This is something that has peaked my interest after I’ve read a few books on it. Surprisingly enough, despite the belief of how xenophobic the French revolution became, they were actually rather amiable to Muslims, with the Committee of Public Safety and a majority of its members all deciding to help out a Muslim named Ahmed Kahn after arriving in Paris and his brother’s dying, helping him find a place to live and assisting him in learning French which he used to make the first translation of the Rights of Man and Citizen (The superior ‘93 version of course) in Persian.
Robespierre also had a conviction that Islam and revolutionary ideals can go together, thinking that eventually, they can convince nations like the Ottomans who he stated were France’s natural ally to adopt their ideas over time.
Now, with this in mind, what are some interesting ways Islam and French revolutionary ideals can go together if not for the botched invasion of Egypt? Would there be better reception to liberalism in Muslim nations without the subsequent declaration of war against France?
Funnily enough, Talleyrand apparently thought that it would be seen as a friendly gesture (It most certainly wasn’t) and that he’d immediately go to Constantinople (He did not) to convince the Sultans of their good intentions.
Robespierre also had a conviction that Islam and revolutionary ideals can go together, thinking that eventually, they can convince nations like the Ottomans who he stated were France’s natural ally to adopt their ideas over time.
Now, with this in mind, what are some interesting ways Islam and French revolutionary ideals can go together if not for the botched invasion of Egypt? Would there be better reception to liberalism in Muslim nations without the subsequent declaration of war against France?
Funnily enough, Talleyrand apparently thought that it would be seen as a friendly gesture (It most certainly wasn’t) and that he’d immediately go to Constantinople (He did not) to convince the Sultans of their good intentions.