'French Revolution: A History. Volume 2: The Constitution' Summary

Thomas Carlyle's 'French Revolution: A History, Volume 2: The Constitution' takes readers on a journey through the turbulent years following the initial upheaval of 1789. The book begins with Louis XVI, the King of France, being compelled to relocate to Paris from the opulent Versailles palace. The chapter details the struggles of the newly formed constitutional monarchy as it grapples with popular unrest, political machinations, and external pressures. The narrative progresses through the King's ill-fated attempt to flee the country and the escalating tensions between the monarchy and the increasingly powerful republican forces. The climax of this volume is the brutal massacre of the Swiss Guards who attempted to defend the King and his family at the Tuileries Palace, marking a decisive shift in the power dynamic and effectively ending the constitutional monarchy. The book ends with Louis XVI imprisoned, his fate uncertain, signaling the imminent demise of the French monarchy and the dawn of a new era in French history.