Tuesday 18 April 2017

The Fall of the Comte de Clermont-Tonnerre

Stanislas Marie Adelaide de Clermont-Tonnerre was born as an aristocrat in 1747 but tried his luck as a politician during the revolution. However, Stanislas could not completely forego his loyalty to the king.

He attempted to grant the king powers through the new constitution such as a veto right for the monarch. This was refused in 1789 which prompted the Comte to resign alongside with five others who shared his view. He continued to have a seat in the National Assembly where he supported the moderate royalists.

After the royal family's failed flight to Varennes the Comte de Clermont-Tonnerre was arrested on 21 June 1791. Although he was quickly released again he was not let off the hook. On the 10 August that year the Tuileries was stormed by angry Parisians. Stanislas had attempted to contact Louis XVI and was trapped in Madame de Brassac's apartments. Here he was found by the furious mob who immediately decided that he had to die. They dragged him to the window and threw him forcefully from it. It was on the fourth floor.

It is widely assumed that the mob which eventually killed off the Comte de Clermont-Tonnerre had been incited by Robespierre who allegedly felt threatened by the Comte's political views.

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The Comte de Clermont-Tonnerre

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