Abstract
This chapter explores the relationship between Freemasonry and the French Revolution, with particular emphasis on how political transformation affected masonic bonds of solidarity inside lodges and beyond. It first considers the possible connections between the masonic discourse on friendship and the new political culture that took shape from 1789 onward. It then discusses the fate of Freemasons within the Estates General cum National Assembly in its early years, focusing on how earlier ties were impacted by the difficult political choices made by brethren. It also analyzes the role played by male friendship in closing down lodges during the Reign of Terror. It shows that the political discourse of classical republicanism represented a much clearer connection between revolutionary political culture and Freemasonry in Enlightenment France.
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