As the French Revolution roared on, monarchies from countries next to France grew worried that the ruckus would come into their territories. To stop the French Revolution from spreading, the War of the First Coalition began, in which Coalition armies invaded France. On 25 April 1792, Strasbourg mayor Baron Philippe-Frédéric de Dietrich asked his freemason guest Rouget de Lisle to compose a song "that will rally our soldiers from all over to defend their homeland that is under threat."[1][2] That evening, Rouget de Lisle wrote "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin,"[3] which he dedicated to Baravian Marshal Nicolas Luckner.[4][5] De Dietrich was executed, however, the next year during the Reign of Terror.[6]
The tune of the song became an "anthem" for the French Revolution. The name of the song was then changed to the title "La Marseillaise", after it was first sung on the streets by volunteers from the city of Marseille at the end of May. They were entering the capital city of Paris on 30 July 1792, and troops adopted it as the marching song of the National Guard of Marseille.[3][7]
"La Marseillaise" is France's first ever anthem and was accepted as the French national anthem by the National Convention on 14 July 1795.[8] It later lost its status under Napoleon I, and the song was banned by Louis XVIII and Charles X. It regained its status as national anthem right after the July Revolution of 1830.[9] During Napoleon I's reign, "Veillons au salut de l'Empire" (meaning "Let's Ensure the Salvation of the Empire") was the unofficial anthem of his reign, and under Napoleon III's control, it was "Partant pour la Syrie" (meaning "Leaving for Syria"). Eventually, the French government brought back "La Marseillaise" to try to spread patriotism to the French people during the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. A year later, after that war ended, "La Marseillaise" was adopted by the Paris Commune, although it had new lyrics under the title "La marseillaise de la Commune" (meaning "The Marseillaise of the Commune"). Eight years later, in 1879, it was one again the national anthem of France, and has remained so ever since.[9]
The lyrics mention about the time when France was being invaded by Prussia and Austria, while it was written. The city of Strasbourg in eastern France was attacked a few days later. The invading forces were kicked out of France following their defeat in the Battle of Valmy. As the majority of Alsatians did not speak French, a German version titled „Auf, Brüder, auf dem Tag entgegen“ ("Up Towards the Day, Brothers!") was published in October 1792 in Colmar.[10]
Only the first stanza (and sometimes the fourth and the sixth) and the chorus are sung today in France. There are some slight historical variations in the words of the song; the following is the version listed at the official website of the French presidency.[11]
Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie
𝄆 L'étendard sanglant est levé, 𝄇
Entendez-vous dans les campagnes
Mugir ces féroces soldats ?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Égorger vos fils, vos compagnes !
Refrain :
Aux armes, citoyens,
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchez, marchez !
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons !
Aux armes, citoyens,
Formez vos bataillons,
Marchons, marchons !
Qu'un sang impur
Abreuve nos sillons !
Que veut cette horde d'esclaves,
De traîtres, de rois conjurés ?
Pour qui ces ignobles entraves,
𝄆 Ces fers dès longtemps préparés ? 𝄇
Français, pour nous, ah ! quel outrage
Quels transports il doit exciter !
C'est nous qu'on ose méditer
De rendre à l'antique esclavage !
Refrain
Quoi ! des cohortes étrangères
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers !
Quoi ! Ces phalanges mercenaires
𝄆 Terrasseraient nos fiers guerriers ! 𝄇
Grand Dieu ! Par des mains enchaînées
Nos fronts sous le joug se ploieraient
De vils despotes deviendraient
Les maîtres de nos destinées !
Refrain
Tremblez, tyrans et vous perfides
L'opprobre de tous les partis,
Tremblez ! vos projets parricides
𝄆 Vont enfin recevoir leurs prix ! 𝄇
Tout est soldat pour vous combattre,
S'ils tombent, nos jeunes héros,
La terre en produit de nouveaux,
Contre vous tout prêts à se battre !
Refrain
Français, en guerriers magnanimes,
Portez ou retenez vos coups !
Épargnez ces tristes victimes,
𝄆 À regret s'armant contre nous. 𝄇
Mais ces despotes sanguinaires,
Mais ces complices de Bouillé,
Tous ces tigres qui, sans pitié,
Déchirent le sein de leur mère !
Refrain
Amour sacré de la Patrie,
Conduis, soutiens nos bras vengeurs
Liberté, Liberté chérie,
𝄆 Combats avec tes défenseurs ! 𝄇
Sous nos drapeaux que la victoire
Accoure à tes mâles accents,
Que tes ennemis expirants
Voient ton triomphe et notre gloire !
Refrain
Alon-s-anfan de la Patrie,
Le jur de gluare è-t-arrivé!
Contre nu de la tirannie
𝄆 L'étandar sanglant è levé, 𝄇
Antandé-vu dan lé campagne
Muegir ce féroce solda?
Il vienne juesque dan vo bra
Égorgé vo fil, vo compagne!
Refren:
Au-x-arme, cituayen,
Formé vo batayon,
Marshé, marshé!
Qu'eun sang empuer
Abreuve no siyon!
Au-x-arme, cituayen,
Formé vo batayon,
Marshon, marshon!
Qu'eun sang empuer
Abreuve no siyon!
Que veu cètte horde d'esclave,
De trètre, de rua conjueré?
Pur qui ce-s-ignoble-s-antrave,
𝄆 Ce fer dé longtam préparé? 𝄇
Francè, pur nu, ah! quel utrage
Quel transpor-s-il duat éxité!
C'è nu qu'on ose médité
De randre a l'antique esclavage!
Refren
Qua! dé cohorte-s-étrangère
Feré la lua dan no fuayé!
Qua! Ce phalange mercenère
𝄆 Terraseré no fié guerrié! 𝄇
Gran Dieu! Par dé men-s-anshènée
No fron su le ju se pluaré
De vil despote deviandré
Lé mètre de no destinée!
Refren
Tramblé, tiran-s-e vu perfide
L'opprobre de tu lé parti,
Tramblé! vo projè parricide
𝄆 Vont anfen recevuar leur pri! 𝄇
Tu-t-è solda pur vu combattre,
S'il tombe, no jeunes héro,
La terre an produei de nuvo,
Contre vu tu prè-s-a se battre!
Refren
Francè, an guerrié manganime,
Porté-s-u retené vo cu!
Épargné ce triste victime,
𝄆 A regrè s'arman contre nu. 𝄇
Mè ce despote sanguinère,
Mè se complice de Buiyé,
Tu ce tigre qui, san pitié,
Déshire le sen de leur mère !
Refren
Amur sacré de la Patrie,
Conduei, sutien no bra vangeur
Liberté, Liberté shérie,
𝄆 Comba-s-avèc te défanseur! 𝄇
Su no drapo que la victuare
Accure a te male-s-acçan,
Que te-s-ennemi-s-expiran
Vua ton triomphe e notre gluare!
Refren
[a.lõ.z‿ɑ̃.fɑ̃ də la pa.tʁi.ə]
[lə ʒuʁ də glwaʁ ɛ.t‿a.ʁi.ve]
[kõ.tʁə nu də la ti.ʁa.ni.ə]
𝄆 [le.tɑ̃.daʁ sɑ̃.glɑ̃.t‿ɛ lə.ve] 𝄇
[ɑ̃.tɑ̃.de vu dɑ̃ le kɑ̃.pa.ɲə]
[my.ʒiʁ se fe.ʁɔ.sə sɔl.da]
[il vjɛ.nə ʒys.kə dɑ̃ vo bʁa]
[e.gɔʁ.ʒe vo fil vo kõ.pa.ɲə]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]:
[o.z‿aʁ.mə si.twa.jɛ̃]
[fɔʁ.me vo ba.ta.jõ]
[maʁ.ʃe maʁ.ʃe]
[kœ̃ sɑ̃.g‿ɛ̃.pyʁ]
[a.bʁœ.və no si.jõ]
[o.z‿aʁ.mə si.twa.jɛ̃]
[fɔʁ.me vo ba.ta.jõ]
[maʁ.ʃõ maʁ.ʃõ]
[kœ̃ sɑ̃.g‿ɛ̃.pyʁ]
[a.bʁœ.və no si.jõ]
[kə vø sɛ.tə ɔʁ.də dɛs.kla.və]
[də tʁɛ.tʁə də ʁwa kõ.ʒy.ʁe]
[puʁ ki se.z‿i.ɲɔ.blə.z‿ɑ̃.tʁa.və]
𝄆 [se fεʁ de lõg.tɑ̃ pʁe.pa.ʁe] 𝄇
[fʁɑ̃.sɛ puʁ nu a kɛl u.tʁa.ʒə]
[kɛl tʁɑ̃s.pɔʁ.z‿il dwa.t‿ɛk.si.te]
[sɛ nu kõ.n‿o.zə me.di.te]
[də ʁɑ̃.dʁ‿a lɑ̃.tik ɛs.kla.va.ʒə]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[kwa de ko.ɔʁ.tə.z‿e.tʁɑ̃.ʒɛ.ʁə]
[fə.ʁe la lwa dɑ̃ no fwa.je]
[kwa se pa.lɑ̃.ʒə mɛʁ.sə.nɛ.ʁə]
𝄆 [tɛ.ʁa.sə.ʁe no fje gɛ.ʁje] 𝄇
[gʁɑ̃ djø paʁ de mɛ̃.z‿ɑ̃.ʃ(e).ne.ə]
[no fʁõ su lə ʒu sə plwa.ɛ.ʁe]
[də vil dɛs.pɔ.tə də.vjɑ̃.dʁe]
[le mɛ.tʁə də no dɛs.ti.ne.ə]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[tʁɑ̃.ble ti.ʁɑ̃.z‿e vu pɛʁ.fi.də]
[lɔ.pʁɔ.bʁə də tu le paʁ.ti]
[tʁɑ̃.ble vo pʁɔ.ʒɛ pa.ʁi.si.də]
𝄆 [võ.t‿ɑ̃.fɛ̃ ʁə.sə.vwaʁ lœʁ pʁi] 𝄇
[tu.t‿ɛ sɔl.da puʁ vu kõ.ba.tʁə]
[sil tõ.bə no ʒœ.nə.z‿e.ʁo]
[la tɛ.ʁ‿ɑ̃ pʁɔ.dɥi də nu.vo]
[kõ.tʁə vu tu pʁɛ.z‿a sə ba.tʁə]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[fʁɑ̃.sɛ ɑ̃ gɛ.ʁje ma.ɲa.ni.mə]
[pɔʁ.te.z‿u ʁə.tə.ne vo ku]
[e.paʁ.ɲe se tʁis.tə vik.ti.mə]
𝄆 [a ʁə.gʁɛ saʁ.mɑ̃ kõ.tʁə nu] 𝄇
[me.se dɛs.pɔ.tə sɑ̃.gi.nɛ.ʁə]
[me.se kõ.pli.sə də bwi.je]
[tu.se ti.gʁə ki sɑ̃ pi.tje]
[de.ʃi.ʁə lə sɛ̃ də lœʁ mɛ.ʁə]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
[a.muʁ sa.kʁe də la pa.tʁi.ə]
[kõ.dɥi su.tjɛ̃ no bʁa vɑ̃.ʒœʁ]
[li.bɛʁ.te li.bɛʁ.te ʃe.ʁi.ə]
𝄆 [kõ.ba.z‿a.vɛk te de.fɑ̃.sœʁ] 𝄇
[su no dʁa.po kə la vik.twa.ʁə]
[a.kuʁ a.te mɑ.lə.z‿a.kɑ̃]
[kə.te.z‿ɛ.nə.mi.z‿ɛks.pi.ʁɑ̃]
[vwa tõ tʁi.õ.fe nɔ.tʁə glwa.ʁə]
[ʁə.fʁɛ̃]
Let’s go, children of the Motherland
The day of glory has arrived!
All the tyranny are against us
Their blood-spattered banners arise
Can you hear now out in the country
Their blood-thirsty soldiers ablare?
They’re coming right into your hands
To cut throats to sons of yours, your women!
Chorus:
To arms, compatriots
Form up your battle corps
March on, march on!
Let blood impure
Onto our furrows pour!
To arms, compatriots
Form up your battle corps
March on, march on!
Let blood impure
Onto our furrows pour!
What do they want, this horde of slaves
Of traitors and king conjurors?
For who are these ignoble vile chain
Balls and chain have long been prepared?
French people, ah, for us! A disgrace!
What outburst it must then arouse!
It’s us they dare to conspire
To drag back to stagnant slavery old days!
Chorus
How can it be that foreign cohorts
Would be the law in our lands!
How come that mercenary soldiers
𝄆 Would shoot at our rebellious lads! 𝄇
Great God of Mine! With those chained hands
We’d yield ourselves to the yoke
Vile despots would have us provoked
To make them the rulers of our fortune!
Chorus
Shake over, tyrants and you, traitors-
Disgrace to all parts of the earth.
Fear, your vile schemes parricidal
𝄆 Will at last get what they’re worth! 𝄇
All here are for a great combat
If our young heroes die
Our land will give us other ones
Ready to put up a fight against you!
Chorus
French people in majestic battle force,
Stand up to and then return the blows!
Spare all those victimized soldiers
𝄆 Who regret fighting against us 𝄇
But spare none of bloody despots
No pity on Bouillé’s satraps
Those tigers without any qualm
Would rip open their mother’s bosom!
Chorus
The sacred love to our Motherland,
Lead and support our avenging arms
Liberty, Liberty, our Dear
𝄆 Come on fight by your defenders’ side! 𝄇
Under our flags and victory
Will haste to our courageous men
And dying foes will have to face
All your triumph and all of our glory!
Nous entrerons dans la carrière
Quand nos aînés n'y seront plus,
Nous y trouverons leur poussière
Et la trace de leurs vertus
Bien moins jaloux de leur survivre
Que de partager leur cercueil,
Nous aurons le sublime orgueil
De les venger ou de les suivre.
[nu ɑ̃.tʁə.ʁɔ̃ dɑ̃ la ka.ʁjɛʁ]
[kɑ̃ no ɛ.ne ɛ.ni.ɡʁɛk sə.ʁɔ̃ ply]
[nu i.ɡʁɛk tʁu.vʁɔ̃ lœʁ pu.sjɛʁ]
𝄆 [e la tʁas də lœʁ vɛʁ.ty] 𝄇
[bjɛ̃ mwɛ̃ ʒa.lu də lœʁ syʁ.vi.vʁə]
[kə də paʁ.ta.ʒe lœʁ sɛʁ.kœj]
[nu o.ʁɔ̃ lə sy.blim ɔʁ.ɡœj]
[də le vɑ̃.ʒe u də le sɥi.vʁə]
We too shall enlist
When our elders' time has come
To add to the list of deeds
Inscribed upon their tombs
We are much less jealous of surviving them
Than of sharing their coffins
We shall have the sublime pride
Of avenging or joining them
Additional verses
These verses were removed from the national anthem.
French
English
Dieu de clémence et de justice
Vois nos tyrans, juge nos coeurs
Que ta bonté nous soit propice
𝄆 Défends-nous de ces oppresseurs 𝄇
Tu règnes au ciel et sur terre
Et devant Toi, tout doit fléchir
De ton bras, viens nous soutenir
Toi, grand Dieu, maître du tonnerre.
Refrain
Peuple français, connais ta gloire ;
Couronné par l'Égalité,
Quel triomphe, quelle victoire,
𝄆 D'avoir conquis la Liberté ! 𝄇
Le Dieu qui lance le tonnerre
Et qui commande aux éléments,
Pour exterminer les tyrans,
Se sert de ton bras sur la terre.
Refrain
Nous avons de la tyrannie
Repoussé les derniers efforts ;
De nos climats, elle est bannie ;
𝄆 Chez les Français les rois sont morts. 𝄇
Vive à jamais la République !
Anathème à la royauté!
Que ce refrain, partout porté,
Brave des rois la politique.
Refrain
La France que l'Europe admire
A reconquis la Liberté
Et chaque citoyen respire
𝄆 Sous les lois de l'Égalité ; 𝄇
Un jour son image chérie
S'étendra sur tout l'univers.
Peuples, vous briserez vos fers
Et vous aurez une Patrie !
Refrain
Foulant aux pieds les droits de l'Homme,
Les soldatesques légions
Des premiers habitants de Rome
𝄆 Asservirent les nations. 𝄇
Un projet plus grand et plus sage
Nous engage dans les combats
Et le Français n'arme son bras
Que pour détruire l'esclavage.
Refrain
Oui ! Déjà d'insolents despotes
Et la bande des émigrés
Faisant la guerre aux Sans-culottes
𝄆 Par nos armes sont altérés ; 𝄇
Vainement leur espoir se fonde
Sur le fanatisme irrité,
Le signe de la Liberté
Fera bientôt le tour du monde.
Refrain
O vous ! Que la gloire environne,
Citoyens, illustres guerriers,
Craignez, dans les champs de Bellone,
𝄆 Craignez de flétrir vos lauriers ! 𝄇
Aux noirs soupçons inaccessibles
Envers vos chefs, vos généraux,
Ne quittez jamais vos drapeaux,
Et vous resterez invincibles.
Refrain
Couplet des enfants :
Enfants, que l'Honneur, la Patrie
Fassent l'objet de tous nos vœux !
Ayons toujours l'âme nourrie
𝄆 Des feux qu'ils inspirent tous deux. 𝄇
Soyons unis ! Tout est possible ;
Nos vils ennemis tomberont,
Alors les Français cesseront
De chanter ce refrain terrible :
Refrain
God of mercy and justice
See our tyrants, judge our hearts
Your goodness be with us
𝄆 Defend us from these oppressors 𝄇
You reign in heaven and on earth
And before you all must bend
In your arms, come support us
You, great God, lord of thunder.
Refrain
French people know thy glory
Crowned by equality,
What a triumph, what a victory,
𝄆 To have won Liberty! 𝄇
The God who throws thunder
And who commands the elements,
To exterminate the tyrants
Uses your arm on Earth.
Refrain
Of tyranny, we have
Rebuffed its last efforts;
It is banished from our climes;
𝄆 Among the French the kings are dead. 𝄇
The Republic may live forever!
Anathema to royalty!
May this refrain, sung everywhere,
Protect politics from kings.
Refrain
France that Europe admires
Has regained liberty
And every citizen breathes
𝄆 Under the laws of equality, 𝄇
One day its beloved image
Will extend throughout the universe.
Peoples, you will break your chains
And you will have a fatherland!
Refrain
Trampling on the rights of man,
the soldierly legions
of Rome's first inhabitants
𝄆 enslaved nations. 𝄇
A larger project, and wiser,
Engages us in battle
And the Frenchman only arms himself
In order to destroy slavery.
Refrain
Yes! Already insolent despots
And the band of emigrants
Waging war on the sans-culottes
𝄆 By our weapons are withered; 𝄇
Vainly their hope is based
On piqued fanaticism
The sign of liberty
Will soon spread around the world.
Refrain
To you! Let glory surround
Citizens, illustrious warriors,
Fear in the fields of Bellona,
𝄆 Fear the sullying of your laurels! 𝄇
To dark unfounded suspicions
Towards your leaders, your generals,
Never leave your flags,
And you will remain invincible.
Refrain
Children's verse:
Children, let honour and fatherland
be the object of all our wishes!
Let us always have souls nourished
𝄆 With fires that might inspire both. 𝄇
Let us be united! Anything is possible;
Our vile enemies will fall,
Then the French will cease
To sing this fierce refrain:
The popularity of this anthem has spread across the globe. It has been translated into several languages by known poets over the course of its existence.
France