Editing French First Republic (section)

==End of the monarchy in France==
{{Main|Proclamation of the abolition of the monarchy}}
Under the [[Legislative Assembly (France)|Legislative Assembly]], which was in power before the proclamation of the First Republic, France was engaged in war with [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] and [[Habsburg monarchy|Austria]]. In July 1792, [[Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick]], commanding general of the Austro–Prussian Army, issued his [[Brunswick Manifesto]], threatening the destruction of [[Paris]] should any harm come to King [[Louis XVI of France]].

This foreign threat exacerbated France's political turmoil amid the French Revolution and deepened the passion and sense of urgency among the various factions. In the [[insurrection of 10 August 1792]], citizens stormed the [[Tuileries Palace]], killing six hundred of the King's [[Swiss guards]] and insisting on the removal of the king.<ref>{{Citation |last=Censer |first=Jack R. |title=Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Exploring the French Revolution |date=2004 |publisher=[[University Park, Pennsylvania]]: Pennsylvania State University Press |last2=Hunt |first2=Lynn}}</ref>

A renewed fear of counterrevolutionary action prompted further violence, and in the first week of September 1792, mobs of Parisians broke into the city's prisons. They killed over half of the prisoners, including nobles, clergymen, and political prisoners, but also common criminals, such as prostitutes and petty thieves. Many victims were murdered in their cells: raped, stabbed, and/or slashed to death. This became known as the [[September Massacres]].{{Sfnp|Doyle|1989|pages=191–192}}