Projet de la constitution française de 1791

The manuscript you’ll hear is a rare, handwritten copy of the 1791 French constitutional draft, annotated directly by Maximilien Robespierre. Scholars have verified its authenticity by comparing the marginal script to known autographs, and the preservation notes reveal a once‑lost cover page, a few missing leaves, and even a 19th‑century library catalog slip tucked between the sheets. Listening to this recording feels like turning the very pages that once lay in the hands of the revolutionary assembly.

Robespierre’s notes focus on the early articles concerning public power, where he debates the indivisibility of sovereignty and the nation’s role in delegating authority. His scribbles—sometimes interrupted, crossed out, or hurriedly rephrased—offer a candid glimpse into the intense deliberations that shaped the fledgling republic. The narration brings his terse comments to life, allowing listeners to sense the urgency and uncertainty that animated France’s first constitutional experiment.