On December 11, 1792, King Louis was tried for treason. He was executed on January 21, 1793. He was caught off guard when he was being arrested while getting of his carriage. He refused to let himself get tied. He was made to remove his coat. After a while, he relented and allowed himself to be bound. He was escorted to his execution where a huge crowd cheered and rejoiced for his impending death. His last words were, “I die innocent of all the crimes imputed to me. I pardon the authors of my death and pray God that the blood you are about to shed will never fall upon France.” The executioners seized him and he was beheaded. The youngest of the guards, who was at the tender age of 18, immediately seized the head of the King. He displayed it to the people while walking around the scaffolding with very atrocious and indecent gestures. At first, there was silence, which was soon followed by loud cries of, “Vive la Republique!”
Mid-October of 1793, Marie Antoinette was called to be tried. Her family and children were questioned but they refused to say anything against her. She was accused of treason as well as meddling with the government affairs. In reply to her accusations, she said, “I shall never inform against my subjects. I have seen all, understood all and forgotten all!” She was taken back to her prison where she wrote a letter to Madame Elizabeth, asking her to watch over her orphan children but the letter did not reach Madame Elizabeth. Before she was brought to the guillotine, she was stripped off her lavish clothes and was made to wear rags, looking like a peasant. She maintained her dignity until the moment she was beheaded. Once again, the crowd cheered.
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/louis_trial.html
http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage-books.php?Dir=books&author=guerber&book=modfrance&story=antoinette
Image: cerebralboinkfest.blogspot.com
Mid-October of 1793, Marie Antoinette was called to be tried. Her family and children were questioned but they refused to say anything against her. She was accused of treason as well as meddling with the government affairs. In reply to her accusations, she said, “I shall never inform against my subjects. I have seen all, understood all and forgotten all!” She was taken back to her prison where she wrote a letter to Madame Elizabeth, asking her to watch over her orphan children but the letter did not reach Madame Elizabeth. Before she was brought to the guillotine, she was stripped off her lavish clothes and was made to wear rags, looking like a peasant. She maintained her dignity until the moment she was beheaded. Once again, the crowd cheered.
http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/louis_trial.html
http://www.heritage-history.com/www/heritage-books.php?Dir=books&author=guerber&book=modfrance&story=antoinette
Image: cerebralboinkfest.blogspot.com