Use Your Own Knowledge to Assess How Far the Sources Support the Interpretation That the End of the Constitutional Monarchy Was Largely the Fault of Louis Xvi Himself?
The end of the constitutional monarchy and savage attack on the tuliers on 10th August 1792 was the result of various events. The 5 sources mention various possible reasons for this, however there is common thread to them all in that the King was largely responsible for his own demise. Source E and D strongly agree with this viewpoint, whereas Sources C,B and A take a rather milder and less explicit view. The war in Europe and tension with Austria and Prussia is also seen as a reason for the fall of the end of the constitituonal monarchy and is mentioned by Sources D and E. There is also the factor that the king was helpless as these infectious radical ideas were spreading no matter what, and sources A,B and C mention this. Moreover the role of the nobles,emigres and refractory priests in bringing down the King is mentioned through manyof the sources including sources C, D and E.
Louis’s actions himself, his indecisiveness and lack of political wit was an pivotal and arguably the most important reason for the end of the constitutional monarchy. The flight to varennes in 1791 is mentioned in both sources A and D, and is seen as an event which sealed the opinions in people’s mind of the king as a counter-revoltionary. Source A says “it appeared that the King intented to escape to Metz, where the chiefs of the counter-revoltioaryemigres are” and source D also says “cowardly flights opened the citizens’s eyes”. The language of the sources itself depicts how this failed flight to varennes where Louis was spotted by a postmaster at night is represnetiave of how this flight brought the king down. Souece A uses the word “escape”, which is indicative of how Louis felt he was threatened and unsafe at the centre of the revolutionary fever in Pairs, thus this escapeism proved his counter revolutionary sentiment. This indeed “opened the citizesn’ eyes”, and seaked his fate, as now the people of France had clear evidence of Louis’s lack of support for the revolution. Thus
Louis’s actions himself, his indecisiveness and lack of political wit was an pivotal and arguably the most important reason for the end of the constitutional monarchy. The flight to varennes in 1791 is mentioned in both sources A and D, and is seen as an event which sealed the opinions in people’s mind of the king as a counter-revoltionary. Source A says “it appeared that the King intented to escape to Metz, where the chiefs of the counter-revoltioaryemigres are” and source D also says “cowardly flights opened the citizens’s eyes”. The language of the sources itself depicts how this failed flight to varennes where Louis was spotted by a postmaster at night is represnetiave of how this flight brought the king down. Souece A uses the word “escape”, which is indicative of how Louis felt he was threatened and unsafe at the centre of the revolutionary fever in Pairs, thus this escapeism proved his counter revolutionary sentiment. This indeed “opened the citizesn’ eyes”, and seaked his fate, as now the people of France had clear evidence of Louis’s lack of support for the revolution. Thus