Prairial

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Allegory of the Prairial.

The Prairial (German also meadow month) is the ninth month of the republican calendar of the French Revolution . It follows the Floréal , it is followed by the Messidor .

The name is derived from the French prairie (meadow). The prairial is the third month of the spring quarter ( mois de printemps ). It starts around May 20th and ends around June 18th .

Day names

Like all months of the French Revolutionary Calendar, the Prairial had 30 days, which were divided into 3 decades. The days were named after agricultural crops, with the exception of the 5th and 10th day of each decade. The 5th day (Quintidi) was named after a pet, the 10th day (Decadi) after an agricultural implement.

It is noticeable that Fabre d'Églantine - as elsewhere - wanted to establish the male and female animal (here the duck) as day names, and did not get away with it. The feminine word "cane" has been discarded. Unlike in German, the masculine word «canard» in French is also the neutral species name.

Day names for the Prairial
1 re Decade 2 e decade 3 e decade
Primidi 1. Luserne alfalfa ( alfalfa ) 11. Fraise ( strawberry ) 21st Barbeau ( cornflower )
Duodi 2. Hémérocalle ( daylily ) 12. Bétoine ( betony ) 22nd Camomille ( chamomile )
Tridi 3. Trèfle ( clover ) 13. Pois ( pea ) 23. Chèvrefeuille ( honeysuckle )
Quartidi 4th Angélique ( angelica ) 14th Acacia ( acacia ) 24. Caille lait ( bedstraw )
Quintidi 5. Canard (duck)
Canard (drake)
15th Caille (quail)
cane (duck)
25th Tanche (tench)
Sextidi 6th Mélisse (lemon balm) 16. Œillet (carnation) 26th Jasmine (jasmine)
Septidi 7th Fromental (common oat) 17th Sureau (elderberry) 27. Verveine (verbena)
Octidi 8th. Martagon (Turkish Association) 18th Pavot (poppy seeds) 28. Thyme (thyme)
Nonidi 9. Serpolet (Quendel) 19th Tilleul (linden) 29 Pivoine (peony)
Décadi 10. Faulx Faux (scythe) 20th Fourche (pitchfork) 30th Chariot
modern French names appear in italics - Fabre d'Églantine proposals that were not accepted appear in lower case

Conversion table

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

Conversion example

The 25th Prairial VIII is to be determined .

The year VIII is in the table below, below the Gregorian year 1800 . Under the 25th (top line of the day) is the 14th. Since this is after the transition between the months (31st → 1st), June is meant.

So the Gregorian date is June 14, 1800 .

See also: Conversion table between Gregorian and Republican calendars

See also

Web links