A great number of French aristocrats supported the American Revolution. The American Revolution started during King Louis XVI first year of reign, in 1775. For the first three years of the war, he secretly supported the colonies and later on, supported them openly. There is a possibility that without the French aid, the colonies would not have been able to win.
The French marquis, Lafayette, was not comfortable serving for Louis XV and therefore left France and went to the colonies to help fight the American Revolution. Although he was viewed as a patriot because he fought against England, he left without royal permission. He was therefore put under house arrest for a short amount of time. But soon after he was released and went hunting with the King.
Marie Antoinette did not have a very high opinion of Lafayette, but soon after he returned from the American Revolution she appointed him Commander -in-Chief of the King's Dragoons.
From the American Revolution came the French Revolution of 1789. And most of the attention was focused on Marie Antoinette. On October 5, 1789, a huge mob of women (and some men dressed as women) stormed into Versailles demanding for Marie Antoinette's blood. And when she found out the mob was coming she calmly stated to the people in the room, "I know they have come from Paris to demand my head, but I learned from my mother not to fear death and I shall await it with firmness." When the mob was at Versailles, Antoinette stepped onto the balcony alone and curtsied to the crowd. Lafayette followed, bowed to the queen and kissed her hand. Lafayette was considered a big hero so the crowd, surprised at this act of loyalty, cheered and were impressed. They yelled, "Vive la reine!" (Long live the queen!)
While her life and the lives of her family were spared temporarily, they were all taken to Paris and imprisoned in the Tuilieries palace. |
