January 21, 1793Reputable sourceWell documented
The Execution of Louis XVI
On the timeline · around January 21, 1793 ·
What happened
In December 1792 the new National Convention tried the former king — now called 'Citizen Louis Capet' — for treason, found him guilty, and condemned him to death by a narrow majority. On 21 January 1793 Louis XVI was guillotined before a crowd at the Place de la Révolution in Paris.
Why it matters
The first execution of a French king by his own subjects ended a thousand years of monarchy, launched the short-lived First French Republic, and helped widen the Revolutionary Wars as horrified monarchies rallied against France.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Trial and Execution of Louis XVI · Reputable source