women march versailles women march versailles known october march october days simply march versailles earliest significant events french revolution march began women paris morning october near rioting high price bread demonstrations quickly activities revolutionaries seeking liberal political reforms constitutional monarchy france market women allies grew mob thousands encouraged revolutionary city weapons marched palace versailles crowd besieged palace dramatic violent confrontation successfully pressed demands king day crowd compelled king family return paris events ended king independence change power reforms overtake france march new balance power displaced ancient privileged orders french nobility favored nation common people collectively termed estate bringing people representing sources revolution largest numbers march versailles proved defining moment revolution background grain market implemented main cause famine led flour war end fear famine present lower strata estate rumors famine poor rampant readily believed mere rumors food shortage led riots april rumors plot aiming destroy wheat crops order population provoked great fear summer october took place france revolutionary decade barely begun revolution capacity violence fully realized occurred months earlier flush newly discovered power common citizens france particularly capital paris felt newly discovered desire participate politics government exclusively concerned issue food workers spent nearly half income bread period price inflation severe shortages paris commonplace local incidents violence king court deputies comfortable residence royal city versailles considering changes french political system deputies managed pass sweeping legislation weeks fall including revolutionary august formally abolished noble clerical privileges declaration rights man citizen attention turned creation permanent constitution conservatives degrees far unable resist strength september positions beginning slightly improve constitutional negotiations able secure legislative veto power king left negotiations seat royal power environment stronghold paris metropolis lay walking distance kilometres northeast deputies aware deputies working transfer assembly distant royalist city tours place efforts versailles worse feared king growing presence royal troops simply dissolve assembly august king considering september issued formal statement giving approval portion deputies anger king stated october reservations declaration rights man early plans despite post revolutionary mythology march spontaneous event numerous calls mass demonstration versailles saint popular royal called march august deputies claimed protecting king veto power efforts revolutionaries continued hold idea march versailles king accept assembly laws speakers mentioned regularly month creating enduring suspicions proprietor duke idea march versailles widespread discussed pages september menacing unrest air nobles foreigners fled oppressive atmosphere royal banquet following mutiny french guards hours troops immediately available security palace versailles aristocratic body guard swiss primarily ceremonial units lacked numbers training provide effective protection royal family government accordingly regular infantry regiment ordered versailles late september king minister war measure october officers versailles held welcoming banquet officers new troops customary practice unit changed garrison royal family briefly attended affair walking tables set opera house palace outside central courtyard soldiers king grew night wore lavish banquet certain suffering time severe reported newspapers short worst papers reputed drunken officers said stamped symbol nation professed allegiance solely white embellished tale royal banquet source intense public outrage beginning march morning october young woman struck marching drum edge group market women infuriated chronic shortage high price bread starting point markets eastern section paris known saint angry women forced nearby church toll bells numbers continued grow restless energy group began march women nearby joined bearing kitchen blades makeshift weapons church towers districts driven variety mob demanded bread arms women men arrived crowd outside city hall reached seven thousand thousand men prominent drum led infectious cry versailles popular figure market women unofficial given leadership role hardly gentle man helped suppress force character mob worst instincts rescued priest commonly known trying safeguard gun powder storage crowd taking provisions weapons helped prevent burning entire building course attention turned versailles filtered streets number women group leaders gave loose sense order proceedings led crowd city driving rain left thousands heard news assembling place paris commander chief discovered dismay soldiers largely favor march join france greatest war heroes dissuade troops began threatening desert leave mob municipal government told guide movements instructed request king return voluntarily paris satisfy people sending swift forward warn versailles contemplated near mutiny men aware openly promised kill lead way clock afternoon thousand guards thousand civilian set versailles reluctantly took place head column hoping protect king public order goals march hunger despair market women original impetus march started search bread soon took ambitious goal opened plentiful stores remained wanted meal assurance bread plentiful cheap famine real present lower strata estate rumors plot poor rampant readily believed time common resentment attitudes prevailing court circles sparked notorious banquet precipitated political aspects march deeper planners crowd spread word king needed dismiss royal entirely replace patriotic line argument compelling resonance soldiers popular goals largely revolutionaries idea king court assembly moved paris reside people foreign soldiers expelled food reliably available france served leader communion people plan appealed segments crowd supportive monarchy women felt idea bringing home good plan revolutionaries preservation recent legislation creation constitution paramount king paris provide best possible environment revolution succeed siege palace crowd traveled distance paris versailles hours makeshift weaponry dragged cannons taken energetic recruited impressed service followers paris autumn rain ambiguous aggressive slang enthusiastically bringing king home spoke queen restraint calling death crowd finally reached versailles met group assembled surrounding area members assembly greeted invited hall people need bread spoke restless came pouring assembly sank exhausted deputies benches hungry rain confirm siege simple demand food unprotected deputies choice receive shouted speakers demanded hear popular deputy great declined chance nonetheless market women sitting time knee deputies welcomed warmly including time relatively obscure figure politics gave strong words support women plight efforts received helped greatly crowd hostility assembly king options available president assembly accompanied market women palace king group women nominated crowd escorted king apartment told crowd king responded charm impressed women point feet brief pleasant meeting arrangements food royal stores promised crowd felt goals met rain began versailles small cluster market women paris crowd remained palace grounds rumors women queen inevitably force king break promises aware surrounding dangers louis discussed situation advisors clock evening king effort quell rising tide insurrection announced accept august declaration rights man qualification adequate preparations defend palace bulk royal guards deployed arms main square hours facing hostile crowd withdrawn far end park versailles words officers overwhelmed sleep thought left usual night guard posted palace late evening national approached avenue paris immediately left troops went king announcing declaration come die feet majesty outside uneasy night spent groups sounded crowd denounced traitor complaining resistance leaving paris march light morning alliance national guards women evident crowd restored resumed attack palace clock morning protesters discovered small gate palace making way inside searched queen royal guards raced palace doors compromised sector fired guns killing young member crowd infuriated rest breach streamed inside separately attempted face crowd violence boiled head raised aloft pike screaming filled halls queen ran ladies king spent minutes locked door din close brush death barely escaped doorway time chaos continued royal guards found beaten killed head appeared atop pike finally fury attack subsided permit communication french guards formed professional core royal corps units history cooperation military sense mutual respect hours sleep exhaustion relief sets soldiers reconciled charismatic peace established palace intervention fighting ceased commands troops cleared palace mob outside rank file regular unit present appeared unwilling act people earned court convinced king address crowd men stepped balcony unexpected cry went relieved king briefly conveyed willingness return paris love good faithful subjects crowd joy dramatically pinning hat king nearest bodyguard king withdrew crowd denied accord queen presence demanded loudly brought balcony accompanied young son daughter crowd shouted children taken away stage set queen stood hands crossed chest crowd muskets leveled direction warmed courage amid unlikely development let mob fury drain away dramatic timing flair kissed hand responded muted respect raised cheer queen heard long time goodwill generated surprising turn events situation observers scene balcony mere long term resonance pleased royal displays crowd insisted king come paris return paris clock afternoon october vast escorted royal family complement deputies capital time armed leading way mass people grown thousand return trip took hours procession merry times hoisted bread stuck tips market women rode captured cannon crowd sang good violent mentality celebratory flew royal carriage carried bearing heads slaughtered versailles guards sense victory parade understood king fully service people understood king arriving dilapidated palace abandoned reign asked orders replied let asked history deposed brought library aftermath rest followed king weeks new quarters paris short order entire body settled steps riding school deputies come believing mob threat capital personally dangerous october effectively deprived faction significant representation assembly deputies retreated political scene like fled country altogether conversely defense march raised public profile considerably episode gave lasting heroic status reputation patron poor later rise virtual dictator revolution greatly facilitated actions occupation assembly initially acclaimed found tied closely king revolution progressed exile radical leadership returned paris status local hero permanent participated later stricken illness dying age thirty women paris march source revolutionary mothers nation highly celebrated return praised successive governments years come king officially welcomed paris respectful ceremony held mayor return touted turning point revolution end optimistic observers declared france enter new golden age revived popular constitutional monarchy wary journalist wrote source great good people paris king midst presence quickly change outward appearance things poor longer die starvation happiness soon like dream ensure midst lasted constitution ratified aspect shares dear fellow citizens remain years french constitution signed september required popular intervention happen louis attempted work framework limited powers women march won little support royal family remained virtual prisoners desperate abortive flight june attempting escape join royalist armies king captured mixture citizens national hauled paris permanently louis forced accept constitution previously forward spiral decline king fortunes culminated conspiracy theory women marching suspicious eyes looked duke july uprisings responsible event duke cousin energetic proponent constitutional monarchy open secret felt uniquely qualified king system allegations specific actions concerning october march remain largely long considered significant events duke certainly present deputy assembly described contemporaries smiling warmly walked protesters height siege said hailed like king long live king scholars believe duke paid agents fan discontent women march bread drive bring king paris suggest coordinated way powerful statesman time use advance agenda far assert crowd guided important allies dressed women clothes revolution foremost histories describe involvement duke action efforts created defined october duke investigated crown proven suspicion helped convince offer diplomatic mission outside country returned france following summer resumed place assembly officially march revolution moved forward terror duke royal lineage alleged convicted minds radical leaders sent execution november legacy women march signal event french revolution impact par fall march stand inspirational example power popular movements occupation deputies benches assembly created template future mob rule frequently influence successive governments decisive invasion palace attack removed forever monarchy marked end king resistance tide reform open attempts push revolution historian states defeats royalty recovered
Women's March on Versailles