The Relationship between the Inhabitants of Toulon and their Allies during the Siege of 1793

The siege of Toulon in 1793, which took place during the War of the First Anti-French Coalition (1792—1797), has long been studied exclusively within the framework of military history. This story was especially attractive to historians as the beginning of the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte's career. However, researchers have hardly studied the purely “human dimension” of the history of the siege of Toulon in 1793, the emotional and psychological situation inside the city. The author of the article, analyzing archival documents from Russia, France and Great Britain, as well as published diplomatic correspondence and memoirs, comes to the conclusion that the depressing emotional situation that dominated in the city at that time steadily worsened throughout the siege. The fear of possible betrayal and the atmosphere of general mistrust that reigned in the city ultimately led to the fact that the prospect of continuing the campaign began to weigh on both the command of the coalition troops and the townspeople themselves. The widespread spy mania had the direct consequence that in the city people could be arrested both for real actions that showed sympathy of this person for republicanism and simply for impolitic statements. The departure of seamen who did not agree with the policy of the city authorities to the Atlantic ports of France did not calm the allies. On the contrary, as the siege continued, the control of foreign military over the local residents was tightened, which in turn pushed the townspeople away from the coalition. Mistrust reigned in the relations between the city residents and the allies, which, coupled with military failures, problems with food and conflicts between the coalition members, led to the fall of the city.