Revolution
The Battle of Waterloo happened at a time of incredible upheaval. The French Revolution began in 1789, and revolutionary ideas quickly spread across the world. The French ideals of liberty, fraternity, and equality were seen as a terrible threat by the monarchs and aristocrats of Europe. Even French defeat at Waterloo in 1815 did not end the era of revolutions. Radical demands for change continued throughout the 19th century.
Explore the objects and articles below to learn more about the revolutionary era of Waterloo.
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Banner from the “Peterloo Massacre”
On the 16th August 1819, a huge crowd of people gathered in St Peter’s Field, Manchester to hear Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt and other noted radical speakers calling for parliamentary reform. At least 17 people would die of injuries received on the day, and around 700 suffered serious wounds at the hands of local armed forces. There was a popular outcry, and the radical press named the incident the ‘Peterloo Massacre’, a mocking reference to the Battle of Waterloo.
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Marshal Ney’s Snuffbox
This is the golden snuffbox of Marshal Michel Ney, who was one of the French commanders at the Battle of Waterloo. This snuffbox was presented to Marshal Ney by Napoleon as a mark of affection. It was plundered from Ney’s baggage at the end of the battle, probably by a British soldier. It was later presented to Captain William Cameron of the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards.
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Model Guillotine
This model was carved from bone by French prisoners of war, held in Britain during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815). It was made as a model to be sold in the prison markets.
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Ney and de la Bédoyère: two victims of the “white terror”
Read about the shared tragic destiny of Michel Ney and Charles de la Bédoyère
