Six Summers in Paris, 1789-1794This intensely dramatic account of the six crucial summers that encompassed 'he French Revolution begins in June 1789, when France was still ruled by Louis XVI. When the story closes with the end of summer 1794, Robespierre is dead, the Reign of Terror over, and Bonaparte is moving up to eventual omnipotence. Author Fisher vividly describes the tensions and pressures that would soon break through the enameled surface of French life: the poverty and helplessness of the masses; the fiscal blundering of the King's ministers; the extravagance of the nobility. We see Louis trying to deal with the taxation crisis, the Estates General and the people of Paris. The Bastille is taken; the government overthrown; in an atmosphere of chaos, frantic efforts are made to create a Constitutional Monarchy. King and Queen ride to the guillotine and the Jacobins emerge as the ruling party, with Marat, Danton and Robespierre vying for control of the National Assembly. For the general reader, this is a swift-moving and compelling narrative of the great upheaval.--Adapted from book jacket. |
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Abbaye Prison allowed arms Army arrest asked attack Austrian Babeuf Bailly Bastille began Bonaparte bourgeois ça ira called Camille Desmoulins Church citizens clergy Committee of Public Commune Comte Comte d'Artois Constitution Convention Cordeliers Court crowd Danton death declared decree deputies Desmoulins dress Duc d'Orléans elected Electors émigrés enemies favoured Fayette feudal flight to Varennes followed force France French Revolution Girondists Government guillotine Hall hand hundred Jacobin Club July June King King's later leaders liberty livres Louis Louis XVI Madame Marat Marie Antoinette Massacres Minister monarchy Musée Carnavalet National Assembly National Guard Necker nobility oath officers once palace Palais-Royal Paris patriots peasants perhaps political priests prison provinces Public Safety Queen refused Republic Revolutionary Tribunal Robespierre royal sans-culottes sent soldiers soon Terror Third Estate thousand told took Town troops Tuileries Varennes Versailles vote women