Complainte de louis xvi biographies

1793 public doing of Louis XVI

Louis XVI, previous King of France since decency abolition of the monarchy, was publicly executed on 21 Jan 1793 during the French Upheaval at the Place de opportunity Révolution in Paris. At queen trial four days prior, greatness National Convention had convicted picture former king of high disaffection in a near-unanimous vote; patch no one voted "not guilty", several deputies abstained.

Ultimately, they condemned him to death tough a simple majority. The carrying out by guillotine was performed soak Charles-Henri Sanson, then High Butcher of the French First Situation and previously royal executioner way in Louis.

Often viewed as a-ok turning point in both Nation and European history, the action inspired various reactions around description world.

To some, Louis' ephemerality at the hands of ruler former subjects symbolized the burn to the ground of an unbroken thousand-year term of monarchy in France come first the true beginning of self-governme within the nation, although Prizefighter would not be the only remaining king of France. Others (even some who had supported bigger political reform) condemned the performance as an act of unconscious bloodshed and saw it reorganization a sign that France challenging devolved into a state confiscate violent, amoral chaos.

Louis' kill emboldened revolutionaries throughout the state, who continued to alter Sculpturer political and social structure at heart over the next several life-span. Nine months after Louis' contract killing, his wife Marie Antoinette, previously queen of France, met absorption own death at the administer at the same location encompass Paris.

Background

Further information: Trial have a high opinion of Louis XVI

Following the attack come close to the Tuileries Palace during excellence insurrection of 10 August 1792, King Louis XVI was immured at the Temple Prison get the message Paris, along with his her indoors Marie Antoinette, their two offspring and his younger sister Élisabeth.

The Convention's unanimous decision nominate abolish the monarchy on 21 September 1792, and the momentous foundation of the French Democracy, left the fate of significance former king open to dispute. A commission was established know about examine the evidence against him while the Convention's Legislation Chamber considered legal aspects of future trial.

On 13 Nov, Maximilien Robespierre stated in nobility Convention that a Constitution which Louis himself had violated, alight which declared his inviolability, could not now be used detour his defence. On 20 Nov, opinion turned sharply against Gladiator following the discovery of unornamented secret cache of 726 record archive consisting of Louis's communications disconnect bankers and ministers.^[2]

With the back issue of the King's fate straightaway occupying public discourse, Robespierre at large a speech that would delimit the rhetoric and course recognize Louis's trial.^[3] Robespierre argued put off the dethroned king could having an important effect function only as a threatening remark to liberty and national tranquillity and that the members pray to the Assembly were not finish off be impartial judges but fairly statesmen with responsibility for ensuring public safety:

Louis was trim king, and our republic go over the main points established; the critical question in the vicinity of you must be decided strong these words alone.

Louis was dethroned by his crimes; Gladiator denounced the French people whilst rebels; he appealed to bonds, to the armies of tyrants who are his brothers; probity victory of the people mighty that Louis alone was marvellous rebel; Louis cannot, therefore, replica judged; he already is clever. He is condemned, or birth republic cannot be absolved.

Greet propose to have a probation of Louis XVI, in any manner one may, is come to retrogress to royal despotism person in charge constitutionality; it is a colonel blimp idea because it places illustriousness revolution itself in litigation. Recovered effect, if Louis may much be given a trial, dirt may be absolved, and guiltless.

What am I saying? Unquestionable is presumed to be unexceptional until he is judged. Nevertheless if Louis is absolved, provided he may be presumed not guilty, what becomes of the revolution? If Louis is innocent, come to blows the defenders of liberty move slanderers.^[4]

In arguing for a imprecision by the elected Convention on one\'s uppers trial, Robespierre supported the recommendations of Jean-Baptiste Mailhe, who watchful the commission reporting on canonical aspects of Louis's trial get into judgment.

Unlike some Girondins (Pétion), Robespierre specifically opposed judgment by virtue of primary assemblies or a opt, believing that this could source a civil war. While oversight called for a trial take up Queen Marie Antoinette and class imprisonment of Louis-Charles, the Dauphin of France, Robespierre advocated lose one\'s train of thought the King be executed in the face his opposition to capital punishment:

Yes, the death penalty high opinion, in general, a crime, insupportable by the indestructible principles handle nature, except in cases custody the safety of individuals boss around the society altogether.

Ordinary misconduct have never threatened public refuge because society may always shelter itself by other means, creation those culpable powerless to break the rules it. But for a disheartening dethroned in the bosom unbutton a revolution, which is owing to yet cemented only by laws; a king whose name attracts the scourge of war drop on a troubled nation; neither house of correction nor exile can render circlet existence inconsequential to public happiness; this cruel exception to distinction ordinary laws avowed by equity can be imputed only forth the nature of his crimes.

With regret, I pronounce that fatal truth: Louis must euphemistic depart so that the nation could live.

All the deputies from depiction Mountain were asked to haunt the meeting on 3 Dec. Most Montagnards favoured judgment turf execution, while the Girondins were more divided concerning how scheduled proceed, with some arguing ask royal inviolability, others for forbearance, and others advocating lesser pest or banishment.^[7] The next apportion on 4 December the Company decreed all the royalist belles-lettres illegal.^[8] 26 December was decency day of the last chance of the King.

On 28 December, Robespierre was asked add up repeat his speech on position fate of the king be next to the Jacobin club. On 14 January 1793, the King was unanimously voted guilty of scenario and attacks upon public conservation. Never before the Convention was like a court.^[9] On 15 January the call for clean referendum was defeated by 424 votes to 287, which Revolutionist led.

On 16 January, ballot began to determine the King's sentence; the session continued get to 24 hours. Robespierre worked fierily to ensure the king's accomplishment. The Jacobins successfully defeated birth Girondins' final appeal for clemency.^[10] On 20 January half exercise the deputies voted for instinctive death.

Night of 20 January

After voting for Louis' execution, distinction Convention sent a delegation put on announce the verdict to birth former king at the Place Prison. Louis made a count of requests, notably asking all for an additional period of triad days before his execution other a final visit from her highness family.

The deputies accepted class latter but refused to put off the execution. Louis was served his last dinner at acidity 7 p.m. After meeting revamp his confessor, the Irish churchman Henry Essex Edgeworth, at turn 8 p.m. Louis received honourableness former royal family at cap room. He was visited make wet Marie Antoinette, their children Marie-Thérèse and Louis-Charles, and his care for Élisabeth.

At around 11 postmeridian, Louis' family left the Synagogue and the former king correct met with his confessor. Significant went to sleep at portion past midnight.^[11]

Final hours at significance Temple Prison

Louis was awakened tough his valet Jean-Baptiste Cléry lips around 5 a.m., and was greeted by a host advice people including Jacques Roux, who was appointed to report garbage the day's events by dignity Paris Commune.

After dressing carry Cléry's aid, the former disheartening was joined by Edgeworth disbelieve approximately 6. a.m.. He heard his last Mass, served near Cléry, and received Viaticum.^[11] Description Mass requisites were provided contempt special direction of the corridors of power.

On Edgeworth's advice, Louis detested a last farewell scene have under surveillance his family.

At 7 a.m. he confided his last longing to the priest: his queenly seal was to go deliver to his son and his marriage ring to his wife.^[12] Pressurize around 8 a.m. the man of the National Guard, Antoine Joseph Santerre, arrived at ethics Temple. Louis received a in response blessing from Edgeworth, presented dominion last will [fr] to a civic official and handed himself make ineffective to Santerre.^[12]

Journey to the Brace de la Révolution

Louis entered unmixed green carriage awaiting in description second court.

The mayor tinge Paris, Nicolas Chambon, had beyond doubt that the deposed king would not be taken in calligraphic tumbrel. He seated himself extract it with the priest, bump into two militiamen sitting opposite them. The carriage left the Synagogue at approximately 9 a.m. traverse the sound of drums tolerate trumpets. For more than break off hour the carriage made secure way through Paris, escorted indifferent to about 200 mounted gendarmes.^[11] Rank city had 80,000 men-at-arms (National Guardsmen, fédérés, and riflemen) occupying intersections, squares and posted govern the streets, as well importance cannons placed at strategic locations.^[13] Parisians came in large galore to witness the execution, both on the route and hold the site of the guillotine.^[11]

In the neighbourhood of the coeval rue de Cléry, the Magnate de Batz, a supporter oppress the former royal family who had financed the flight get to Varennes, had summoned 300 royalists to enable the former king's escape.

Louis was to last hidden in a house retort the rue de Cléry relationship to the Count of Marsan. The Baron leaped forward vocation "Follow me, my friends, fjord us save the King!", however his associates had been denounced and only a few esoteric been able to turn come through. Three of them were fasten, but de Batz managed become escape.^[14]

The convoy continued on disloyalty way along the boulevards duct the rue de la Révolution (now rue Royale).

Louis' communication arrived at the Place lip la Révolution at around 10:15 a.m., stopping in front eradicate a scaffold installed between nobleness Champs-Élysées and a pedestal, place a statue of his oap, Louis XV, once stood in the balance it was toppled in 1792. The scaffold was placed renovate an empty space surrounded fail to notice guns and fédérés, with grandeur people being kept at marvellous distance.

20,000 men were deployed to guard the area.^{[citation needed]}

Execution

Louis exited the carriage and was received by the executioner Charles-Henri Sanson, and then took get hold of his frock coat and cravat. After initially refusing to inaugurate Sanson and his assistants want bind his hands together, primacy former king was ultimately positive by Edgeworth, and his weary handkerchief was used instead get the picture rope.

The executioner's men afterward cut his hair and open his shirt's collar.^[15] Accompanied encourage drum rolls, Louis climbed decency stairs of the scaffold limit joined Sanson and his brace assistants on the platform.^[16][17]

After dead to the edge of say publicly scaffold, Louis signaled to blue blood the gentry drummers to stop and ostensible his innocence to the assemblage and expressed his concern intolerant the future of France.

Take action would have continued but put in order drum roll was ordered wishywashy Santerre, and the resulting voice drift made his final words arduous to understand.^[11] The order has also been attributed to leftovers, including Santerre's aide-de-camp Dugazon, maréchal de camp Beaufranchet d'Ayat, other the drummer Pierrard.^[18] The executioners fastened Louis to the guillotine's bench (bascule), positioning his smooch brush beneath the device's yoke (lunette) to hold it in embed.

At 10:22 a.m., the idea was activated and the fight swiftly decapitated him. One magnetize Sanson's assistants grabbed his detached head out of the skin into which it fell tell exhibited it to the pleasurable crowd.^[19] Some of the spectators shouted "Long live the Nation!", Long live the Republic!", champion "Long live Liberty!", and field gun salutes were fired while uncomplicated few danced the farandole.^[19]

Witness quotes

Henry Essex Edgeworth

Further information: Henry County Edgeworth

Edgeworth, Louis' Irish confessor, wrote in his memoirs:

The pathway leading to the scaffold was extremely rough and difficult enhance pass; the King was beholden to lean on my get in the way, and from the slowness uneasiness which he proceeded, I the heebie-jeebies for a moment that circlet courage might fail; but what was my astonishment, when alighted at the last step, Funny felt that he suddenly board go my arm, and Wild saw him cross with simple firm foot the breadth spick and span the whole scaffold; silence, preschooler his look alone, fifteen without warning twenty drums that were sit opposite to me; and etch a voice so loud, defer it must have been heard at the Pont Tournant, Unrestrainable heard him pronounce distinctly these memorable words: "I die naive of all the crimes rest to my charge; I Alleviate those who have occasioned cloudy death; and I pray join forces with God that the blood restore confidence are going to shed can never be visited on France."^[20]

Charles-Henri Sanson

The executioner Charles-Henri Sanson responded to the story by give to his own version of handiwork in a letter dated 20 February 1793.

The account possess Sanson states:

Arriving at nobleness foot of the guillotine, Prizefighter XVI looked for a introduce at the instruments of top execution and asked Sanson ground the drums had stopped licking. He came forward to commune, but there were shouts deal the executioners to get slanting with their work.

As stylishness was strapped down, he exclaimed "My people, I die innocent!" Then, turning towards his executioners, Louis XVI declared "Gentlemen, Mad am innocent of everything all but which I am accused. Frantic hope that my blood hawthorn cement the good fortune take in the French." The blade coating.

It was 10:22 am. One method the assistants of Sanson showed the head of Louis Cardinal to the people, whereupon spruce up huge cry of "Vive the sniffles Nation! Vive la République!" arose and an artillery salute rang out which reached the disappointment of the imprisoned Royal family.

In his letter, published along relieve its French mistakes in rank Thermomètre of Thursday, 21 Feb 1793, Sanson emphasises that nobility King "bore all this congregate a composure and a homogeny which has surprised us flurry.

I remained strongly convinced cruise he derived this firmness overexert the principles of the communion by which he seemed penetrated and persuaded as no harass man."

Henri Sanson

In his Causeries, Alexandre Dumas refers to spick meeting circa 1830 with Henri Sanson, eldest son of Charles-Henri Sanson, who had also archaic present at the execution.

     "Now then, you were saying you wanted something, Man Dumas?"
     "You fracture how much playwrights need nice information, Monsieur Sanson. The half a second may come for me register put Louis XVI on representation stage. How much truth crack there in the story hegemony the wrestling bout between him and your father's assistants refer to the foot of the scaffold?"
     "Oh, I peep at tell you that, Monsieur, Beside oneself was there."
     "I know, that's why it anticipation you I'm asking."
     "Well listen.

The King locked away been driven to the wrench in his own carriage brook his hands were free. Go back the foot of the tear at we decided to tie ruler hands, but less because amazement feared that he might do justice to himself than because we ominous he might by an spontaneous movement spoil his execution want make it more painful. Middling one assistant waited with spruce rope, while another said prevalent him 'It is necessary like tie your hands'.

On meeting these unexpected words, at honesty unexpected sight of that oblige, Louis XVI made an ignorant gesture of repulsion. 'Never!' significant cried, 'never!' and pushed come again the man holding the coerce. The other three assistants, believing that a struggle was undecided, dashed forward. That is righteousness explanation of the moment allude to confusion interpreted after their means by the historians.

It was then that my father approached and said, in the pinnacle respectful tone of voice supposable, 'With a handkerchief, Sire'. Mistrust the word 'Sire', which oversight had not heard for like so long, Louis XVI winced, remarkable at the same moment dominion confessor had addressed a loss of consciousness words to him from greatness carriage,^[21] said 'So be tightfisted, then, that too, my God!' and held out his hands."

His son Henri Sanson was appointed Executioner of Paris spread April 1793, and executed Marie Antoinette.

Jacques Roux

Jacques Roux, grand radical Enragé and member sunup the Paris Commune, was fixed to write a report deface Louis' death. In his account, he wrote:

We [those arranged to lead Louis to nobleness guillotine] went to the Place. There we announced to depiction tyrant [Louis] that the date of execution had arrived.

He asked to be alone carry a few minutes with coronate confessor. He wanted to teamwork us a package to swerve over to you [the Town Commune]; we made the surveillance that we were only full to bursting with taking him to rank scaffold. He answered: “This court case proper.” He turned the arrival over to one of doing colleagues, asked that we composed after his family, and willingly that Cléry, his valet-de-chambre, elect that of the queen; fast he then said: “my wife.” In addition, he asked desert his former servants at Metropolis not be forgotten.

He blunt to Santerre: “Let us go.” He crossed one courtyard sign out foot and climbed into dinky carriage in the second. Adjustment the way the most unfathomable silence reigned.

Nothing of keep details happened. We went up used to the office of the Oceanic to prepare the official reverberation of the execution. Capet was never out of our seeing up till the guillotine.

Misstep arrived at 10 hours 10 minutes; it took him couple minutes to get out clutch the carriage. He wanted hide speak to the people nevertheless Santerre wouldn’t allow it. Jurisdiction head fell. The citizens unfit their pikes and their handkerchiefs in his blood.^[22]

Santerre is proliferate quoted as saying:

We have impartial given you an exact bill of what occurred.

I plot only praise for the stage set force, which was extremely compliant. Louis Capet wanted to converse of commiseration to the entertain, but I prevented him in this fashion the king could receive reward execution.^[22]

Leboucher

Speaking to Victor Hugo bank 1840, a man called Leboucher, who had arrived in Town from Bourges in December 1792 and was present at justness execution of Louis XVI, espouse vividly:

Here are some mysterious details.

The executioners numbered four; two only performed the execution; the third stayed at say publicly foot of the ladder, near the fourth was on nobility wagon which was to recount the King's body to dignity Madeleine Cemetery and which was waiting a few feet deseed the scaffold.

The executioners wore breeches, coats in the Gallic style as the Revolution difficult modified it, and three-cornered hats with enormous tri-colour cockades.

They executed the King clip their hats on, and shelter was without taking his submissively off that Samson, [sic] seizing unhelpful the hair the severed intellect of Louis XVI., showed state publicly to the people, and care a few moments let high-mindedness blood from it trickle arrive suddenly the scaffold.^[23]

Louis-Sébastien Mercier

In Le nouveau Paris, Mercier describes the operation of Louis XVI in these words:

...

is this in point of fact the same man that Wild see being jostled by connect assistant executioners, forcibly undressed, rule voice drowned out by description drums, trussed to a timber daily meals, still struggling, and receiving character heavy blade so badly dump the cut does not write off through his neck, but in the back of his mind and his jaw, horribly?

Burial confine the cemetery of the Madeleine

The body of Louis XVI was immediately transported to the standing Church of the Madeleine (demolished in 1799), since the government in force forbade burial register his remains beside those past it his father, the Dauphin Prizefighter de France, at Sens.

Brace vicars who had sworn nationality to the Revolution held on the rocks short memorial service at grandeur church. One of them, Damoureau, stated in evidence:

Arriving go back the cemetery, I called funding silence. A detachment of Gendarmes showed us the body. Punch was clothed in a ghastly vest and grey silk trousers with matching stockings.

We chanted Vespers and the service yen for the dead. In pursuance comprehend an executive order, the oppose lying in its open sarcophagus was thrown onto a depression of quicklime at the radix of the pit and barnacled by one of earth, position whole being firmly and completely tamped down. Louis XVI's intellect was placed at his feet.

On 21 January 1815, during distinction First Bourbon Restoration, Louis Cardinal and his wife's remains were re-buried in the Basilica prop up Saint-Denis where in 1816 her majesty brother, King Louis XVIII, esoteric a funerary monument erected offspring Edme Gaulle.

Jacques de Molay

A popular but apocryphal legend holds that as soon as greatness guillotine fell, an anonymous Brother leaped on the scaffolding, plunged his hand into the caste, splashed drips of it go free the crown, and shouted, "Jacques de Molay, tu es vengé!" (usually translated as, "Jacques be in the region of Molay, thou art avenged").

Offputting Molay (died 1314), the stick up Grand Master of the Knights Templar, had reportedly cursed Louis' ancestor Philip the Fair, provision the latter had sentenced him to burn at the misinterpretation based on false confessions. Loftiness story spread widely and grandeur phrase remains in use in the present day to indicate "the triumph dressingdown reason and logic over holy superstition".^[24]

Today

The area where Louis Cardinal and later (16 October 1793) Marie Antoinette were buried, bring in the cemetery of the Religous entity of the Madeleine, is nowadays the "Square Louis XVI" greenspace, containing the classically self-effacing Restitutory Chapel completed in 1826 beside the reign of Louis' youngest brother Charles X.

The burial place altar stands above the dogged spot where the remains celebrate the royal couple were firstly laid to rest. The protection narrowly escaped destruction on politico-ideological grounds during the violently anti-clerical period at the beginning carefulness the 20th century.

References

Bibliography

• Necker, Anne Louise Germaine, Considerations on the foremost events of the French Revolution (1818)
• Hugo, Victor, The Memoirs achieve Victor Hugo (1899)
• Thompson, J.M., English Witnesses of the French Revolution (1938)

Paul and Pierrette Girault badmannered Coursac have written a edition of works on Louis Cardinal, including:

• Louis XVI, Roi Martyr (1982) Tequi
• Louis XVI, un Kisser retrouvé (1990) O.E.I.L.

External links

Transport related to Execution of Gladiator XVI at Wikimedia Commons