The French Revolution: The Beginning--Paris Revolt (July 1789)
Figure 1.-- Front and center in Paul Delaroche painted this image of 'The victors of the Bastille in front of the Hôtel de Ville', It represents a scene at the very beginning of the Revolution in Paris (July 14, 1789). Not highlighted, but in the foreground is a boy--presumbanly representing France's future. He carries a musket cartridge pouch seized from one of the guards at the Bastille. He also lugs a huge chain from the Bastille. Of course could not possible do this, but it is symbolic of France breaking free from depotism and medievel conrestraints. Delaroche painted this in 1835 after the July Revolution (1830) to hang in the Thone Room of the Hôtel de Ville.
Rumors began to circulate in Paris that Louis was moving troops to suppress the new National Assembly and bring
order to Paris. He reportedly was concentrating 30,000 troops around the city. The people of Paris to defend
themselves established a Parisian city government--the Commune. And even more importantly they form a National Guard. They raided Paris armories for weapons, but lacked gun powder. Paris is further incensed when Louis dismissed Necker. It is at this time Paris mobs began to descend on the Bastille, a medieval fortress, where stores of gun powder were known to exist. The Bastille was a forbiddingg fortress located at the center of Paris. It was seen as a symbol of royal despotism. The Bastille towered over the surrounding area. Parisians looked on the Bastille with foreboding. Terrible tortures were thought to take place within dark dugeons of the fortress. A huge mob unexpectedly attacked the Bastille and overwhelmed the small guard (July 14). The mob expected to free prisoners, but there were none. Governor de Launay in command of the Bastille was dragged through the streets and eventually hanged. It is at this time that the red, white, and blue cockade appears which would become the tri-color flag. Red and blue were the colors of Paris. White represented the Bourbons. In the evening, the blodied mob which appeared before the Hôtel de Ville--the Paris city hall. It would would become the headquarters of the revolutionries. The Hotel de Ville features prominbntlly in French history and the location was the seat of Paris Government even before the building was construted (14th century). the people of Paris proceed to demolish the Bastille stone by stone by hand.
