Fall of the Monarchy

The Legislative Assembly of France during the French Revolution decides to declare the First Republic and abolition of the monarchy. The law was passed a year after King Louis XVI grudgingly endorsed a new constitution that greatly reduced his authority.

When Louis came to the French throne in 1774, he was ill-equipped to deal with the grave financial issues his predecessors had left behind. The French Revolution began in 1789 as a result of a food shortage and an economic downturn. In September 1792, the monarchy was overthrown after King Louis and his queen, Mary-Antoinette, were put in jail in August. Soon after, Louis was put on trial for treason after evidence of his counterrevolutionary plots with other countries was found. Louis was found guilty in January 1793 and given the death penalty by a slim majority. He stubbornly approached the guillotine on January 21 and was put to death. Nine months later, Marie-Antoinette went with him to the guillotine.