The Women's March on Versailles

What happened

Angered by bread shortages and the king's resistance to reform, thousands of Parisian market women marched the twelve miles to Versailles on 5 October 1789. They besieged the palace and, the next day, forced Louis XVI and his family to return with them to Paris, where the crowd could keep watch over the monarchy.

Why it matters

By bringing the king to Paris under popular control, the march stripped him of his remaining independence and delivered a decisive blow to France's absolute monarchy.

Sources

• World History Encyclopedia. Women's March on Versailles · Reputable source