution to establish a new social and cultural order.
