The Flight to Varennes



Two years after Parisians razed the Bastille

The French King, Louis the Sixteenth did steal ...

Away - from his imprisonment at Tuileries Palace

Making his way to Austria, without any real malice



But after he and Marie Antoinette were headed off

At Varennes, and brought back to Paris ... scoffed

At the Revolution, and attempted to bring it down

Which is why it wouldn't be long before the crown



Would be dismissed, and also the wearer's head

For Louis the Sixteenth miscalculated the thread

Which tied him to the throne, believing he was above

... The attitude cost him dearly, as he was scrubbed



The downhill slide of Louis began at the time of the American Revolution ...

For he chose to provide financial aid to the Colonies to help with their solution

And in so doing, he depleted France's own treasury

A nasty situation ... resulting in his head severing ...



- Tristram



© Christopher W. Thomas

8:55pm Sun. June 20th, 1999



Notable Dates in the Life of Louis XVI



August 23rd, 1754 - born at Versailles

1765 - became Dauphin of France

1770 - married Marie Antoinette

1774 - crowned King of France

1776 - replaced Finance Minister 

(Turgot resigned, Necker appointed)

1778-1781 - granted U.S. Financial Aid

1781 - replaced Finance Minister

(Necker resigned, de Calonne appointed)

1788 - replaced Finance Minister

(de Calonne resigned, Necker recalled)

1788 - Louis called for Estates-General

(essentially, relinquishing power to them)

July 14th, 1789 - The Bastille was mobbed

and Louis and his family were imprisoned

1791 - Louis swore allegiance to the Revolution

(however, he continued to plot against it)

1792 - National Convention declared a Republic

(Louis was then tried as a traitor and condemned)

January 21st, 1793 - Louis XVI was guillotined ....



NB

Marie Antoinette met the same fate on Oct. 16th.