The 1829 Royalist Coup

The 1829 Royalist Coup was in part due to the machinations of the fledgling League of Noble Emigrees. François II Le Moyne de Bienville was also involved in the scandal, and his ultimately untimely death was attributed to his participation in the plot. Historians say that this coup was the spark that touched off the Summer Revolution of Louisianne.

Planning and Preparations

Plans had been afoot since the revolution to restore the Prince of Louisianne to the throne. Most of these plans were only boondoggles, but a cadre of members of the Action Française in 1828 saw their chance. Through a campaign of propaganda, the Action Française built up public dissatisfaction with Le Directoire Louisiannais. Various accusations were levied, but most revolved around the crushing defeat of the 1828 War.

The planning before this time had lead to many in the Army of Louisianne being proselytized to the royalist camp.

The Coup

With the Directoire deposed from power, the Action Française pushed forward François II Le Moyne de Bienville as a viable solution to the power-vacuum. For five years François had been groomed to step into the role, appearing as an enlightened monarch eager to begin a constitutional monarchy, which would allow the nation to prosper.

Deposition

Before François II could be re-instated as Prince of Louisianne, the Army turned against him and the would-be kingmakers of the Action Française. By the fall of 1829 the Directoire had been tentatively reinstated, although it was never to meet again before the Summer Revolution of 1832 deposed them in favor Le Consulat Louisiannais. The Royalist Coup forced Louisianne to rule itself primarily from the Prefectoral level, rather than a national level. This has had lingering effects to this day.