Mathieu-Guillaume VILLENAVE (1762-1846) journalist,... - Lot 67 - Rossini

Lot 67
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Mathieu-Guillaume VILLENAVE (1762-1846) journalist,... - Lot 67 - Rossini
Mathieu-Guillaume VILLENAVE (1762-1846) journalist, member of the Tribunal of Nantes, defender of the Vendéens, he gathered an enormous collection of autographs, especially on the Revolution. L.A., [6] October 1789, to his uncle; 8 pages in-4. A fascinating account of the days of October 1789, a vivid account of the events that led the royal family to leave Versailles for Paris. He hastened "to inform you of the strange event that has just taken place here. The regiment of Flanders, having arrived at Versailles, organized a military meal there. "This feast was very pompous, the King was present, with the Queen and the Dauphin. "National cockades were torn, white ones were displayed, it is said that remarks were made against the National Assembly and against what is called the Third Estate", royalist hymns were sung, etc. This meal was called an orgy in the National Assembly, and "caused an incredible fermentation in Paris". Mirabeau denounced it, but the aristocrats rejoiced in this "counter-revolution" and in the refusal of the King to accept the Constitution. During this time "bread was always missing in Paris"; all this caused great movements in Paris from Sunday evening. The black cockades were torn off "from a number of elegant people who had taken them back", the tricolor cockade was ordered to be taken back, "the tocsin was sounded, the general was beaten. The women went to the city hall in droves, where they took away guns and ammunition without any obstacle. More than four thousand of them marched on Versailles guided by Hulin and Maillard "who had been known to take the Bastille; it is said that there were men and soldiers disguised among the new Amazons"... In Versailles, they go first to the National Assembly, where Maillard makes a threatening speech, demanding bread; then these ladies vote, and Mirabeau who opposes this vote, "was even threatened to be lanternized"... Then, a deputation of twelve ladies "accompanied by some deputies, went to the King" to speak about the important question of the supply of the capital. The King gave orders, which were immediately transmitted to the Hôtel de Ville. Meanwhile, "thousands of women arrived at Versailles, phalanxes from the suburbs of Saint-Marceau and Saint-Antoine, armed with pikes 8 to 9 feet long. The Regiment of Flanders, the Dragoons and the Militia of Versailles received the Amazons with clapping hands and shouts of joy", which greatly disconcerted the aristocracy, who thought since the famous banquet that they would fire on the crowd; but the King refused to give the order... Only 3 or 4 companies of Swiss Guards and 600 Guards of the Corps (supposed to protect the royal family) were left to protect the castle, and they opposed the women who tried to invade the castle. Some of them were wounded. Then the Versailles militia fired on the Gardes du Corps, 2 or 3 of whom were killed: "Their heads were cut off and carried to the end of a pike at the Palais Royal. [...] then the gates of the castle were forced and the rooms flooded by the pikemen and the Amazons. It does not appear that any other excesses were committed. However the terror was general, the ladies put their diamonds in their pockets and prepared to flee; the hall of the states was always filled with a crowd of new representatives, and the session always lasted "... However in Paris the National Militia wanted to go to Versailles to chase the regiment of Flanders. M. de Lafayette strongly opposed it, "the Grenadiers pressed 5 to 6 bayonets on his chest, the people spoke to him Lantern". He accepted as soon as the Commune gave the order, then "15 thousand men, with a dozen cannons, left with drums beating, flags unfurled, with M. de La Fayette at their head [...]. The news of this march spread terror in Versailles". But the king assured that he would receive Lafayette without opposition, and Lafayette was able to speak to the king "with great sensitivity and nobility," asking that the troops in the castle be replaced by the National Guard: "This request was immediately granted, and the Parisians took over all the posts. [...] The visit of our Commander General has restored a great deal of calm to the castle, ... the royal family owes its safety only to the vigilant care of M. de La Fayette and the firmness of the National Guard; it is believed ... that the hordes of the suburbs would, without wiser measures, have gone to the most terrible extremes. Several times the Queen was urged to flee, but she was adamant that she would not abandon her husband. She said "with great energy, I know the fate that awaits me, but I will never separate myself from the King and my children
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