What was the role of the émigrés during the Revolution?

• A. They fled France, organized opposition abroad, contributed to counter-revolutionary plots, and were subjected to confiscations of property.
• B. They stayed in France and supported the new government.
• C. They established a pro-Republic coalition from abroad.
• D. They were taxed heavily to fund the war.

Answer: (A)

Émigrés were nobles and royalists who fled France as the Revolution grew more radical, and their role was to organize opposition from outside the country in order to restore the monarchy. From exile, they helped coordinate counter-revolutionary networks, sought support from foreign monarchies (such as Austria and other European powers), and supported plots and invasions aimed at overthrowing the revolutionary government. Because they left France and aligned with enemies of the revolution, revolutionary authorities confiscated their property as punishment and to help finance the war against the coalition. This combination of exile, organized opposition abroad, and property seizure best captures their place in the Revolution.