why was louis xvi executed

Marie Antoinette was executed nine months later. One of the assistants of Sanson showed the head of Louis XVI to the people, whereupon a huge cry of "Vive la Nation! They executed the King with their hats on, and it was without taking his hat off that Samson, [sic] seizing by the hair the severed head of Louis XVI., showed it to the people, and for a few moments let the blood from it trickle upon the scaffold.[4]. ", Henri Sanson was appointed Executioner of Paris from April 1793, and would later execute Marie Antoinette. As a result, the commons rose up, named themselves the National Assembly, and declared that only they could represent the country. On the cold, foggy morning of January 21, 1793—225 years ago—French King Louis XVI made the hour and a half journey through the city of Paris from the Temple, the fortified medieval monastery where he was imprisoned, to the Place de la Révolution, where the scaffold for his execution was assembled. Louis XVI was a poor leader, an out of touch monarch, and a traitor to his people. Lv 7. The world is not a perfect democracy, especially not 220 years ago, and so what we perceive as democratic ends would not have been necessarily appropriate or realistic. Why was louis XVI executed? It was his great-grandson, Louis XVI, who was executed by guillotine in 1793. When his citizens stormed Versailles in 1789, Louis XVI snatched up his extremely unpopular wife, Marie Antoinette, and made a break for Austria where she was from. The government took away his titles, calling him Citizen Louis Capet, taking the surname from Hugh Capet, an early French king. 'Never!' The Mass requisites were provided by special direction of the authorities. The Constitution of 1791 marks the end of the first stage of the revolution, this constitution includes: the legislative assembly, this was a lawmaking group, to vote for representatives you must be a male and … Louis XVI was executed in January 1793, and Marie Antoinette was executed by the guillotine on October 16 of that year. At the foot of the scaffold we decided to tie his hands, but less because we feared that he might defend himself than because we thought he might by an involuntary movement spoil his execution or make it more painful. The timid king inherited a financially broken country, yet his weak efforts to manage France’s economic issues led his citizens to turn on him. In pursuance of an executive order, the body lying in its open coffin was thrown onto a bed of quicklime at the bottom of the pit and covered by one of earth, the whole being firmly and thoroughly tamped down. … A detachment of Gendarmes showed us the body. The King had been driven to the scaffold in his own carriage and his hands were free. These three qualities led to his … He heard his last Mass, served by Cléry, and received Communion. His decision didn’t exactly fly with the commons, who were butthurt over Louis XVI’s weak efforts to patch up their issues. King Louis XVI didn’t exactly rise to power in a perfect throne. Written by Dr. Elizabeth Bond. Just a year later, Marie was convicted and issued the same punishment. Execution of Louis XVI; Credit – Wikipedia. You guessed it—Louis XVI decided to flee. What problems did the National Convention face? As Louis mounted the scaffold he gave a dignified short speech in which he reasserts his innocence and readiness to die. French King Louis XVI, just 38 years old and the leader of one of the world’s most modern and powerful countries, had been executed by what was seen as a revolutionary rabble. After donning the crown, things only got worse. arose and an artillery salute rang out which reached the ears of the imprisoned Royal family. He was put on trial by the National Convention, found guilty of treason, and executed by guillotine on 21 January 1793. How much worse can it get? Louis 16th was executed on January 21st, 1793 by means of guillotine about one year after being found guilty by a majority vote in the National Convention. Share 0. The carriage left the Temple at approximately 9 o'clock. Louis was found guilty of treason and executed at the guillotine on 21 January 1793. "I know, that's why it is you I'm asking." The other three assistants, believing that a struggle was imminent, dashed forward. Louis XVI was executed in January 1793, and Marie Antoinette was executed by the guillotine on October 16 of that year. Now, in fairness, Louis XVI had pretty clearly tried to flee Paris in order to organize a counter-revolution. Facing execution, Louis XVI responded as dignified and resigned. According to another account, it took two times to slice off his head from his neck (due to the fact the king was fat in weight), and he screamed out of pain before the second time successfully decapitated him. How and why was King Louis 16 executed on 26 Jan 1 See answer renu8 is waiting for your help. There, Louis XVI’s hand was forced into signing the constitution of 1791, which punted him to the curb as a leader and reduced his role to a figurehead. In his letter, published along with its French mistakes in the Thermomètre of Thursday, 21 February 1793, Sanson emphasises that the King "bore all this with a composure and a firmness which has surprised us all. History was not so kind to King Louis XVI. King Louis XVI of France and his wife Marie Antoinette were executed by the guillotine. How did the French citizens who witnessed the king's execution react? It was then that my father approached and said, in the most respectful tone of voice imaginable, 'With a handkerchief, Sire'. He was charged with treason due to his attempt to flee the country, which was viewed as him abandoning his country. Speaking to Victor Hugo in 1840, a man called Leboucher, who had arrived in Paris from Bourges in December 1792 and was present at the execution of Louis XVI, recalled vividly: Here are some unknown details. In 1774, poor Louis took over the French throne from his grandfather, King Louis XV, who left him to clean up a tremendous economic crisis. This account of French King Louis XVI's execution is from 'London Packet or New Lloyd's Evening Post', Wednesday, January 23, 1793. "Well listen. 0 0. The situation was already bad before Louis XVI began his reign, but situation got worse. Louis XVI (born Louis-Auguste; August 23, 1754–January 21, 1793) was the French king whose reign collapsed because of the French Revolution.His failure to grasp the situation and to compromise, coupled with his requests for foreign intervention, were factors that led to his execution by guillotine and the creation of the new republic. Louis XVI was executed in 1793 for a number of reasons, one of the most significant and most immediate being the party in power: in 1793, the governing power was the National Convention, powered by the Jacobins, who demanded for Louis XVI’s execution. Anonymous. There were three main reasons that help asses why King Louis XVI was executed in 1793; the Jacobins gained more power, Austria and Prussia threatened to attack France, and the Vendee revolt. Truth be told, Louis XVI wanted to play a passive role as king…yet he came into power at a time too tumultuous to pull it off. ", citing as its source the executioner, Charles-Henri Sanson. There were different reasons for Louis’s downfall: social, economic, political conditions. That is the explanation of the moment of confusion interpreted after their fashion by the historians. [citation needed]. I just want to know why he was executed and how? But Louis XVI wasn’t immediately jarred by the start of the revolution. he cried, 'never!' Legacy . He was executed on grounds of high treason. The executioner's men cut his hair, removed his shirt's collar, and followed him up the scaffold. The cowardly king didn’t see any way out of his predicament except to buck it out of the country as fast as he could. read more. The reasons behind the execution were the following: Upon his accession , Louis XVI found an empty treasury. By Staff writer. July 03, 2019 . What was the purpose of henry essex edgeworth writing about the execution of louis xvi? Unfortunately, Louis XVI didn’t seem to consider the consequences that his decision would have on his citizens. WHY WAS LOUIS XVI GUILLOTINED Share with your friends. Louis XVI had previous communication with Austria and other foreign nations— which were potentially counterrevolutionary in nature. While he may not have started the financial crisis, he sure didn’t make any efforts to end it. Narration by Dr. Nicholas B. Breyfogle. the answer is c.i hope this .... 1 more answers. King Louis XVI was the last king of France— and he was pretty terrible at it. Ultimately, they condemned him to death by a simple majority. A popular but apocryphal legend holds that as soon as the guillotine fell, an anonymous Freemason leaped on the scaffolding, plunged his hand into the blood, splashed drips of it onto the crown, and shouted, "Jacques de Molay, tu es vengé!" The National convention struggles with the command of the French army which is slowly … Louis was to be hidden in a house in the rue de Cléry belonging to the Count of Marsan. "[2], The 13 February issue of the Thermomètre du jour ('Daily Thermometer'), a moderate Republican newspaper, described the King as shouting "I am lost! Charles-Henri Sanson responded to the story by offering his own version of events in a letter dated 20 February 1793. The execution of Louis XVI by guillotine, a major event of the French Revolution, took place on 21 January 1793 at the Place de la Révolution ("Revolution Square", formerly Place Louis XV, and renamed Place de la Concorde in 1795) in Paris. Yet, how exactly did trying to implement new taxes lead him to get his head chopped off? September 30, 1928: Author Elie Wiesel is born, Lady Dai: The 2,000+ year old, beautifully preserved mummy, Copyright © 2021 Novelty Magazines Inc. DBA 101 Network. So, timid little Louis XVI was forced out to the guillotine on January 21st, 1793, and executed by his people. He was executed so as to prevent the discontented in France who opposed the revolutionaries from having a focal point of resistance. Professor of Modern History David Andress talks Dan through the French Revolution: the causes, the context, its … Suspended and arrested following an abortive attempt to flee from the radical agitation of revolutionary Paris in 1792, he was tried by the National Convention, found guilty of treason, and executed on 21 January 1793. Long years of war had drained the financial resources of France. Why was Louis XVI executed in 1793? In Paris, the guillotine was located at the Place de la Révolution (now the Place de la Concorde), located between the Champs-Elysées to the west and the Tuileries Garden to the east in Paris, France. Unfortunately, Louis XVI didn’t seem to hold strong to either side; he just wanted to make it through his reign. The execution of Louis XVI by guillotine, a major event of the French Revolution, took place on 21 January 1793 at the Place de la Révolution ("Revolution Square", formerly Place Louis XV, and renamed Place de la Concorde in 1795) in Paris. Then, turning towards his executioners, Louis XVI declared "Gentlemen, I am innocent of everything of which I am accused. On Father Edgeworth's advice, Louis avoided a last farewell scene with his family. Yet, how exactly did trying to implement new taxes lead him to get his … At a trial on 17 January 1793, the National Convention had convicted the king of high treason in a near-unanimous vote; while no one voted "not guilty", several deputies abstained. She was charged with aiding the enemy and inciting civil war. Much, much worse. She was particularly disappointing to her brother, the Holy Roman Emperor, … On hearing these unexpected words, at the unexpected sight of that rope, Louis XVI made an involuntary gesture of repulsion. To some, his death at the hands of his former subjects symbolised the long-awaited end of an unbroken thousand-year period of absolute monarchy in France and the true beginning of democracy within the nation, although Louis would not be the last king of France. The Constitution of 1791 marks the end of the first stage of the revolution, this constitution includes: the legislative assembly, this was a lawmaking group, to vote for representatives you must be a male and … 1 decade ago . Why French King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine. Share 4. Vive la République!" For more than an hour the carriage, preceded by drummers playing to drown out any support for the King and escorted by a cavalry troop with drawn sabres, made its way through Paris along a route lined with 80,000 men-at-arms (soldiers of the National Guard and sans-culottes). Poor Louis XVI had to face up to plenty of other crimes he’d both consciously and accidentally involved himself in. Why Was Louis XVI Executed? I remained strongly convinced that he derived this firmness from the principles of the religion by which he seemed penetrated and persuaded as no other man.". De Molay (died 1314), the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, had reportedly cursed Louis' ancestor Philip the Fair, after the latter had sentenced him to burn at the stake based on false confessions. He was also charged with other things (the accusation were made in public and are available online): stealing public funds, initiating massacres against the Revolution, conspiracy, and murder. In September 1792, the new National Convention abolished the monarchy and declared France a republic. He also wasn’t open to listening to the citizens’ suggestions about how to wrap up the revolution in a non-violent way. Nine months after Louis' death, his wife Marie Antoinette, herself the former queen of France met her own death at the guillotine at the same location in Paris. Narration by Dr. Nicholas B. Breyfogle. Now, in fairness, Louis XVI had pretty clearly tried to flee Paris in order to organize a counter-revolution. On one hand, the citizens wanted him to surrender his power and serve as a symbol of a healthy, constitutional monarch. "You know how much playwrights need accurate information, Monsieur Sanson. And when he tried to burden them with the responsibility of fixing the economy, the commons snapped— and their protests quickly turned violent. Also, when did King Louis XVI rule? As he was strapped down, he exclaimed "My people, I die innocent!" I don't think so, Louis XVI was a moron but I don't think he deserved to be executed. Louis XVI was executed in 1793 for a number of reasons, one of the most significant and most immediate being the party in power: in 1793, the governing power was the National Convention, powered by the Jacobins, who demanded for Louis XVI’s execution. Favorite Answer. Considering that he’d never run a country before, he was vastly underprepared to cope with the country’s disastrous economy. Part A By 1793, The French people of Paris decided to execute Louis XVI because he had become a liability to France. Execution of Louis XVI. Louis XVI awoke early in the morning. Marie Antoinette and sister of Louis XVI, Madame Elizabeth were also charged by treason and inciting … Louis XVI was executed in 1793 for a number of reasons, one of the most significant and most immediate being the party in power: in 1793, the governing power was the National Convention, powered by the Jacobins, who demanded for Louis XVI’s execution. Laws to deport the refractory clergy, to bar the… (b) How complete was Napoleon’s power over France by 1804? The story spread widely and the phrase remains in use today to indicate the triumph of reason and logic over "religious superstition".[5]. Dear Student Answer to your question is as follows : Louix XVI was executed in the guillotine on January 21, 1793. Share with your friends. The moment may come for me to put Louis XVI on the stage. He seated himself in it with the priest, with two militiamen sitting opposite them. Example Responses AICE Free Response Questions France, 1789–1804 (a) Why was Louis XVI executed in 1793? Portrait of Louis XVI, King of France and Navarre, c. 1779. So, he did what any young king would do: he drudged up an outdated assembly and hope for the best. The executioners numbered four; two only performed the execution; the third stayed at the foot of the ladder, and the fourth was on the wagon which was to convey the King's body to the Madeleine Cemetery and which was waiting a few feet from the scaffold. Other questions on the subject: History ... Why did reagan have the united stars invade grenada... the answer is c.i hope this ....Read More. On 21 January 1815 Louis XVI and his wife's remains were re-buried in the Basilica of Saint-Denis where in 1816 his brother, King Louis XVIII, had a funerary monument erected by Edme Gaulle. The account of Sanson states: Arriving at the foot of the guillotine, Louis XVI looked for a moment at the instruments of his execution and asked Sanson why the drums had stopped beating. of Unfortunate Events – The Trial and Execution of Louis XVI Why was Louis XVI overthrown in August 1792? 21 January 1793. At 10 o'clock, the carriage arrived at Place de la Révolution and proceeded to an area where a scaffold had been erected, in a space surrounded by guns and drums, and by a crowd carrying pikes and bayonets. Was Louis XVI a good king? Get a verified expert to help you with The causes of the downfall of Louis XVI. He acknowledged it, yet he didn’t seem willing to do much about the issue fueling it. Picture of Louis XVI's Execution French Revolution Posters . Louis XVI was executed on January 21, 1793. and pushed back the man holding the rope. Execution of Louis XVI; Credit – Wikipedia. There were three main reasons that help asses why King Louis XVI was executed in 1793; the Jacobins gained more power, Austria and Prussia threatened to attack France, and the Vendee revolt. He came forward to speak, but there were shouts to the executioners to get on with their work. 25 … The executioners wore breeches, coats in the French style as the Revolution had modified it, and three-cornered hats with enormous tri-colour cockades. Furthermore, Louis XVI was not the only member of the first estate to be executed. So, why was he getting the gang back together? Will. 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Also reasons such as the Age of Enlightenment when some philosophers had new … Louis XVI's head was placed at his feet. Yet, ignoring the voices of his citizens is likely what cost him his life. January 1793: Louis XVI is executed Watch the French Revolution - The execution of Louis XVI documentary and respond to the questions below. Marie Antoinette was executed, officially, because of treason, and by... The monarch himself may have been perceived as a democratic country commons snapped— their! Were provided by special direction of the reasons why he was pretty terrible at it debt from the prison... Jarred by the National Convention, now regicides, there was a moron I! Edgeworth writing about the issue fueling it, a state prison which they believed was full of.! Scene with his family a by 1793, and the service for the of. Young king would do: he drudged up an outdated assembly and hope for the deputies the... 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