2. Storming of BastilleJuly 14th, 1789
Days are all of the same length, yet some seem shorter than others...
The past week had passed by in a breeze. Everything has changed. I knew nothing would be the same after this...
I shouted towards the worn-out crowd. I was no longer afraid to speak out, after all, what more can our ruthless tyrant do?
“Shall we continue listening to his ongoing rampant?” No!
“Shall we continue believing the deception he has been force-feeding us?” No!
“Together, comrades. Strength, comrades. Democracy, comrades!” The crowd cheered, and chanted my name... Paige! Paige! Paige...
I purged for hours onwards, yet my ideas remained the same. The King and his Queen were responsible for everything that had happened! King Louis the XVI had committed high treason, and his wife is
nothing more than a traitor! His indecisive decisions had rendered France both bankrupt and hungry. Years of years of famine inflated food to an exorbitant price; I’ve resorted to stealing just to keep my
family alive, while the egotistic aristocrats walked around with their bellies full- their heads held high. I felt so guilty for stealing food from others; other people that I knew needed it, yet I had no other choice.
I’ve had enough of this.
We gathered at Versailles, and tried discussing, through civil manners, our requests from the king, yet not only did he reject our offer- he ordered thousands of soldiers to disband our appeal.
His selfishness and devotion towards the nobility disgusted me...
I could feel the rage flowing through fellow peasants, as I knew we all thinking the same things. France had to be revolutionized for the common good, and I knew, from the faces of my fellow comrades,
that we would use force if necessary. I’ve heard rumors that the ancient prison of Bastille possessed a huge cache of weapons, and I knew we needed access of them if we were to ever make
change happen.
“Onwards to Bastille!” I commanded towards the gathering crowd.
I ushered men, women, children; everyone to follow, and together, we gathered in front of the ancient fortress. We fought with indefinite words; undeniable reasoning, yet this saw no success.
I was thrown to the floor; a wave of energy flew past my face. I could recognize this noise above anything. I was still struggling to get up, when I saw a familiar face lunge to me. I didn’t know who he was,
yet I knew we were both the same. We were all victims of the king’s corruption. I looked back up, yet the face had fallen; his body slumped towards the ground. “Comrades! Their commander had ordered
his men to shoot! So I suggest we do the same... Attack Bastille!”
We stormed into the prison; their weapons were rendered insignificant against our zest. The rumors turned out to be true. Stockpiles of gunpowder and ammunition were lain around in the fortress.
“Release the prisoners, comrades, the King is our only enemy!” I hollered towards the crowd. “Together, King Louis the XVI will be the last king we’ll ever have!”
From that moment on, I knew France would never be the same.
Paige Abel
The Fortress of Bastille
3. Women’s March on Versailles
October 5th, 1789
Depression ransacked our community.
Our rebellion completely captured the attention of Europe. The revolutionary party had lost hundreds of brave soldiers, yet our effect now appeared insignificant. The blood we had shed
was still not enough.
My dear wife Paris was irritated with the inflating price of food, and blamed me for causing this issue- after all, it was me who organized the storming of Bastille. The previous famine
had taken away my uncle, and I swore it wouldn’t do any more damage.
France was as impoverished as ever. Our little community was penniless; the streets were piled with garbage, and there were still people scavenging from it. If this year’s harvest was
insufficient, our community would probably starve. The idea of marching to Versailles, the King’s palace, was brought up, and spread throughout a few months ago. That idea was soon
to be put into action...
Each and every one of those brave women grasped a pitchfork, and prepared themselves for this momentous event. Paris herself joined this riot. I felt concerned for her, yet I knew the
revolting tyrant no longer had any authority. She wanted to take part in the overthrow of the French monarchy, and I was in no position to stop her.
Their will to fight and support their families that fueled their combatant spirit. Paris told me they had marched for hours and hours until they finally reached the king’s palace, the
palace of Versailles. The march was treacherous, yet they never deviated from their path; their will to bring the king to justice was too strong to allow that to happen. The king’s
guards were insufficient in protecting the king against the zealous mob. The women easily overwhelmed the guards, and marched towards the king’s room. The evil that the king once
plagued us with was now defeated. The women asked for nothing but bread, yet the tyrant refused to give them just that. Now, our voices was finally to be heard; our thoughts were
finally going to put into action.
The mob commanded the traitor to go back to Paris, to both officially abdicate his throne, and face the charges that he deserved. With the king now gone, we could
finally instate our thoughts into a constitutional reformation that will govern us all! Law would finally be on our side! At least that’s what I thought...
Paige Abel
Women with Pitchforks Marching to Versailles
4. The French Revolutionary War
October 24th, 1792
War! The French Revolutionary Party was finally given the authority to rule France, and our foreshadowed history was altered yet again! The once frail French military was now feared in all of Europe;
significant change can occur with a simplistic change of government, with me now as general. A simple man once asked whether it’d be better to be feared or respected- I told him both. I was bestowed
this position after word spread of my contribution to the storming of Bastille. I swore to govern our military decisively, and our recent victories reinforced my claim.
The once feeble third estate was now transformed into the most influential class in France; while the immense authority the nobility once had was diminished. I wanted nothing more than to see the end
of those selfish aristocrats, and witnessed many public executions of the nobility. They were finally brought to justice!
“Off with his head!” was now iterated by us, and was sentenced to those who had once abused that term.
Our supremacy over the government was now indisputable. If a counter-revolutionary was discovered, he would be executed. If any former members of the high nobility were discovered, they would
suffer the same fate. No one dared challenge our authority. France was now transformed, and would continue to do the same. We invaded neighboring Prussia, beginning France’s first battle.
The Battle of Valmy was about to commence! Our new militia consisted of both soldiers of the ancient government, and patriotic zealots. Although they appeared to be nothing more than mere
peasants, they were soldiers at heart, and their devotion towards our new government fueled our battles. We outnumbered and overwhelmed the insignificant Prussians; their attempts to defend
against our might was fruitless. We’ve spilled more blood than our adversary, yet this only encouraged us more. Before long, we had the Prussians retreating, and the battle was won.
I ensured that members in my former community had an abundance of food and clean water. After all, it was them who stormed Bastille, and it was them who supported me all the way through. Their
bravery deserved to be commended, and I confirmed that happened. My family recently made the move to Paris, and I had acquired a beautiful apartment. I now understood why the aristocrats never
wanted to pay taxes- they needed that money to sustain their opulent, Parisian lifestyles. But now, it was our time to prosper, and it was our turn to rule! And we will soon have so much more to rule!
Paige Abel
Battle fought in the French Revolutionary War
5. King Louis the XVI’s Execution
October 22nd, 1793
“Off with his head! Off with his head!” the crowd chanted, seemingly never-ending.
I caught a glimpse of King Louis the XVI’s carriage arriving up the street. His eyes were posed at the crowd; their constant cheers of his own demise. I felt no forgiveness for the king.
His acts of tyranny not only obliterated the once magnificent France, they had struck me down.
He has committed high treason, an offense worse than no other. He deserved no finer punishment; an instant, shameful death. Death by the guillotine. He will no longer bathe in luxury
while the rest of France suffers. He will no longer manipulate us with his trickery. He will finally join us, and experience the pain he had inflicted upon himself.
The guards had to drag the resistant King towards the platform. The towering masses surrounded and bombarded the autocrat with insults, all of which he deserved; the king ignored
everything, as with his ignorant self, and was heaved upon the stage. The path leading towards the scaffold was extremely difficult to pass. Bickering crowds tore at each
other to attack the king, yet were eventually forced back by the guards. He was led up the podium, and was chained to the frame of the contraption.
“I die innocent off all the crimes laid before my charge, and I pray to God that the blood you are going to shed may never be visited in France!” the king bawled towards the crowd.
The crowd rejected his plead with constant and consistent boos. I believed nothing that came out of the tyrant’s mouth, and knew he deserved nothing than his inevitable fate. Today was a
great day for France! The once searing pierces of sunshine now warmed me dearly.
“Raise the blade!” I commanded, “the King shall now be brought to justice!”
The crowd felt silence. The executioner let go of the rope, beginning the blade’s path.
“I am innocent...” the King yelled.
The once immortal evil had finally been ridden from France, however, the continuous echoes of ‘I am innocent... I am innocent” haunted the square. Although he had perished, his final
iteration cursed the crowd. A chill fell down my spine. The head of King Louis was lifted upon a stick, and was broadcasted to satisfy the crowd, yet I knew he still hadn’t been defeated.
I understood that many more would have to be put to death before France would finally cleanse itself of all its demons. Satan may had abdicated his throne, yet his queen,
Marie Antoinette, still roams the lands. The evil was still fresh in the air, and I heard one, last ‘I am innocent...”, before I thrusted my fist into the air, and bellowed, “France had rid of the devil!”
Paige Abel
King Louis’s Execution- His Head Shown to the Masses
6. Reign of Terror
July 28th, 1794
Old age heightened my venerability, yet blurred my foresight. I was championed in France- at least until now. Our invasion of Piedmont had failed, and I was to blame. Robespierre had executed
even those who uttered, “Long live King Louis”, and I had mortified France’s status. Our bitter defeat had taken the lives of countless brave soldiers, and now, it was about to take mine. I had
been convicted of high treason, and was branded the death sentence. The terror had now spread to me.
We were surprised that the Prussians had amassed such a significant force. They overwhelmed us immediately, it was obvious that this was a battle we could not win. I ordered my soldiers to
retreat, yet their zest demanded them to continue fighting. Before long, they had rounded up hundreds of prisoners, and slandered our military might. I appealed before the National Convention,
asking to organize another invasion, yet they denied my request. They stripped me of my position, and informed me that I had failed France.
Many a peasant who even uttered the term “King Louis” was executed. A surge of fear had blanketed France, terrorizing all anti-nationalists. We had cleansed France of it’s evil, yet the process
would take me along with it. Robespierre ensured that France would rise up, recreated in his vision. With him, nothing will change. Robespierre was a traitor! He was trying to undermine the
Jacobins from within!
“Off with his head!” the now enlarging crowd chanted.
I thought my wrongdoings had disgraced France, yet Robespierre had transformed the dear motherland into something I could not love. Before I knew it, the guards had already directed me
upon the stage; my ideas must be brought out, the people distinguish the filth that snitch had been up to.
“He’s a traitor... He is nothing but King Louis, maybe even worse... He is the enemy!” I relentlessly shouted towards the crowd, yet my oration was rejected; my statement furthermore sealed
my fate.
The guards forced me into the frame, and cuffed my arms into the chassis of the guillotine. I peered upwards, and starred deeply into the hanging blade. I closed my eyes, and faced downwards.
The cheers were growing indefinitely, cheers celebrating my execution, my demise. Diary... I can’t write anymore. Paris, if you are ever to find this, know that I will always love you.
My time is over. The blade will soon drop, and now, I must drop you...
Paige Abel
Constant Executions- The Reign of Terror
7. Works CitedThe Storming of Bastille:
"Bastille Day." Storming of the Bastille. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. <http://bastille-day.com/history/Storming-Of-The-Bastille-July-14-1789>.
The Women’s March on Versailles:
"Women's March on Versailles." Women's March on Versailles. N.p., 9 Mar. 2013. Web. <http://www.historywiz.com/womensmarch.htm>.
The French Revolutionary War:
"Battle of Valmy, 20 September 1792." Battle of Valmy, 20 September 1792. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. <http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_valmy.html>.
King Louis the XVI’s Execution:
"The Execution of Louis XVI, 1793." The Execution of Louis XVI, 1793. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2013. <http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/louis.htm>.
The Reign of Terror:
"The Reign of Terror." The Reign of Terror. History Wiz, n.d. Web. 15 May 2013. <http://www.historywiz.com/terror.htm>.
