Beyond the Bastille: Pivotal Events from the French Revolution

  “Fall of Maximilien Robespierre,” Wikipedia, September 2, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Maximilien_Robespierre. Tony Barber, “The Fall of Robespierre by Colin Jones - A Revolutionary End,” Financial Times, October 18, 2021, https://www.ft.com/content/12f33c91-5b7b-45fa-a295-afdfea735eec. After the creation of the first French Republic there came a period of atrocities and suffering for the people of Paris that would begin to climax on July 26, 1794. While the war against Europe was going better for France, the public executions and massacres were not stopping. This prompted the people to begin to increase their opposition towards Maximilien Robespierre, who had a prominent position with the Committee of Public Safety (CPS).¹ Through a series of political executions, Robespierre essentially ended up becoming the man that ran France through the Reign of Terror. On July 26, Robespierre came into the National Convention and gave a harrowing speech where he threaten his ...

  “‘a Slight Freshness on the Neck’: Prints Depicting the Execution of Louis XVI (ca. 1793),” The Public Domain Review, accessed September 12, 2023, https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/execution-by-guillotine-of-louis-xvi/. The Print Collector/Heritage Images/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY, “Execution of Louis XVI of France, Paris, 21st January 1793 - Stock Image - C042/3902,” Science Photo Library, accessed September 12, 2023, https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/980409/view/execution-of-louis-xvi-of-france-paris-21st-january-1793. On the foggy morning of  January 21, a carriage traversed a two mile route without the slightest bit of urgency.¹ Some say it was probably to take in the sights one last time. The unlucky occupant of that carriage was the king himself, King Louis XVI. Having endured almost 4 years of revolution in his nation and being accused of high treason, the king could see the end in sight. The final destination of the carriage was the Place de la Revolution, forme...

  “France’s ‘Second Revolution’: The Storming of the Tuileries Palace: History Revision for GCSE, IGCSE, IB and AS/A2 HISTORY: Mr Allsop History,” History revision for GCSE IGCSE IB and ASA2 History Mr Allsop History Frances Second Revolution the storming of the Tuileries Palace Comments, accessed September 12, 2023, https://www.mrallsophistory.com/revision/description-the-second-revolution-storming-of-the-tuileries-palace-10th-aug-1792.html. Alpha History, “The Attack on the Tuileries,” French Revolution, October 23, 2022, https://alphahistory.com/frenchrevolution/attack-on-the-tuileries/. It was two in the morning of August 10th, people can be heard and seen all throughout the streets making their way to the Tuileries Palace.¹ Approximately an hour after, the lines of artillery among other arrangements are visible in preparation of the upcoming storming of the palace. While the crowds amassed, some artillerymen and National Guardsmen defending the palace were enticed by the revol...

Related Posts, About The Author                William Clark, and Name:*, “Explained: The Flight to Varennes,” Grey History Podcasts, June 26, 2022, https://greyhistory.com/maps-of-the-flight-to-varennes/.   “Flight to Varennes,” Wikipedia, August 28, 2023, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_to_Varennes. Beginning at the first hour of June 21, 1791, King Louis XVI along with his family attempted a daring flight from Paris to Montmedy in the midst of the French Revolution. The reasoning behind this flight was to join up with royalist troops in order to mount a counter-revolution against the insurgency.  Commencing at the Tuileries Palace, the disguised royal family decided to slip out using the cover of darkness in the early hours of July 21 to increase their odds of success.¹ Even though, they unintuitively settled on traveling in a heavy and salient horse drawn carriage against the advice of the Swedish Count Axel Von Fersen, who had ...

    “Storming of the Bastille,” Encyclopædia Britannica, accessed September 12, 2023, https://www.britannica.com/event/storming-of-the-Bastille. The Print Collector/Heritage Images/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY, “Storming of the Bastille, Paris, 14th July 1789 - Stock Image - C042/3339,” Science Photo Library, accessed September 12, 2023, https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/979846/view/storming-of-the-bastille-paris-14th-july-1789. Beginning at midnight on July 14, 1789, it was more than evident that the Milice Bourgeoisie (Parisian Militia) had full control over the streets of Paris.¹ With this authority over the city, they would stop all vehicles attempting to leave and redirect them to the Place de Greve to be searched. The militia were scouring the whole city to find supplies and weapons to support the insurgency, but what they found was not enough. Eventually this would lead to them turning their sights towards the Bastille in search for gunpowder. On approach, the governor of t...