Today in History
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Today in History |
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October 16, 1793 |
At the height of the French Revolution, King Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette were imprisoned and deposed. No longer referred to by their royal titles, they became the "Carpets" a non-royal designation of their family name. At the age of 38 years, the former King was the first to go as he was tried for crimes against the French people and executed on January 21, 1793. Marie languished in prison, her health deteriorating in mourning. Plots to help her escape never materialized, and calls for mercy were dismissed by zealous members of the new French government. She was found guilty of treason on October 16, 1793 and executed that same day by guillotine, dressed in plain house clothing. She was buried in an unmarked grave, but later exhumed and re-interred in 1815.
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