The French national anthem called La Marseilles was written by Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle who was the captain of the engineers and an amateur musician, during the French revolution in the year 1792. The anthem was originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" which in English meant; "War Song for the Army of the Rhine". The lyrics reflected the invasion of France by foreign armies (Austria and Prussia) that was underway when it was being written. It was accepted by the convention as the French national anthem due to its patriotic significance. The song was later banned by Charles X and Lois XVIII, losing its status under Napoleon the first and briefly re-instated after the July revolution of 1830.When Napoleon ruled, Veillons au Salut de l'Empire was the unofficial song of the regime. However during Napoleon the third’s reign, it was Partant pour la Syrie. In the nineteenth and the early twentieth century, La Marseilles was seen as the anthem of the international revolutionary movement. Eight years later, it was finally recognised as the national anthem of France.
Resources: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/MARSEILL.asp
http://www.marseillaise.org/english/background.html
Resources: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/MARSEILL.asp
http://www.marseillaise.org/english/background.html