Editing Charente-Maritime (section)

==== Revolution ====
[[File:Carte du département de la Charente-Inférieure - 1790-1793.tif|thumb|Map of [[Charente-Maritime|Charente-Inférieure]] (1790).|204x204px]]
The [[Estates General (France)|Estates-General]] led to the [[National Constituent Assembly (France)|Constituent Assembly]], which, on December 22, 1789, created the department of Saintonge-et-Aunis, renamed [[Charente-Maritime|Charente-Inférieure]] by February 26, 1790, centered on the [[Charente (river)|Charente River]].<ref name=":25">{{Cite web |date=2007 |title=1790 - Quand les départements portaient des noms de provinces |trans-title=1790 - When departments bore the names of provinces |url=http://www.histoirepassion.eu/?1790-Quand-les-departements-portaient-des-noms-de-provinces |access-date=May 25, 2010 |website=histoirepassion.eu |language=fr}}</ref> Ratified on March 4, 1790, it merged Aunis and Saintonge, incorporating some Poitevin areas, and was divided into seven districts, later six arrondissements, with Saintes chosen as the capital after debate.<ref name=":25" /> The new order was widely accepted, with a federative oath taken on July 14, 1790, though rural discontent over lingering feudal rights sparked unrest, including uprisings in [[Saint-Thomas-de-Conac]] and [[Varaize]], where a mayor was killed.<ref name=":26">{{Cite book|last=Audiat|first=Louis|year=1897|title=Deux victimes des Septembriseurs|language=fr|trans-title=Two victims of the Septembriseurs|publisher=Societé de Saint-Augustin|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GgBBAAAAYAAJ|page=156-163}}</ref> The [[Civil Constitution of the Clergy]] divided the clergy, with many, including Bishop Pierre-Louis de La Rochefoucauld of Saintes, refusing the oath; he was arrested in 1792 and killed in the [[September Massacres]].<ref name=":26"/> From 1791–1793, Charente-Inférieure raised eight battalions for war against [[Austria]] and [[Prussia]].<ref name=":26"/> The [[French First Republic|Republic]] was proclaimed on September 22, 1792.<ref>{{Harvtxt|Boutinet|2001|p=64}}</ref>