why were they executed?

Question

Does anyone know why Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI execuited?

Answer 1

"The outbreak of the war with Austria in April 1792, the suspected machinations of the queen's “Austrian committee,” and the publication of the manifesto by the Austrian commander, the duke of Brunswick, threatening the destruction of Paris if the safety of the royal family were again endangered, led to the capture of the Tuileries by the people of Paris and provincial militia on Aug. 10, 1792. It also led to the temporary suspension of the king's powers by the Legislative Assembly and the proclamation of the First French Republic on September 21. In November, proof of Louis XVI's secret dealings with Mirabeau and of his counterrevolutionary intrigues with the foreigners was found in a secret cupboard in the Tuileries. On December 3 it was decided that Louis, who together with his family had been imprisoned since August, should be brought to trial for treason. He himself appeared twice before the Convention (December 11 and 23)."

"Despite the last-minute efforts of the Girondins to save him, Citizen Capet, as he was then called, was found guilty by the National Convention and condemned to death on Jan. 18, 1793, by 387 votes (including 26 in favour of a debate on the possibility of postponing execution) to 334 (including 13 for a death sentence with the proviso that it should be suspended). When a final decision on the question of a respite was taken on January 19, Louis was condemned to death by 380 votes to 310. He was guillotined in the Place de la Révolution in Paris on Jan. 21, 1793. Nine months later his wife met the same fate. Louis XVI's courage on June 20, 1792, when the royal palace was invaded by the Paris mob after his dismissal of the Girondin ministry, and his dignified bearing during his trial and at the moment of execution did something to redeem, but did not reestablish, his reputation."

"Louis XVI", Encyclopædia Britannica : http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9049069/Louis-XVI

"The Indictment of Louis XVI (December 11, 1792)"

"Louis, the French people accuses you of having committed a multitude of crimes in order to establish your tyranny by destroying its liberty."

"1. On 20 June, 1789, you attacked the sovereignty of the people by suspending the assemblies of its representatives and by driving them by violence from the place of their sessions. . . ."

"2. On 23 June you wished to dictate laws to the nation; you surrounded its representatives with troops; you presented them with two royal declarations, subversive of every liberty, and you ordered them to separate. Your declarations and the minutes of the Assembly establish these outrages undeniably."

"3. You caused an army to march against the citizens of Paris; your satellites caused their blood to flow, and you withdrew this army only when the capture of the Bastille and the general insurrection apprised you that the people were victorious. . . ."

"6. For a long time you contemplated flight;. . . but on 21 June [1791] you made your escape with a false passport; you left a declaration against those same constitutional articles; you ordered the ministers not to sign any documents emanating from the National Assembly, and you forbade the Minister of Justice to deliver the Seals of State. The people’s money was wasted in achieving the success of this treason. . . ."

"7. On 14 September you apparently accepted the Constitution; your speeches announced a desire to maintain it, and you worked to overthrow it before it even was achieved."

"15. Your brothers, enemies of the state, have rallied the émigrés under their colors; they have raised regiments, borrowed money, and contracted alliances in your name; you disavowed them only when you were quite certain that you could not harm their plans. . . ."

"30. You tried to bribe, with considerable sums, several members of the Constituent and Legislative Assemblies."

"31. You allowed the French nation to be disgraced in Germany, in Italy, and in Spain, since you did nothing to exact reparation for the ill treatment which the French experienced in those countries."

"32. On 10 August you reviewed the Swiss Guards at five o’clock in the morning; and the Swiss Guards fired first on the citizens."

"33. You caused the blood of Frenchmen to flow."

[Source: John Hall Stewart ed., A Documentary Survey of the French Revolution (New York: Macmillan, 1951), pp. 386-389, 391.]`

"The Trial and Execution of Louis XVI", The History Guide : http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/louis_trial.html

Answer 2

First, Marie Antoinette was not killed by her husband, Louis. This is patently false and the individual who posted that lie should really try not to spread misinformation.
Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI were executed at the hands of common French citizens because they were fabulously rich while the French people were fabulously poor. When Marie Antoinette was told of the suffering of the French people, her people, she replied "Let them eat cake." In other words, she said basically, why are they starving, let them feed themselves. What she didn't understand was that they would have fed themselves had they any food or money. She became a symbol for rich peoples lack of concern for the poor, much like Osama bin Laden has become a symbol for terrorism.

Answer 3

Still considered crown heads of Europe Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were a threat to the New Republic being formed in France. With their exection the leaders of the French Revolution believed that nothing would stand in their way.

Answer 4

The_lips shoots and scores again - - - best most conscise answer. Can only add displace misplaced anger as if murdering Marie and Louis solved anything but the fear of Foreign Invasion was a great excuse and despite the turmoil in France they still rolled over Europe and ripped their enemies a new hole.

For what it is worth Marie & Louis were not all that obnoxious & pathetic and one could get to like them.

Peace....

Answer 5

What a nice mix of answers you have here !

Some sort of right, some nuts and some just plain stooopid.

Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette were executed for treason during the French Revolution. They had been deposed from the throne and were probably seeking military help from outside France to return them to power. The revolutionaries saw this as treason and they were summarily executed by guillotine.

Answer 6

Well, it's nice to see so many people enjoy history :-)

As well as all the political reasons, the execution of the French monarchs by the revolutionaries served a symbolic purpose.

It was a very clear 'end of the era of kings' action for the common people to see and understand, and it also showed the enemies of the revolutionaries what they might expect if caught.

Like any 'big' historical moment, the (separate) executions of the the french queen and king didn't have really just one single reason, but lots of complex events and actions leading to a final consequence.

Best wishes :-)

Answer 7

why yes, actually, studying the french rev at the mo.
k, so basically the french people were all like at the start of the rev, yeah its ok, as long as we make the country fair and equal for all, we'll share power with the monarchy and everything will be dandy, cos we love our king, we just really didnt like the way the country was being run.
but then a few years down the track (like 2) the monarchy were basically losing more and more power, and the people basiaclly keeping them as virtual prisoners within paris, to make them do their bidding.
louis in the meantime was becoming mroe and more upset about his losing power, and had been writing secret (or supposed secret) letters to the reigning foreign monarchs of europe to try and get them to invade and help him out of this situation he was in and the power and humiliation he had suffered at the hands of his people.
eventually, unable to bear this any longer, the royal family made a run for it in disguise to the border of france, and they were only 2 miles away from the border, at a little town of Varennes, whereby they were recognised and excorted back (by force) to paris.
people were outraged... and to cut a long story short, with an immensity of faith lost in their monarch, Louis was put on trial for treason against his country and revolution, and found guilty adn guillotined.
a few months later.. i think it was nine or something, marie antoinette was also put on trial for treason, spending excess amounts of money and thereby placing the country in financial crisis, and of plotting to over throw the rev, she was also condemned to death.
this was not at all surprising of the fate of marie, for few in paris actually liked the austrian french queen, many painting and publishing ludicrous gossip and slander against her person, where the famous line 'let them eat cake' comes from (which actually is not true), and where she earned the nick name 'madame deficit'.
as for louis though, it is questioned, had he not attempted to flee for the austrian border, would he have been saved the fate of a beheading? he was indeed widely loved by his country.

Answer 8

Because they were plotting with other European royal families to have the French Revolution overthrown by military force. Remember, the Revolution was the first time a centuries-old tradition of royal divine right was challenged by democracy and republicanism: they were not going to go quietly.

Answer 9

It was during the French revolution, when the masses defeated the monarchy.

Answer 10

I so completely agree. I mean, one minute, they're all like, we are waiting to right here while Saddam would be complete. Then, all of a sudden_BOOM! he's lifeless. i think of they permit him flow or somebody died for him or something. I mean, they're former ruler is "lifeless". they could actual have photos for each guy or woman to ascertain. Like they say, you gotta see to have faith it. i individually think of somethings occurring. enable's see what happens.