Zouaves
Zouaves were a group of Canadian volunteers who enlisted in the papal army between 1868 and 1870 to defend Rome against Italian troops seeking unification. Approximately 390 Canadians joined these forces, primarily recruited from Quebec, with a significant number being educated young men. The recruitment was largely orchestrated by Bishop Ignace Bourget, who emphasized the moral qualities of the recruits and sought to support the papal cause fervently. This movement caused political tension in Canada, as it involved sending troops to a conflict where Canada was not officially engaged. Notably, George-Etienne Cartier played a crucial role in advocating for the Zouaves, fearing that a ban on their enlistment could alienate the French Canadian population. The Zouaves were motivated by a desire to combat emerging ideas such as freedom of speech and the separation of church and state. After their service, the Zouaves returned to Canada and established an association that has evolved over time, reflecting their ongoing legacy.
Zouaves
Founded: 1868
Type of organization: Quebec Roman Catholic association
Significance: The main goal of the Zouaves was to create an elite group able to oppose the propagation within Quebec of liberal ideas formally condemned by the pope
Between February, 1868, and September, 1870, seven contingents of Canadians enrolled in the papal army to help defend Rome from the Italian troops who wanted to bring about Italian unification. The last contingent of 114 recruits left too late and had to turn back because Rome surrendered. About 390 Canadians served as pontifical troops.
The troops’ departure for Rome put the Canadian government in an embarrassing position, since the men were off to fight in a country with which Great Britain and Canada were not at war. The movement might have been forbidden but for George-Etienne Cartier (one of the Founders of Canadian Confederation whose great accomplishment was reconciling French Canadians to the Canadian Confederation), who stood up for the Zouaves because he feared that an attempt to ban the movement would alienate the clergy and voters of Quebec.
Most of the Canadian Zouaves were educated young men recruited in Quebec. The organizational committee set up by Bishop Ignace Bourget of Montreal had recruited them for their moral qualities. No other Canadian bishop of the time was as attentive to the directives from Rome or as fervent a supporter of the papal cult. Bourget’s zeal inspired the raising of 507 Zouaves from his own diocese. Freedom of speech and conscience, popular sovereignty, and the separation of church and state were among the ideas that the Zouaves were to combat. Upon their return to Canada, the Canadian Zouaves formed an association that still exists and whose objectives have modified over time.