A Nobleman's Journal

Mathis Altier

July 20th, 17896 days after the Storming of Bastille

An canvas painting of villagers storming through the gates of Bastille prison during the “Storming of Bastille”.

Merely days after the Storming of Bastille, citizens were living in panic. It was the Great Fear. The nightmares of famine and starvation were beginning to come true, and unemployment just made it worse.

However, I am to fear nothing. As a loyal guard to the wonderful King, the chance of being released into this “sickness” is small. Since day one, I always had faith in the king. One day he will lead us to victory against rampant enemies. I belong in the second estate, as a nobleman. No longer will I ever be a Bourgeoisie.

Even though I show full support to the royal family, I did not understand their intentions before. Just hours before the Storming of Bastille, I was positioned as a second commander in the Bastille prison. Thousands of soldiers were standing idly by, waiting for my orders to crush the National assembly and plunder the city. But I did not receive any news! Instead we were overwhelmed with townspeople flooding in from every angle, demanding for weapons. I barely made it out of Bastille alive. I subsequently found it amusing that there were only seven inmates in the prison. It was not much of loss. However, I must give my condolences to the family of the commander. He was shot, and his head, attached to a spear, was paraded around the town.

A group of generals and I fled back to Paris to bring back the news. It was a pity that I could not communicate with the King directly. Being a Noblesse militaire with two generations of holding military offices, I should receive some recognition from the King, or some from his family at least.

Instead of contemplating about this unfairness bestowed upon me, I should be concentrating on how our men didn’t defeat the people. We took the lives of almost 100 people. How could we have fallen so behind? Deep down I do feel sorrow for watching numerous people perish amongst the crowd, but it should have been an easy victory!

Only a day ago, did I learn that they were storming for weapons. But why would they need the artillery? I was told they wanted to arm themselves against the foreign regiments of the King; they must be worried about him attacking. What I am very curious about is who organized the storming? I guess it was the peasants and lower classes of France who organized the Storming. And they too were one of the primary belligerents of the French Revolution.

I learned yesterday that the King had acted cowardly and retreated from his Palace! He is beginning to be so naïve! What am I saying? I must always be loyal. He has blessed my family and myself with nobility and happiness. He has rid us of a horrible life, and I can never repay him for that. I do not mean the King directly, but someone told me he helped. When I had been growing up in the streets, my mother died, and my father abandoned by family when I was a baby. I had always envisioned a wonderful life, a noble life. When my father came to find me again, I was then grown into a noble-military family. My dreams finally came true.

Hopefully the Storming of Bastille will not lead to a war, will not be the flashpoint of a French Revolution. Because of the storming, the King might lose his power! But that is not going to happen. The King will prevail. He has to, I hope.

October 6, 17891 day after the Women’s March on

Versailles

National Guard Troops, carrying spears and swords, join and protect the Women’s March on Versailles

 Versailles, a palace built for King Louis the 9th. What I would give to spend a single night there, with luxuries beyond imagination and servants tending to your every need. But at this moment, this day, I would not want to be living there, living in a palace where women protested against the king.

I always underestimate women. Most everyday, I always scoff at their attempts at being strong and courageous. Never did I think they would be powerful enough to overpower Versailles. Enough to overpower a palace filled with armed guards patrolling every corner. Almost 7,000 women! The Women’s March on Versailles was revolutionary to everyone! A riot to remember! Even the women’s entrance into the palace was diverting. Apparently, the women found an unguarded gate, and stormed the palace looking for the Queen’s bedchamber. Guards were panicking, bolting every door, and barricading hallways. The women meant no harm. But since a young rebel was killed by gunshot, they were infuriated and surged towards the guards. My wife also found it outrageous that the food prices in Versailles were very high, and decided to join the revolt.

Many women were thankful for the Storming of Bastille; it was where they received their artillery. Personally, I think the women are right to be protesting against the King! However, it was not the right time to revolt, especially with the economic state of our country.

How stupid is the King! He took the demands of the women and interpreted it as something entirely different. We do not want a constitutional reform! At least I do not. But he is trying to make France better. I know it.

Moments like these, moments where I am not a devoted follower to the king, but a family-oriented man, makes me vulnerable to accusations against the king. Rumors about the royal family float through the air, like the fragrance of newly baked bread in the morning. Accusations such as the queen stating the idiom “Let them eat cake!” How dare the people! The Queen has done no wrong! She has been blamed, only because she is an Austrian! Where we come from should not define where we go. She was not the cause of the famine! An infiltrator in the Royal Palace blamed her! But what I don’t understand is how the famine could last two years! Villagers blame the King for this problem. How he has indecisive and immature decisions.

What is France becoming? A place where we blame the King for everything? Everyone is turning against him, against the royal family! They royal family might be trying to fix the problems in Versailles! But the women ran them back to Paris, where they will suffer MORE political judgment, more pain! The population keeps battering them with verbal comments. How are they supposed to help France, if they are constantly being put down?  

On another note, many soldiers of the National Guard joined the Women’s March to Versailles! Is the King’s OWN ARMY turning against him? I believe they are. Were they loyal in the first place? Maybe they were before, but because of the famine, they wanted order. Soldiers from the National Guard’s family might have been suffering from the famine. Maybe the soldiers wanted to do something about it! I don’t know anymore.

J'en ai ras le bol ! I’m sick of the problems France is facing, I’m sick of the people; I’m fed up with everything! And deep down, I think I might be unable to keep defending the king.

Things better be changing, and for the greater good!

 October 24th 1792

1 month after the Austrian war

A portrait of the French and Austria/Prussian Army during the Battle of Valmy.

It was the first war fought by the French Republic, and fought against numerous European states, including Austria. After everything that has happened, it was finally our major victory in a long time. The modern government is prevailing.

What do the American’s say? Things are turning towards the “up-side”? However, I do not trust the new regime completely. We are now, once again, a prosperous country, but something still seems different. I am not content with what is happening. Is it because of who is now ruling?

My king has fallen. King Louis XVI no longer rules our beautiful country; there is no longer a monarch government. It was tragic how revolutionaries captured the royal couple. In three years, so much has changed. I now finally understand how the King had failed to rule this country. His actions caught up with him and he had to suffer. But, I do not blame him for most of France’s sufferings. When he became King, he inherited an enormous amount of debt from King Louis XIV and King Louis XV. Poor man, he was not firm enough to rule. Starting out as a 19-year-old leader must have frightened him a lot. Hopefully, he will not receive the death sentence, but serve his time in prison. King Louis’s fall was the mark of a new government. A new government that helped us win the Battle of Valmy.

The Battle of Valmy that was fought in September was fought with great honor. France needed a victory, after everything it has been through. But I am quite surprised it had been with Austria. Alas, it was only a matter of time before we went into war with them. Emperor Joseph (Emperor of Austria) was the brother of Marie Antoinette. With the help of Prussia, at first, they were overpowering us. It almost seemed as if we were not going to win.

They first appeared through the Forest of Argonne. They hadn’t marched straight to Paris, which was very foolish. They would have marched unopposed. But thanks to the horrible weather we are having, and an enormous sickness in the Prussian and Austrian army, they turned back and prepared for battle. At least that is what I heard.

From the sidelines, I was able to witness the battle. I was able to witness how the Prussians emerged from the forest, but was ensued with a long-range gunnery duel. Thousands were killed when the Prussians tried to advance across the open field. It was a victory to remember. No longer will France ever be in the dark.

I now wonder, where will we go from here? What does the future hold in store for France? What does the future hold in store for me?

 The days of France are looking better. I hear many Parisians are thankful that King Louis XVI no longer ruling France. Living in Paris, now, does not seem like a horrible idea. I had always feared to live in the city. The political judgment always scared me. Because of the new Constitution, maybe we can be like the Americans. They seem to be living a better life then we are.

The future of France looks brighter every day, however I am still not satisfied with my life.

January 21, 17931 day after the death of King Louis XVI

(January 22)

Crowds of French citizens gather around the guillotine that will execute King Louis XVI.

He’s dead. Gone, left for death to come and slowly pull him into the abyss. Some might say he deserves it. He deserves to die by Guillotine. He is never to return to this Earth and rein any more terror to the land. His death symbolized the death of the monarch government. All that is left is Marie Antoinette.

Death by hanging was meant only for peasants and the bourgeoisie people, not people with a higher-class status. Death by guillotine was for people of the noble-class. High society citizens like myself. But King Louis XVI was charged with treason and executed by guillotine yesterday afternoon. It was the most devastating thing I had witnessed in a long time. I can’t imagine what his family must be feeling. I do hope they won’t also be sentenced to death. He was killed so quickly, I predict they wanted the ancient monarch to end.

For many years, King Louis was hated. He was blamed for most of the bad harvests that proceeded during this rough time. The death penalty was carried out 387 to 334, in favor of death. It was spanned over five days. FIVE DAYS of emotional torture to the King. Of course I voted for him to be spared. He was a wonderful leader. He did not deserve to die! He didn’t deserve to be marched through the streets of Paris by troops, only to have his head cut off! What humiliation! Even his trial was humiliating. No one believed he was trying to become a constitutional monarch. To make France a better place for EVERYONE! Members who voted for him to not be executed were accused as being a royalist, when they were only trying to save one of Frances greatest leader. What a pity, he will be missed by many. But his wife, the queen, Marie Antoinette, will certainly miss him.

I wonder how she is taking his death. How she is coping with the lost of her one true love. However, I am surprised Marie Antoinette was not executed first. She received more verbal despise than the King himself. She was a hated queen, a traitor of France. Being born in Austria, having Emperor Joseph as a brother, must have given her more emotional pain than one can bear. I praise her for being so strong. Alas, she has been equally blamed for the misfortune of France. She will be receiving the death penalty. And her children? I believe they will grow up parentless. They will be scarred for life. But will her son rule France? He is the rightful heir to the throne. He should not be in prison.

France has suffered a great loss. The great King has fallen. No one will ever be like him. No King will ever have the characteristics of being misunderstood, good-hearted, a loving father, alone and shy. He was a complicated man. I wonder how Princess Élisabeth had lived with him all those years. Oh my goodness! Princess Élisabeth! I had completely forgotten about her. Oh dear, she must be devastated.

France can now suffer no more terror. Terror will no longer reign over France. At least I presume it wont.

Goodbye my King, rest in peace.

July 28th, 1794The Reign of Terror (September 5, 1793-July 28th, 1794)

End of Reign of Terror

Robespierre executing the executioner after having guillotine everyone in France.

Oh how I was so very wrong. It has been over five years since the King’s death, and France’s current state is possibly worse than what it had been before. Before the time of the Kings death, I do admit, France was near the brink of ruin. We had suffered so much terror, so much pain. The economy was suffering the effects of the indecisive decisions of King Louis XVI and we had been at war with our own people. Massive riots and revolts weakened our country even more. Attacks from other lands killed many soldiers. All hope was probably gone. Things could not have gotten worse, but it had.

It was possibly the most violent period in the history of France. The Reign of Terror was a war between two different political states, the Jacobins and the Girondin’s. The Reign of Terror was the bloodiest war I have ever seen, and the most frightful. I even feared for my own life. Estimates of 16,600 people were executed by guillotine. The Reign of Terror will forever be known for the excessive use of the guillotine! The Revolutionaries wanted to execute any nobleman that was alive. For many days I hid inside my home while my wife denied any current existence of me in her life. I thank her everyday. But I am also thankful that the Reign of Terror has ended. Of course I will still have to wait a few more weeks before I am able to release myself to the outside world again, but I am looking forward to it.

The Reign of Terror symbolized the era of political struggles during this ‘revolution’ in France. It symbolized how France was trying to change, change into a better country.

Whoever started the Reign of Terror must have been wishing for a better France, although many people deny that a single person created this war. But since the Jacobin’s were the first to attack, someone must have been giving the orders. Was it Jean-Paul Marat? Or was it Maximilian de Robespierre? However, I do know Robespierre was the man in charge of determining who will be convicted and who will be executed. I would not want that man to know who I am. I would be convicted and executed immediately. Robespierre was a prominent figure during this Reign of Terror. But sadly, him and his own brother were executed this morning. Alas, who is to say no successor will rise up and reclaim his position. We all must proceed with caution…

But even proceeding with caution will not save you, well for some. The reign of terror substituted a full-front war, as all the nobility, or anyone dubbed suspicious would have been executed by guillotine or other ways. By doing this, it would eliminate the threat of war. That is why I must be in hiding. I still have so much life left in me.

Because of this war I will be able to see France have a new government. It will become a better country.

My dreams are finally coming true.

Bibliography HowStuffWorks.com Contributors. “Top 5 Antoinette Scandals” 02

September 2008. HowStuffworks.com. <http://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/top-5-marie-antoinette-scandals.htm> 12 May 2013

“Lecture 11: The Origins of the French Revolution.” Lecture 11: The Origins of the French Revolution. Ed. Steven Kreis. Steven Kreis, 30 Oct. 2006. Web. 13 May 2013.

Civilization: A Personal View, Kenneth Clark, Penguin, 1987, p.216

“Marie-Antoinette.” 2013. The History Channel website. May 15 2013, 9:14-http://www.history.com/topics/marie-antoinette.

Millard, Anne, and Joseph McEwan. The Age of Revolutions: From AD 1750 to AD 1914. London: Usborne, 1990. Print.

ThinkQuest. “The Trial and Execution of King Louis XVI.” Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 May 2013

“King Louis XVI executed.” 2013. The History Channel website. May 13 2013, 8:35 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/king-louis-xvi-executed.

Bibliography: PicturesStorming of Bastille:

Houel, Jean-Pierre Louis-Laurent. The Storming of Bastille. 1789. Oil on Canvas. National Library of France, Paris, France.

The Women’s March on Versailles:

The Women’s March on Versailles. 1789. Oil on Canvas. Versailles, France

Austrian War:

Vernet, Horace. The Battle of Valmy. 1792. Oil on Canvas. Valmy, France.

Execution of King:

Helman, Isidore Stanislas, Antoine Jean Duclos, and Charles Monnet. The Execution of King Louis XVI. 1794. Engraving. The National Library of France, Paris, France.

The Reign of Terror:

Unidentified. La Guillotine. 18th Century. Paris, France.