21st January 1793: Louis XVI executed by guillotine for committing high treason

Louis’ trial began on 11 December 1792, and he was found guilty of treason by 693 of the National Convention’s 721 deputies on 15 January. However, a much narrower majority of 387 to 334 voted for the death sentence three days later. His death warrant was finalised on 20 January, and his execution was scheduled for the next day.

A number of factors had contributed to him being found guilty, of which the Flight to Varennes and the events of 10 August were the most significant.

On the morning of his execution Louis woke at 5am, after which he made his confession and attended mass. Accompanied by the Irish-born priest Father Henry Essex Edgeworth, his carriage left the Temple prison at around 9am. 80,000 armed men lined the route to the Place de la Revolution, where a crowd of around 100,000 people had assembled to see the execution.

Louis calmly took off his coat at the foot of the scaffold and, as he stood next to the guillotine, attempted to address the crowd. His speech was drowned out by the beating of the soldiers’ drums. He was then seized, had his hands quickly tied, and was placed under the blade.

The blade fell at 10.22am, after which it is reported that a number of members of the public rushed forward to dip their handkerchiefs in Louis’ blood. His body was later buried and covered with quicklime to stop people obtaining relics. His wife, Marie Antoinette, was executed eight months later.