The Crescent of the Sultan

On October 5, 1789, it was raining heavily in Paris, and the entire sky took on a blue-black appearance.

Thick clouds shrouded the sky over the Palace of Versailles, and violent roars were heard from time to time among the clouds. Purple lightning flashed across the sky, as if tearing a hole in the blue-black sky, giving people a thrilling feeling.

"Is this the wrath of God? God can no longer endure the oppression of his beloved child, the King of France, by the mob."

Louis XVI stood on the terrace, watching such a spectacle, and then asked Queen Marie-Antoinette beside him.

The latter was currently holding the four-year-old Dauphin and standing beside Louis XVI.

"Maybe, dear Louis, when will we be able to return to normal life? I can't even communicate with my brother! You shouldn't agree to any of their conditions, you are a king!"

The queen complained excitedly. Selim would be shocked if he saw the other party's appearance at this time.

The formerly plump face was now visibly thinner, the eyes that had always been lively now looked listless, and the lips were no longer so rosy and full.

But the majesty of a superior person that she had never shown before appeared at this time, forming a sharp contrast with the former queen who only knew about pleasure.

"Your Majesty, the Sultan's reply has arrived." A military attaché wearing a black and red military uniform walked in.

This man's name was Mustafa Kamal Kalemani, one of Selim's cronies, who was posted to Paris as the Ottoman Empire's ambassador to France.

Louis XVI took the letter from the other party's hand and opened the envelope directly.

"Dear Louis, I am aware of your situation.

You must understand that the army of France is no longer under your control, and the power of the country has fallen into the hands of the enemy.

Believe me, if you don't leave France in time, you will not have a good result. This is a warning to you from the monarch of a country that has suffered from coups.

And your situation is worse than that of the Ottoman royal family. You must also understand that as a monarch, you can never accept a revolution, and the revolution can never accept you.

Quickly leave Versailles and walk along the path to the border, where the Austrians must have garrisoned their troops.

Explain who you are, a king, a monarch should not be humiliated like this.

The "King" of Austria will send troops for you. He is not the only one. Frederick William II, like the King of Spain, will not refuse your request. Perhaps Catherine, the usurper, will also come to help.

Prussia, Spain, Austria, Russia, they are enough to make you return to Paris and sit on the throne again.

You may have to pay a lot, but you are still a king, and that is more important than anything else.

Finally, if you wish, Kalemani Pasha will provide you with all the help he can.

Good luck to you my friend. "

——

Your loyal Selim

As Louis XVI read this letter, a new disaster was about to befall him.

About 6,000 working women - fisherwomen, cleaners, market vendors, prostitutes - are marching towards the Palace of Versailles.

The demonstration was ostensibly prompted by rumors that the tricolor cap badge had been desecrated and trampled underfoot at a banquet to welcome the recently arrived Flemish regiments at Versailles.

But no matter what, the march was bound to happen. Armed with sickles, spears, and any other weapons they could find, they marched straight to the National Constituent Assembly, shouting slogans and demanding bread.

It took Count Mirabeau two hours to calm them down and convince most of them to leave the palace.

Even so, he was unable to dissuade all demonstrators.

In the end, Louis XVI was forced to agree to receive six carefully selected female representatives, who were not the typical lower-class women at all.

Louis XVI cajoled them with promises, but in fact he was wasting his breath, because the people outside the palace were still furious.

Worse was yet to come. Early the next morning, the king and queen were awakened by roars of "Death to the Austrians."

A door in the Prince's Courtyard was apparently unlocked, and some more violent and possibly drunken women broke in and rushed up the stairs to the royal suite.

Queen Marie Antoinette was frightened, hurriedly put on some clothes and ran to the king's apartment, where she saw Louis XVI holding the 4-year-old dauphin in his arms.

At this moment, Lafayette, who arrived at the palace with the National Guard a few hours ago, had restored order to a certain extent, but the shouts of the demonstrators were still heard, and bullets were flying in the courtyard.

Lafayette knew that the demonstrators would not rest until the king and queen appeared on the balcony.

It took a lot of courage to do so, but both agreed. But there is a more convincing theory that the king was about to refuse, but the queen did not flinch and convinced her husband.

The two stood on the balcony for at least two minutes, and for her, every second could be her last.

Later, forced by the situation, Louis XVI announced: "My friends, now, I will return to Paris with my wife and children."

That afternoon, with the rain still falling, the king and his entourage left the Palace of Versailles, with Lafayette riding on horseback to escort them, and the remaining protesting women following behind.

They arrived first at the Hôtel de Ville and then on to the long-abandoned, gloomy Tuileries Palace.

The task of protecting the king's family was entrusted to the benevolent Lafayette, but they would never see Versailles again.

The royal family found the Tuileries uncomfortably close to the National Constituent Assembly, which met at the adjacent Equestrian School.

At this time, the National Constituent Assembly was in session almost constantly. A dangerous young lawyer from Arras named Maximilian Robespierre attracted considerable attention from the far left.

The right wing was still dominated by Count Mirabeau, who drafted an advisory memorandum for the king a few days after his arrival in Paris.

This memorandum held that the king must leave Paris immediately for a far less extreme province and must respond favorably to the petition.

On the other hand, he should not cross the French border: “The king is the sole guardian of his people and should not flee from them.

Finally, His Majesty the King must accept that the revolution is a certainty and he must not be considered a counter-revolutionary by outsiders.

In the minds of all French people, the monarch and the people are inseparable. "

The queen's first reaction was: "I think we should never be in the embarrassing position of having to ask M. Mirabeau for help." However, her attitude soon changed.

At this time, Mirabeau only had 6 months left to live.

History records that he made this comment before his death: “The king had only one supporter left, and that was his wife.

Whether this revolution is right or wrong, freedom seems to be greater than anything else. "

I have something to do today, so it’s late. Please read and collect it.