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Convocation Assembly- formation of the National Assembly
This was the first meeting of the Estate General in 175 years The members of the third estate which had by far the largest number of delegates wanted to see change and reform in France. From this meeting the National Assembly was formed.This action de facto ended the absolute power of the monarchy and established the principle of representative government. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estates_General_of_1789 -
Period: to
The End of the French Monarchy
This part marks the demise of the French monarchy and the birth of the French Republic -
Storming of The Bastille
Rumours circulated in Paris that Louis XVI was going to use military force to dissolve the National Assembly, others claimed that foreign troops were coming kill French citizens. In a bid to defend themselves a mob stormed the Bastille to get weapons. This meant that ordinary citizens now had weapons. -
Women march on Versailles
Rumour starts that the Queen is hoarding grain in Versailles market women marched on Versailles. The revolutionaries marched with the women and seized this opportunity to make demands that the King, return to Paris. This act basically ended the Kings independence and signified a shift in power, with the peasants now having the power. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_March_on_Versailles -
King & Queen Flee Paris
The King and Queen and their immediate family dressed as peasants and servants attempt to flee Paris. They are caught in Varennes, and returned to Paris and are kept under house arrest in Tuileries. This angers the people and it lays the foundation for Louis XVI to be charged with treason. -
France declares war on Austria
The legislative assembly declares war on Austria. Austria lead by Louis' brother-in-law fight to restore the monarch, they are joined by Prussia. The French revolutionists are hoping to plunder wealth of Austria and remove their monarch. The Prussians invades France and as they advanced toward Paris the people were angry and a mob storm the Tuileries take Louis and his family prisoners. This the lead to the king being formally deposed, and paved the way to France becoming a Republic -
Storming of the Tuileries
The Jacobians fearing that the king and queen have a deal with the Pruissians storm storm the Tuileries and take them prisoner. The National Assembly lead by leftist declares a republic and kill anyone who is aligned to the nobility or the king. The French army hold off the Pruissian advice hence ensuring that the king can never be reinstated. -
Louis XVI executed
France was now being ruled by the radical Jacobins. They had rejected the notion of a constitutional monarch and wanted a total abolition of the monarchy. Louis was tried for treason found guilty and executed with the guillotine. -
France declares war on England and Dutch Republic
National Assembly declares war on England and Dutch Republic, young, able bodied unmarried men between the ages of 18-25 are conscripted into the army under "Levee en Masse. This allowed France assemble the largest army. This form conscription changed the nature of armies and warfare. Armies were no longer just made up of officers. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levée_en_masse -
Committee of Public Safety formed
Maximilien Rospierre a Jacobian is appointed head of Public Safety committee. The purpose of this committee is to protect the revolution against its enemies. This period is known as the reign of terror, that saw the indiscriminate murder of thousands of people suspected of opposing or undermining the revolution -
Queen of France executed
Marie-Antoinette is put on trial for treason-“I was a queen, and you took away my crown; a wife, and you killed my husband; a mother, and you deprived me of my children. My blood alone remains: take it, but do not make me suffer long,” Marie Antoinette is reported to have said after the prosecutor read his indictment to her. This ended the monarchy in France www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/the-final-days-of-marie-antoinette
