The Execution of King Louis XVI: A Watershed Event in French History

The Execution of King Louis XVI and the Fall of the French Monarchy

The execution of King Louis XVI on January 21, 1793, was a watershed event in French history, bringing an end to over a thousand years of continuous monarchical rule and challenging the concept of the divine right of kings. Louis XVI, born in 1754, became king in 1774 and his marriage to Marie Antoinette was unpopular due to her foreign Austrian origins. His reign was marred by severe financial difficulties, partly due to the expensive aid provided to the American colonies during their revolution. Attempts to resolve the financial crisis, such as proposing new taxes on the nobility and clergy, met with strong opposition from the parlements and the Assembly of Notables, ultimately leading to the summoning of the Estates-General in 1789, an event that would trigger the French Revolution.

The Estates-General and the Onset of the French Revolution

The Estates-General convened in May 1789, marking the beginning of a period of radical change. The Third Estate, representing the common people, declared itself the National Assembly, insisting on voting by head and not by order, which challenged the traditional societal hierarchy. The storming of the Bastille in July and the Women's March on Versailles in October, which resulted in the royal family being brought back to Paris, were early signs of the escalating conflict. Although the initial aim was to establish a constitutional monarchy, the King's attempted flight to Varennes in 1791 and the subsequent discovery of documents criticizing the revolution eroded trust in the monarchy and inflamed public sentiment.