THE FRENCH REVOLUTIONPart 2

THE GRIP TIGHTENS

Louis XVI is living in Paris and sharing the rule of the country with the National Assembly.

Men such as Robespierre and Mirabeau have as much, if not more political influence than he does.

TWO SIDES TO THE NATIONAL CONVENTION

The Jacobins Radical Urban centered Controlled the mob Hated the Monarchy

and feverishly wanted to kill the King

Led by Robespierre

The Girondins Moderate Founded in the rural

areas Want to slow the

revolution down Based on their

numbers controlled the Assembly for the time being

The Emergence of M. Robespierre

Although the Girondins have the majority, the Jacobins are able to rise to power thanks to their control over the mob.

Robespierre becomes their main political figure

CHANGES TO THE 1ST ESTATE Decentralization makes it difficult to gather

money from taxes- the National Assembly is broke

The National Assembly Nationalizes church property- argued that the church was only holding it for the country.

They tried to issue bonds using church land, but that only caused inflation

The state was trying to control the church, taking power out of the Pope’s hands

Division amongst the clergy- Revolutionary priests and “real” priests.

This was one of the greatest blunders of the revolution!

LOUIS ATTEMPTS TO ESCAPE

1791- Louis attempts to flee to Austria, in hopes of getting support against the revolution.

He is stopped in Varennes and sent back to France

This would further bolster the support of the Assembly as Louis is now seen as a traitor.

The flames of war are beginning to heighten as countries across Europe are divided in their support of the Revolution

WAR

The Assembly feared an attack made by the Austrians and decided on a pre-emptive attack

King Louis XVI is in favour of this- why? April1792- France declares war on Austria,

with the Assembly in charge. The Revolution takes a turn for the worse

when a threat by a Prussian General issued against the Assembly, leads the mob to attack Louis XVI’s palace.

Attack on Tuileries Palace (August 10, 1792)

800 people, guards and civilians are killed. Louis XVI is stripped of his crown.

The republic is born.

THE SEPTEMBER MASSACRES (1792)

After the fall of the King, Paris falls under mass hysteria and anarchy.

A handful of insurrectionary volunteers declare that they will not fight the enemies on the frontiers until they had defeat the enemy within.

1100 people- refractory priests and other counterrevolutionaries- are dragged from the city prisons and killed after drumhead trials.

THE “SECOND” FRENCH REVOLUTION

For over 2 ½ years, since October of 1789, there had been no popular violence.

Coming war and the dissatisfaction of the lower classes, coupled with the course of events so far leads to new explosions.

The summer of 1792 would initiate the second and most advanced phase of the Revolution.

The execution of Louis XVI

The National Convention decides that it is best to rid France of the monarchy completely.

On January 20, 1793 Louis XVI is condemned to death. The following day he faced the guillotine.

His final words were: 'I die innocent of all the crimes laid to my charge; I Pardon those who have occasioned my death; and I pray to God that the blood you are going to shed may never be visited on France.'

…and so began the Reign of Terror