Editing French Revolution (section)

=== Proclamation of the First Republic ===
[[File:Execution of Louis XVI.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.0|[[Execution of Louis XVI]] in the [[Place de la Concorde]], facing the empty pedestal where the statue of his grandfather [[Louis XV]] previously stood]]

In late August, [[1792 French National Convention election|elections were held]] for the [[National Convention]]. Restrictions on the franchise meant the number of votes cast fell to 3.3&nbsp;million, versus 4&nbsp;million in 1791, while intimidation was widespread.{{Sfn|Crook|1996|p=94}} The ''Brissotins'' split between moderate ''[[Girondins]]'' led by Brissot, and radical ''[[Montagnard (French Revolution)|Montagnards]]'', headed by Robespierre, [[Georges Danton]] and [[Jean-Paul Marat]]. While loyalties constantly shifted, voting patterns suggest roughly 160 of the 749 deputies can generally be categorised as ''Girondists'', with another 200 ''Montagnards''. The remainder were part of a centrist faction known as ''La Plaine'', headed by [[Bertrand Barère]], [[Pierre Joseph Cambon]] and [[Lazare Carnot]].{{Sfn|Shusterman|2013|pp=223–269}}

In the [[September Massacres]], between 1,100 and 1,600 prisoners held in Parisian jails were [[extrajudicial killings|summarily executed]], the vast majority being common criminals.{{Sfn|Lewis|2002|p=38}} A response to the capture of [[Longwy]] and [[Battle of Verdun (1792)|Verdun]] by Prussia, the perpetrators were largely National Guard members and ''[[fédérés]]'' on their way to the front. While responsibility is still disputed, even moderates expressed sympathy for the action, which soon spread to the provinces. One suggestion is that the killings stemmed from concern over growing lawlessness, rather than political ideology.{{Sfn|Tackett|2011|pp=54–55}}

On 20 September, the French defeated the Prussians at the [[Battle of Valmy]], in what was the first major victory by the army of France during the [[French Revolutionary Wars|Revolutionary Wars]]. Emboldened by this, on 22 September the Convention replaced the monarchy with the [[French First Republic]] and introduced [[French Republican Calendar|a new calendar]], with 1792 becoming "Year One".{{Sfn|Pas|2008|p=49}} The next few months were taken up with the trial of ''Citoyen Louis Capet'', formerly Louis XVI. While evenly divided on the question of his guilt, members of the convention were increasingly influenced by radicals based within the Jacobin clubs and Paris Commune. The Brunswick Manifesto made it easy to portray Louis as a threat to the Revolution, especially when extracts [[Armoire de fer|from his personal correspondence]] showed him conspiring with Royalist exiles.{{Sfn|Barton|1967|pp=146–160}}

On 17 January 1793, Louis was sentenced to death for "conspiracy against public liberty and general safety". 361 deputies were in favour, 288 against, while another 72 voted to execute him, subject to delaying conditions. The sentence was [[Execution of Louis XVI|carried out on 21 January]] on the ''Place de la Révolution'', now the [[Place de la Concorde]].{{Sfn|Doyle|1990|p=196}} Conservatives across Europe called for the destruction of revolutionary France, and in February the Convention responded by declaring war on [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Britain]] and the [[Dutch Republic]]. Together with Austria and Prussia, these two countries were later joined by [[Enlightenment Spain|Spain]], [[Portuguese Empire|Portugal]], [[Kingdom of Naples|Naples]], and [[Grand Duchy of Tuscany|Tuscany]] in the [[War of the First Coalition]].{{Sfn|Wasson|2009|p=118}}