INFO ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION YOU PROBABLY OVERLOOKED
Added on: 17th Nov 2016
THE MARQUIS DE SADE, A FRENCH ARISTOCRAT,
REVOLUTIONARY POLITICIAN AND WRITER,
FAMOUS FOR HIS LIBERTINE SEXUALITY AND
PORNOGRAPHIC FICTION, WAS AMONG THE
SEVEN PRISONERS
A TENNIS COURT WAS THE FIRST OFFICIAL
MEETING PLACE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.
MEMBERS OF THE THIRD ESTATE (THE MASSES),
THE CLERGY AND NOBILITY MADE UP THE FIRST
AND SECOND ESTATES, RESPECTIVELY, GATHERED
ON JUNE 20, 1789, ON A TENNIS COURT NEAR THE
PALACE OF VERSAILLES AFTER BEING LOCKED
OUT OF A MEETING OF THE ESTATES GENERAL.
HERE THEY FORMED THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
AND TOOK THE TENNIS COURT OATH. THIS WAS
ALSO THE FIRST TIME FRENCH CITIZENS PUBLICLY
OPPOSED KING LOUIS XVI
THE SWIFT KILLING GUILLOTINE THAT WAS WILDLY
POPULARIZED DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION
REMAINED A LEGAL FORM OF EXECUTION IN
FRANCE UNTIL 1981
DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION MANY PEOPLE
WERE SENT TO THE GUILLOTINE. MANY MORE
WERE BEHEADED IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING THE
REVOLUTION AS WELL, IN AN ERA KNOWN AS THE
REIGN OF TERROR. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT MORE THAN
FORTY THOUSAND PEOPLE WERE EXECUTED
ONE OF THEM WAS KING LOUIS XVI, WHO WAS
BEHEADED ON JANUARY 12, 1793. THE CHARGE
THAT LED TO HIS EXECUTION SUGGESTED HE
HAD CONSPIRED WITH AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA,
ENEMIES OF FRANCE AT THE TIME
WHEN THE ROYAL FAMILY ATTEMPTED TO ESCAPE,
THEY DIDN’T GET VERY FAR DUE TO THE KING’S
VANITY. THE KING’S FACE WAS ON EVERY FRENCH
COIN, A FACT THAT HELPED THE REBELS EASILY
RECOGNIZE HIM
KING LOUIS XVI’S WIFE, MARIE ANTOINETTE, WAS
SEEN BY THE FRENCH AS SOMEONE WHO FLAUNTED
HER WEALTH AND PRIVILEGE. THIS CREATED A
GREAT DEAL OF RESENTMENT TOWARDS HER.
SHE WAS EVENTUALLY BEHEADED, JUST LIKE
HER HUSBAND
IT IS BELIEVED THAT MARIE ANTOINETTE PAID HER
EXECUTIONER WITH A PURSE OF GOLD COINS TO
MAKE SURE THE BLADE HE WOULD USE TO BEHEAD
HER WAS SHARP ENOUGH TO GIVE HER A QUICK,
CLEAN DEATH
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