Wedding Anniversary of Princess Elisa

On this date in the fifth year of the French Republic (1797) the sister of Napoleon Buonaparte, Marianne, later known as Princess Elisa, was married in Marseille, France. This is her wedding certificate, which shows the date in the Republican calendar, with the decimal time. That time is given as, “sept heures cinq décimes,” or seven and five-tenths hours. This corresponds to 6:00 pm in duodecimal time. The date was 12 Floréal year 5, which was May 1, 1797. Decimal time was used in Marseille from 1794 until 1800, when Elisa’s famous brother changed how wedding certificates were recorded. He abolished the Republican Calendar soon after crowning himself Emperor of the French in 1805. Here is a more legible version:

     Felix Baciocchi 
             Et
Marianne Buonaparte

L'an Cinq De la République française une et indivisible Le Douze floreal à Sept heures Cinq Décimes, nous officier public De la municipalité Du midi, Canton De Marseille, aprés la lecture De la publication De Promesse De marriage faite Conformément à la Loi, Le Dix De Le present mois, Sans qu'il nous soit parvenu auccun Empêchemente ni opposition, ainsi que Des Deux actes De paternité la Datte Du huit De ce present mois Reçus par la citoyen Mathieu Blanc Juge De paix Des quatrieme arrondissement...