La Marseillaise des Blancs (English: The Marseille [Song] of the 'Blancs') is a royalist and Catholic adaptation of the national anthem of France, La Marseillaise. The lyrical content of the Royal and Catholic variation is strongly counter-revolutionary and originated from the War in the Vendée, where locals attempted to resist the republican forces in 1793. The name "Blancs" refers to their use of royal white flags and symbols.
In the first verse, the term "blues" refers to the revolutionary republicans—the Jacobins. The Rodrigue mentioned in the second verse refers to François-Ambroise Rodrigue, a local bishop who collaborated with the Revolution, contrary to papal authority. Similarly, the "treasonous priests" in the fourth verse refers to certain "Constitutional priests", who swore loyalty to the government of the republican regime over the Pope; priests who refused such an oath had their parishes taken away from them and were replaced. In the same verse the Camus mentioned is Armand-Gaston Camus, the Secretary of the Revolutionary Convention, who played a major role in seizing Church property and the regicide of the King of France.
French lyrics
(Verse I)
Allons armée catholique
Le jour de gloire est arrivé!
Contre nous de la république
L’étendard sanglant est levé (repeat)
Entendez-vous dans nos campagnes
Les cris impurs des scélérats?
Ils viennent jusque dans vos bras
Prendre nos filles, nos femmes!
(Refrain)
Aux armes vendéens!
Formez vos bataillons!
Marchez, marchez, le sang des bleus Rougira nos sillons!
(Verse II)
Quoi des infâmes hérétiques
Feraient la loi dans nos foyers?
Quoi des muscardins de boutiques
Nous écraseraient sous leurs pieds? (repeat)
Et le Rodrigue abominable
Infâme suppôt du démon
S’installerait en la maison De notre Jésus adorable
(Refrain)
(Verse III)
Tremblez pervers et vous timides,
La bourrée des deux partis
Tremblez, vos intrigues perfides,
Vont enfin recevoir leur prix (repeat)
Tout est levé pour vous combattre
De Saint Jean d’Monts à Beaupréau,
D’Angers à la ville d’Airvault,
Nos gars ne veulent que se battre
(Refrain)
(Verse IV)
Chrétiens, vrais fils de l’Eglise,
Séparez de vos ennemis
La faiblesse à la peur soumise
Que verrez en pays conquis (repeat)
Mais ces "citoyens" sanguinaires
Mais les adhérents de Camus Ces prêtres jureurs et intrus
Cause de toutes nos misères
(Refrain)
(Verse V)
Ô sainte Vierge Marie Conduis,
soutiens nos bras vengeurs!
Contre une sequelle ennemie,
Combats avec tes zélateurs! (repeat)
A vos étendards la victoire,
Est promise assurément
Que le régicide expirant,
Voie ton triomphe et notre gloire!
(Refrain)
English translation
(Verse I)
Arise, Catholic army
The day of glory has arrived!
Against us, the Republic's
Bloody banner is raised (repeat)
Do you hear in our countryside the impure cries of the wretches?
Who reach right for your arms to take our daughters, our wives!
(Refrain)
To arms, Vendéeans!
Form your battalions!
March, march, the blood of the blues will redden our furrows!
(Verse II)
What of the infamous heretics
Who would make the law in our homes?
What of the mercenary cowards
Who would crush us under their feet? (repeat)
And abominable Rodrigue
Infamous henchman of the demon
Who would settle in the house of our adorable Jesus?
(Refrain)
(Verse III)
Tremble you perverse and timid,
Before the bonfires of the adversaries
Tremble, your perfidious intrigues,
Shall finally receive their due (repeat)
All are raised to fight you
From Saint Jean d’Monts to Beaupréau,
From Angers to the town of Airvault,
Our lads want to only fight
(Refrain)
(Verse IV)
Christians, true sons of the Church,
Reject your enemies and
The weakness and the servile fear
Which you see in a conquered country (repeat)
But these bloody "citizens,"
These allies of Camus, these treasonous and imposed priests
