In 1986, Reynald Secher argued that the actions of the French republican government during the revolt in the Vendée (1793–1796), a popular mostly Catholic uprising against the anti-clerical Republican government during the French Revolution was the first modern genocide.[130] Secher's claims caused a minor uproar in France and mainstream authorities rejected Secher's claims.[131][132] Timothy Tackett countered that "the Vendée was a tragic civil war with endless horrors committed by both sides—initiated, in fact, by the rebels themselves. The Vendeans were no more blameless than were the republicans. The use of the word genocide is wholly inaccurate and inappropriate."[133] However, historians Frank Chalk and Kurt Jonassohn consider the Vendée a case of genocide.[134] Historian Pierre Chaunu called the Vendée the first ideological genocide.[135] Adam Jones estimates that 150,000 Vendeans died in what he also considers a genocide.[136]