Why did the Chouans revolt in Brittany from 1793 to 1799?

The Chouan revolt in Brittany (1793–1799) was primarily driven by local resentment toward the new republican government’s interference with traditional ways of life, rather than a singular devotion to the monarchy.1

Key factors fueling the insurrection included:

• Economic Disruption: The abolition of the gabelle—a centuries-old tax on salt—ruined the livelihoods of many peasants who relied on smuggling and the trade of contraband goods.1
• Religious Tensions: The government enacted measures against the clergy, including the Civil Constitution of the Clergy, which instituted strict state control over the Roman Catholic Church—an institution deeply rooted in Breton society.123
• Conscription: The enforcement of conscription acts, which required local men to serve in the revolutionary military, served as a major catalyst for open resistance.12

The rebels, known as Chouans, were bands of peasants who fought alongside Vendéan royalists to protect their local customs and autonomy against the centralizing forces of the French Revolution.14