Primary Source

Arrival of the Royal Family in Paris on 6 October 1789

Engraving of the seizure of the king to bring him to Paris

Annotation

When the revolutionaries, led by thousands of women, marched to Versailles, they triumphantly seized and then brought the king to Paris, where he would live in the midst of his people. Here this image attempts to maintain a perception of royal pomp and grandeur, ignoring the reality that the king was forced against his will. Still few could fully foresee the ultimate changes underway –– that the king had lost much of his sacred aura and was now headed toward an uncertain future.

Transcription

Title in French
Arrivée du Roi et de la famille royale à Paris, le 6 octobre 1789

Credits

Bibliothèque nationale de France, département Estampes et photographie, RESERVE FOL-QB-201 (119)

Collection Michel Hennin. Estampes relatives à l'Histoire de France. Tome 119, Pièces 10386-10489, période : 1789

How to Cite This Source

"Arrival of the Royal Family in Paris on 6 October 1789," in World History Commons, https://worldhistorycommons.org/arrival-royal-family-paris-6-october-1789 [accessed November 1, 2024]