The French Monarchy Falls in a Day
Summary
This episode details the storming of the Tuileries Palace on August 10, 1792, which effectively ended the French monarchy. Host Sally Helm and historians Dr. David Andrus and Professor Marisa Linton examine King Louis XVI’s incompetence and the radical sans-culottes’ decision to overthrow him. The narrative covers the Swiss Guard’s fierce but futile defense, the king’s suspension, and his eventual execution in 1793.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The bells of August 10, 1792
Louis XVI's incompetence and the fall of Versailles
Marie Antoinette and the failed escape attempt
War, inflation, and the rise of the Sans-Culottes
The Insurrectionary Commune prepares to attack
Louis XVI's indecision and flight to the Assembly
The storming of the Tuileries Palace begins
The massacre of the Swiss Guard
Looting the palace and suspending the king
Imprisonment, trial, and execution of Louis XVI
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