2007-04-02 08:24:20 · 4 answers · asked by S O 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
On the night of June 20th, 1791, during the French Revolution, King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette tried to flee the country by coach. It was believed that they were heading to join France's enemies and were thus guilty of treason. They were arrested 124 miles from Paris and brought back to Paris under armed guard. This initiated the radical period of the Revolution. The National Convention was now calling for the end of the monarchy. This soon led to the death of the King in 1793 by guillotine, the Queen by guillotine in 1794 and the ensuing "Reign of Terror"
2007-04-02 09:16:30 · answer #1 · answered by harveymac1336 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Louis XVI of France (1774-1793) did his best but he made a series of very stupid mistakes.
After Louis XV he actually led the people in the middle class to believe that he will make a change. At that time, almost 400000 clerics and noblemen had the privilege to not pay taxes although they were extremely wealthy. The rest of the population (24-25 mil) payed taxes and were not satisfied. He promised that he will reduce taxes, that he will let the people rule in some extent, that he will dissolve the internal taxes that slowed commerce down.
The noble, however, started launching attacks on the monarchy in the 1780's. They lost a part of their political power during Louis XIV, Louis XVI's grandfather. They wanted those rights back.
That and the fact that people were not happy because they had no political power, they were slowed down in business because of the jealous noblemen, and they were being pushed by Enlightenment philosophers that considered that all men are equal, played a crucial role in the upcoming revolution.
There were also financial problems: the stupid tax system bankrupted the monarchy after wars. France also got implicated in the American revolution to irritate Great Britain between 1775-1783. Rochambeau made an expedition to help the colonies in 1780.
Also the king's court was very expensive for the state mainly because of the luxury at Versailles.
The crucial error was made in 1789 when, after 175 years, the king was force to summon the Parliament, hoping he could reform the state. We all know what happened.
So maybe Louis was guilty, but maybe he wasn't at the right time in the right place!
2007-04-02 16:00:47 · answer #2 · answered by Liviu T 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It was gonna fall, he only accerated the demise of the monarchy in France. Like many last Kings of ... Nicholas II, Kaiser Wihlem II, the Dowager Empress of China, they all were the last of an old empire that just happened to be the unlucky one to come last... when an empire falls, its not usually because of anything the last leader did or didn't do.
2007-04-02 15:38:07 · answer #3 · answered by Dan M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This may help to answer your question, just click on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XVI_of_France
2007-04-02 16:07:22 · answer #4 · answered by junkmail 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋