October 16, 1793: The Final Day
October 16, 1793: The Final Day
Blog Article
Marie Antoinette's final day began in the early hours of October 16, 1793. After the fall of the monarchy, she was imprisoned in the Conciergerie, a former royal palace that had been turned into a prison. By this time, her health was deteriorating, and she was suffering both physically and mentally. The once-glamorous queen had become a shadow of her former self, facing harsh conditions and the loss of everything she had known.
Her trial had taken place just the day before, on October 14, 1793. The charges against her were broad and often unfounded, including accusations of treason, incest with her son, and conspiring with foreign monarchies to undermine the Revolution. The trial was a mockery of justice, with Marie Antoinette given little chance to defend herself. She was found guilty, and the sentence was clear: death by guillotine.
On the morning of October 16, Marie Antoinette was dressed in a simple white muslin dress and her hair cropped short, a far cry from her once-immaculate and elaborate court attire. She was escorted from her cell in the Conciergerie to the Place de la Révolution, a public square in Paris where executions were held. The journey was a painful one, as she was taunted and jeered by crowds along the way, many of whom had once adored her as their queen.
The Final Moments
As the procession neared the Place de la Révolution, Marie Antoinette’s thoughts were undoubtedly on her family, her husband, and her children. The queen’s heart had been broken by the execution of Louis XVI, and her role as mother to her children weighed heavily on her. She had been separated from her son, Louis-Charles, who had died in prison earlier that year under harsh conditions.
At the guillotine, Marie Antoinette was placed in a cart that had been drawn through the streets. When she arrived, she was confronted with the grim sight of the guillotine—a large machine that had become the symbol of the revolution’s bloody justice.
As she stepped onto the scaffold, Marie Antoinette’s final moment of grace occurred. She stepped on the foot of her executioner, and, in an apologetic gesture, she calmly said, "Pardonnez-moi, monsieur," ("Pardon me, sir"). It was a small, human moment that contrasted with the savage nature of her execution.
Marie Antoinette was then strapped to the guillotine. She raised her head for the final time, and at approximately noon, the blade fell, ending her life at the age of 37. The crowd witnessed the tragic death of the once-glamorous queen, whose fall from grace had been swift and brutal. shutdown123 Report this page