Week 17- The king, flight to Varennes and Champ de Mars Flashcards
What was the King’s position like by June 1791?
His position was being threatened ever since the establishment of the National Assembly.
He was a ‘prisoner’ in the Tuileries, The Civil Constitution of the Clergy had attacked his beliefs, The political clubs were thriving and becoming increasingly radical.
When did Mirabeau die?
2nd April 1791
What impact did the death of Mirabeau have?
He had been a member of the National Assembly, favouring constitutional monarchy and had acted as a ‘go-between’ for the King.
This meant the King had lost touch with the Assembly.
What events led up to the flight to Varennes?
The King and Queen were in contact with a growing band of émigré nobles who wanted Louis to assert his authority.
Marie-Antoinette was assured by her younger brother, Leopold, that he would help the royal family and had troops waiting along the French border.
What did Louis aim to do with the flight to Varennes?
He was hoping, if he could flee France, a display of pressure would induce revolutionaries to reach a settlement with him.
What lead to the failure of the flight to Varennes?
Louis rejected his advisers’ choice of route and the suggestion that the family should travel separately.
The departure was delayed.
Louis was recognised by an old soldier, Jean-Babtiste Drouet, who rode to the next village (Varennes) and stopped them.
Representatives of the National Assembly escorted them back to Paris.
What impact did the flight to Varennes have?
It increased doubts about the King’s sincerity.
In an attempt to justify his actions, the King spoke of his opposition to many of the Assembly’s decrees.
In the popular clubs and radical press, calls for the King’s abdication and demands for a republic spread.
What did the National assembly do in response to the flight to Varennes?
They decided on a ‘temporary suspension’ on 16th July 1791 until Louis had sworn to uphold the new constitution.
However, 290 Assembly deputies abstained from voting to suspend his powers.
What was the demonstration at the Champ de Mars?
The Cordeliers Club and other societies decided to organise a meeting at the Champ de mars where people could sign a petition calling for the establishment of a republic
When was the demonstration at the Champ de Mars?
17th July 1791
How many people came to the Champ de Mars demonstration?
6000
What did the National Assembly do in response to the Champ de Mars demonstration?
They sent Lafayette and the National Guards to ensure order.
As numbers built up, Lafayette tried to disperse the mob.
However, stones were thrown at the National Guards who, in response, started to shoot into the crowd.
How many died at the Champ de Mars Massacre?
Around 50
What impact did the Champ de Mars Massacre have?
Shocked by the power of the mobs, some took the side of the ‘moderates’.
A group also broke from the Jacobin Club and set up their own moderate ‘Feuillant club’.
The whole event increased the sense of tension and anxiety.
This was made worse by the added fear of an Austrian invasion.
What was the ‘Feuillant club’?
They believed that they must prevent the revolution from becoming more extreme.
They forced the closure of many ‘patriotic’ clubs and newspapers and sent extremist leaders into hiding.
