French Revolution
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Throughout the 1700s France, along with all of Europe, was rocked both culturally and economically by events such as the Seven Years War, The Age of Enlightenment, The American Revolution, The Great Fear, and the firing of French King Louis XVIs finance manager Jacque Nekkar, which was the exclamation point and triggered anger in many 2nd and 3rd estate residents. The French Revolution can be appropriately attributed to all the preceding socioeconomic dilemmas. Feudalism was no more.
Frances king during much of the revolution was Louis XVI, the figurehead of aristocracy at a time when it grew to be resented. He was widely-viewed (and later proven) to be irresponsible, ignorant, cowardly, and unpopular; forever living in the shadow of his father, Louis the Great. In fact, there is an eerie similiarity between him and current United States President George Bush if you consider the stereotype that characterized him as a little simpleton, handled by his advisers, with crazes for iron work and hunting (so long as he wasnt accomponied by Dick Cheney). While alive, Louis fell short of Louis XV in many respects; ridiculed for and mismanaging the economy. Louis also had some very interesting facts: His Austrian wife Mary Antoinette and his family tried to flee the country but were caught and jailed. He was sexually challenged. He was the first Royal Family member to be executed on January 21st 1793.
Queen Mary Antoinette, ironically, was just as (if not more so) disliked than her husband Louis. From the moment of their marriage until the time of her death, she was seen as a very wasteful queen and detrimental to the kingdom as a whole. She was Austrian, and when times got hard people would use that to criticize her (to one extent even accused of aiding Austria in the fight against the French rebellion) She was finally guilloteened on October 16th, 1973. There were numerous theories involving her, including being a harlot, being a lesbian, and the famous “Let them eat cake” quote which was attributed to her during the French women revolt to the Palace of Versailles. She was also watched in the wedding bed with her husband.
ÐMaximillien Robes Pierre, who had humble beginnings as a lawyer, took on another major role in the French Revolution, eventually becoming head of the Third Estate and The Committee of Public Safety. Under his supposed Ðreign, over 100,000 were decapitated. Eventually, however, he went mad and was interrupted during a speech; soon after, being arrested. He was executed on July 28th 1794. Robespierres legacy was marred by blemishes late in his life, most notably the ÐFestival of the Supreme Being in which Maximillien himself would dress up as the supreme being during the annual religious holiday. He also encountered Louis XVI early in his life and was