The Paris commune organized women to
March (in a demonstration) from Paris to Versailles. The causes of the
demonstration were; the king's refusal to accept reforms especially the
civil Constitution of the clergy, his attempt to suppress the revolution
using foreign troops, desire to bring the king to Paris, famine and
unemployment. ' '
Women were chosen because the
impact of their demonstration would be most felt and their cries for
food would be most heard. So on 5th Oct, a crowd of 6,500 women
including men dressed in women's attire marched the21 miles distance
from Paris to Versailles to present their petition to the king.
Lafayette was ordered to follow them with thousands of soldiers of the
National Guard. He was to maintain law and order and bring the king to
Paris where he would be out of reach of the aristocracy. The King
yielded to their demands and was escorted to Paris with his entire
family. On reaching Paris they were lodged/ kept in the Tuilleries
palace in a condition of prisoners.
SIGNIFICANCE
i)
The role of women in the demonstration shows the concern of everybody
in the revolution. Since the beginning of the revolution women had not
been very active and their participation in the marching shows the
national outlook of the French revolution. This upheld the revolutionary
principle of equality since women had actively joined men in the
revolution.
ii) It acted as a preamble for the
transfer of the national assembly from Versailles (a monarchical
stronghold) to Paris (a revolutionary center). From then onwards, French
politics and the revolution was championed from Paris by the Paris
commune.
iii) The king was forced to accept some
reforms which went a long way in meeting the demands of the
revolutionaries. He promised special food for Paris and to reduce the
price of bread. He agreed to sign the declarations of the rights of man
and citizens and he also accepted the National Guard to be entrusted
with the defense of Versailles.
iv) However, the
mistreatment of Louis to the extent of being kept in the Tuilleries
provoked internal uprisings from the royalists and foreign condemnation
by foreign powers. This contributed to the reign of terror and war
between France and her neighbours.
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