TRIAL OF LOUIS XVI

THE TRIAL OF THE KING

Tasks:

1) Using the trial fact file, do you think Louis’s trial will be a fair one? Explain why.

2) Read the sources. What is Louis accused of in: a) source 1; b)source 2 and c) source 3?

3) What does Saint-Just think should happen to Louis?

4) What impression of Louis does sources 1, 2 and 3 give you?

1.      I think Louis´s trial is fair because he contributed to the ruin of the country during his reign. However, in the trial most people will be against him and he doesn´t have chances of not being executed for the things he had done.

2.      Louis was accused of detesting the new constitution and of oppressing a free nation; he declared himself its enemy and he abused its laws. Louis was also charged for organizing treason in all border towns to cause an invasion on France. He had also continued to support the émigrés with money, and paralyzed the actions of the government. People believed that his acceptance of the constitution was just a trick to keep him on the throne while he waited for the foreign armies to re-establish his rule on the ruins of the constitution.

3.      Saint-Just thought that Louis should be executed so as to ensure the peacefulness of the French people.

4.      I got the impression that Louis was a very unfortunate king that had to deal with the revolution. If he had given the third estate a bit of the improvements they deserved, he could have avoided the revolution. I also believed that his charges were so serious that people would definitely kill him.}

Tasks:

1) Read sources 4 and 5. What defence does each source offer on behalf of Louis?

2) What opinion do you have of Louis after reading sources 4 and 5? Why?

3) Read sources 6, 7 and 8. What opinion of Louis do these sources give you? Explain how.

4) Read Louis’s answers to the charges in sources 7 and 8 again. Do you believe him? Explain why.

1.      Louis´s lawyers tried to defend him by claiming that Louis was the only king who yielded some of his power for the sake of people. Another lawyer claimed that Louis had never used his power to oppress and kill the mob. In 1789 at Versailles he ordered his armed guards not to defend him. And at Varennes he preferred to be brought back rather than cause the death of a single man.

2.      Considering the defense, I think that their points are right because Louis never tried to be a tyrant. And he didn´t use his royal power to stop the revolution by killing all people who had intentions to reform the country. Instead he accepted the new constitution and to be a constitutional monarch.

3.      After reading those sources, I think that Louis already knew that he would be executed. May be he had given up hopes or he was tired of having to accept ruling under a different monarchy. He lied when they asked him about the invasion over France that he was planning with foreign countries to recover his power.

4.      I think that Louis lied in his declarations because he did have intentions od disorganizing the army and he asked his allied monarchs to invade France. I think that the deputies did not believe him. Louis said: ”I will argue for my life but not beg for it.” He knew that the deputies would not believe him anyway so he did not make much effort to seem innocent.