Lafayette's National Guard Fires on Jacobins
July 17th, 1791
July 17th, 1791
How Long Ago?
233 years, 7 months, 26 days ago
Location
Paris, France
Category
Politics & Government
People
- King Louis XVI
- Marquis de Lafayette
Links & References
- French Revolution
- Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette
- National Guard (France)
- Champ de Mars massacre
- Jacobin (politics)
- Champ de Mars
Tags
Lafayette's National Guard Fires on Jacobins
Members of the National Guard, commanded by General Lafayette, opened fire on a crowd of radical Jacobins at Champ de Mars. The confrontation arose during a mass demonstration supporting the Jacobin political movement. The violence resulted in numerous casualties, as the National Guard sought to regain control amid escalating tensions between revolutionary factions in Paris. The event highlighted the growing divide between moderates and radicals during the French Revolution.
Crowd gathered for Jacobin petition support.
Lafayette commanded the National Guard.
The incident caused numerous deaths.
Highlighted tensions between radicals and moderates.
What Happened?
On July 17, 1791, a significant incident unfolded at the Champ de Mars in Paris, where a large crowd of radical Jacobins had gathered to express their support for a petition calling for the deposition of King Louis XVI. The gathering, which was part of a broader wave of political agitation in France during the early stages of the French Revolution, became increasingly contentious as divisions within revolutionary factions deepened. To quell the unrest, the National Guard, under the command of General Marquis de Lafayette, was deployed to maintain order. However, what started as an attempt to protect public safety quickly escalated into chaos. Tensions rose between the National Guard and the protesters, leading Lafayette to order his troops to fire on the crowd in an effort to disperse them. The brutal response resulted in several deaths and injuries, alarming the citizens and highlighting the fractures within revolutionary leadership. The incident underscored the volatility of the political situation in France at the time and the dangers faced by those who took up arms to defend revolutionary ideals.
Why Does it Matter?
The event at Champ de Mars marked a critical moment in the French Revolution, revealing the rift between moderates led by Lafayette and the more radical Jacobins. This confrontation signaled the increasing polarization of revolutionary politics and showed how quickly dissent could turn into violence. The repercussions of this event contributed to the eventual rise of more radical factions and the fall of the monarchy, making it a key point of analysis for historians studying the complexities of revolutionary movements.
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