sultan's crescent

Chapter 32 Chaos
Preliminary industrialization is a project that requires long-term investment, and Selim is not impatient about it.

What's more, the Venetian had already transported the spinning jenny and the steam engine to Egypt and Constantinier.

The only uncertainty is whether Matthew - Bolton will agree to Sudan's request.

Selim hurried to the window and tore off a page from the calendar. It was already NO.14 in July.

The yellow Gregorian calendar pages fell, and were immediately swept out of the window by a gust of wind, fluttering wantonly in the air.

This was a gift from Louis XVI in a letter exchange. Now it seems that this page is just like the fate of Louis XVI at this time, wrapped in the wind of revolution, and it is unknown where it will go.

When Selim felt a little sad for Louis XVI, Paris in the West was already in chaos.

The three-level conference held in Versailles on May [-] did not ease the contradictions among the major classes in France.

When many participants came to the Palace of Versailles, there was no room that could accommodate nearly a thousand delegates. People were chaotic and complained everywhere, which seemed to indicate the failure of the meeting.

And Louis XVI's extravagant court life shocked and disgusted the representatives of the third class who witnessed all this, but this did not reach the lower limit of the King of France, and he had even more outstanding operations.

The representatives of the third class attending the meeting were required to enter only in black, and their attire was dwarfed by the priest's vestments and the dazzling silk and velvet of the nobles.

There was no bright spot in the whole meeting, and the king's speech was long and dull.

The speech of Necker, who was once admired by the French people and regarded as the economic savior, was a disaster.

He just complained about the poor economic situation in France without proposing any solution.

But when Honoré Gabriel Ricotte, Count of Mirabeau, the representative of the third rank from Provence, got up, all the participants cheered up.

They watched this ugly man with a huge head and scars step by step up to the podium with eyes of suspicion, vigilance, or expectation.

In fact, some people will definitely question this. As a nobleman, why is Count Mirabeau a representative of the third class.

This is actually due to his character, Count Mirabeau is a person who hates evil, and for this reason he often conflicts with the local nobles in Provence.

Count Mirabeau said this in his speech when the third estates of Provence chose their representatives.

"Well, I'm a mad dog, which gives you more reasons to choose me. My fangs can quickly solve tyranny and privilege."

The overly candid speech made the Count Mirabeau easily the representative of the third estate in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.

In this three-level meeting, he led the renaming of the third level to the National Assembly.

Yet Louis XVI seemed unconcerned by the aggression of the Third Estate, although historical records say he was terrified to death.

On May 23, Louis XVI announced in the imperial meeting that all future votes will not be based on the number of people but only on the level, and the three-level meeting can only discuss tax issues rather than privilege issues.

At the same time, the King of France emphasized that all future reforms should follow the will of the king, not the demands of the people.

After announcing all this, the King of France left the chamber like a proud peacock, leaving only representatives of the third level looking at each other in blank dismay.

On July [-], Necker was dismissed.

Despite his poor performance during the meeting at Versailles, he was still regarded as a man capable of performing miracles.

So when the news reached Paris, people were stunned, the stock market plummeted, the stock exchange was closed, and riots spread throughout the city.

The French Revolution, known as the origin of modern thought by later generations, began to break out in Paris and gradually spread to other provinces.

This time, Louis XVI was really scared, and he summoned the army (16 regiments in total, most of them Swiss mercenaries) to maintain order, but they were attacked by a shower of stones in the Place Louis XV.

Near the Tuileries, a cavalry detachment was also bombarded with garden chairs.

At the same time outside the palace, a young lawyer named Camille Desmoulins called on the people to take up arms and set up barricades.

He twisted a chestnut leaf into a simple cockade and stuck it on his hat.

The move quickly became a symbol, and since then, citizens of Paris have to wear such cap badges if they want to walk on the street without being spit on.

And something more dangerous is happening. The citizens of Paris with fine traditions rushed to the Invalides and dragged away at least 10 cannons and 2.8 muskets.

On the morning of July 7, they marched towards the Bastille.

Built in the 14th century, the Bastille was originally a military fortress used to protect Paris during the Hundred Years' War and was declared a state prison in 1417.

Although there were only a dozen prisoners in the entire prison at this time, it was still the Bastille after all.

It loomed somberly in the center of Paris like a giant thundercloud, a constant reminder of the king's power and majesty, and a dire warning to those who offended him.

By around 10 a.m., about 900 people had gathered outside the Bastille.

The warden, the Marquis de Launay, has only two days of food supplies, and there is no water source in the prison.

Knowing that he could not defend himself against a siege, he refused to hand over the guns and powder in his charge, awaiting instructions from Versailles.

However, the citizens of Paris, who are members of the old revolutionary base, do not intend to wait any longer.

Chaos ensued when the attackers stormed the courtyard outside the Bastille in the early afternoon.

The Marquis de Launay had no choice but to attempt surrender negotiations.

But when he was negotiating, the suspension bridge suddenly fell down.

Excited Parisians rushed in and grabbed him, dragging him out into the street before someone stabbed him in the stomach.

Looking at the dying Marquis de Launay, the citizens of Paris beheaded him directly, thinking that the atmosphere had already been set in place, and it would be impolite if you didn't die.

The poor Marquis de Launay, with his head cut off, was paraded through the streets of Paris with a spear.

There was no resistance.The Bastille has fallen.

As for Louis XVI, he had been hunting all day without feeling flustered at all.

After returning to the palace, facing the wishes of officials to report, Louis XVI chose to go straight to bed and focus on a healthy life.

The next morning, Louis XVI finally got the news.

"Is there a mutiny?"

Louis XVI asked sleepily the Duke of La Rochefoucauld.

"No, sire," replied the duke, "this is a revolution."

Suddenly, Louis XVI seemed to realize the seriousness of the situation.

He jumped out of bed, dressed with extraordinary speed, and hurried to inform the National Assembly, ordering the withdrawal of troops from Paris and Versailles.

The king's decision was warmly cheered by those present, and a delegation of 90 people immediately went to Paris with the good news.

The hero of the recent American Revolution, General Lafayette, read aloud to the crowd gathered in front of the town hall the speech the king had just delivered at Versailles.

He was appointed commander of the militia to maintain the stability of Paris, and it was not long before the militia was transformed into the National Guard.

They were required to wear the red and blue cockade representing Paris, and later added a white symbolizing the king.

However, under the initial stability, a turbulence is surging deeper, which will not only sweep France, but also sweep Europe and the world.

　Ask for follow-up and collection.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)