The French royal family had lived in the Tuileries since they were brought back to Paris from Versailles during the October Days of 1789. Louis XVI and his family were virtually imprisoned, as proved when crowds barred them from moving to their summer residence in April 1791. This may have influenced Louis to carry out the failed Flight to Varennes two months later, after which the family were more officially held under house arrest in the Tuileries Palace.
The relationship between the royal family and the people of Paris continued to decline throughout 1792. Louis did himself no favours by vetoing a range of decrees passed by the Legislative Assembly, and the situation grew worse with the threat of invasion from foreign armies.
With the subsequent issuing of the Brunswick Manifesto on 1 August in which Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, issued a declaration that lent foreign support to the royal family, the crowds of Paris held Louis and the concept of monarchy in absolute contempt.
On the morning of 10 August, crowds massed outside the Tuileries. Louis opted to shelter his family in the Legislative Assembly building and left the Swiss Guard to defend the palace. They were eventually overrun after they ran out of ammunition. Approximately 800 people on the king’s side were killed and Paris was put in the hands of the revolutionaries. The new government suspended the monarchy and the royal family were sent to the Temple prison.
