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When the King Took Flight
On a June night in 1791, King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette fled Paris in disguise, hoping to escape the mounting turmoil of the French Revolution. They were arrested by a small group of citizens a few miles from the Belgian border and forced to return to Paris. Two years later they would both die at the guillotine. It is this extraordinary story, and the events leading up to and away from it, that Tackett recounts in gripping novelistic style.
The king's flight opens a window to the whole of French society during the Revolution. Each dramatic chapter spotlights a different segment of the population, from the king and queen as they plotted and executed their flight, to the people of Varennes who apprehended the royal family, to the radicals of Paris who urged an end to monarchy, to the leaders of the National Assembly struggling to control a spiraling crisis, to the ordinary citizens stunned by their king's desertion. Tackett shows how Louis's flight reshaped popular attitudes toward kingship, intensified fears of invasion and conspiracy, and helped pave the way for the Reign of Terror.
Tackett brings to life an array of unique characters as they struggle to confront the monumental transformations set in motion in 1789. In so doing, he offers an important new interpretation of the Revolution. By emphasizing the unpredictable and contingent character of this story, he underscores the power of a single event to change irrevocably the course of the French Revolution, and consequently the history of the world.
The king's flight opens a window to the whole of French society during the Revolution. Each dramatic chapter spotlights a different segment of the population, from the king and queen as they plotted and executed their flight, to the people of Varennes who apprehended the royal family, to the radicals of Paris who urged an end to monarchy, to the leaders of the National Assembly struggling to control a spiraling crisis, to the ordinary citizens stunned by their king's desertion. Tackett shows how Louis's flight reshaped popular attitudes toward kingship, intensified fears of invasion and conspiracy, and helped pave the way for the Reign of Terror.
Tackett brings to life an array of unique characters as they struggle to confront the monumental transformations set in motion in 1789. In so doing, he offers an important new interpretation of the Revolution. By emphasizing the unpredictable and contingent character of this story, he underscores the power of a single event to change irrevocably the course of the French Revolution, and consequently the history of the world.
288 pages, Paperback
First published March 14, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
February 29, 2024
i love the guillotine
(read for class)
(read for class)
February 5, 2021
Well researched and very detailed account of the royal family's ill-fated attempt to flee the country during the French Revolution, its wider context and its consequences. Engagingly written, and a worthwhile read if you're interested in the subject.
November 5, 2015
Good account of the familiar story though the style is a bit monotone and the Varennes capture of the king deserves a bit more narrative flair
July 6, 2024
4,5/5 stars
There are some events in history that not only are fascinating and have a dramatic impact of it self but have also huge repercussions on the course of history. The attempt of Louis XVI of France to flee his country in 1791 was such an event.
A lot of parts of this book are incredible written and very exciting to read. Some of the historical scenes are just so tense and full of drama : the discovery of the Royal Family by the inhabitants of Varennes or the escape of the Royal Family out the Palace de Tuileries are moments that could have come out of a novel( I would love to read a novel based on this event).
This in itself would already be interesting to read but luckily Tackett does something more in this book. By showing the consequences of this event in the following days, months, years,... , we get a overview on the next phase of the French Revolution and how it's ideology would become more radical. The affair will lead to a break of trust between Louis and a large part of the French population. Feeling betrayed, angry and humiliated , the revolutionaries will start to look for other types of government then monarchy. This book read so fast so this won't be my last by this author !
There are some events in history that not only are fascinating and have a dramatic impact of it self but have also huge repercussions on the course of history. The attempt of Louis XVI of France to flee his country in 1791 was such an event.
A lot of parts of this book are incredible written and very exciting to read. Some of the historical scenes are just so tense and full of drama : the discovery of the Royal Family by the inhabitants of Varennes or the escape of the Royal Family out the Palace de Tuileries are moments that could have come out of a novel( I would love to read a novel based on this event).
This in itself would already be interesting to read but luckily Tackett does something more in this book. By showing the consequences of this event in the following days, months, years,... , we get a overview on the next phase of the French Revolution and how it's ideology would become more radical. The affair will lead to a break of trust between Louis and a large part of the French population. Feeling betrayed, angry and humiliated , the revolutionaries will start to look for other types of government then monarchy. This book read so fast so this won't be my last by this author !
November 10, 2025
Someday I will go back and write my true review on this narrative because it truly deserves it. Timothy Tackett does an amazing job at presenting a compelling narrative with a meticulous and satisfying historiography, at least for me.
This narrative feels like King Louis XVI is the victim of some sort of time-traveling Divination Wizard with a great sense of humor. Dear reader, do you have mixed feelings with the perspectives provided by Great Man conceptions of history? Well what about Stupid Bumbling Man history? What if the thieves from Home Alone ran a country? I’m truly thankful for the Parlement of Paris punking his ass into calling an Estates-General simply for this hilarious narrative alone. This book genuinely gave me moments where I had to pause and burst out laughing because what do you mean you LEFT A LETTER DISSING THE REVOLUTION before you fled with your entire family to betray your country??? Why didn’t you use a light and inconspicuous carriage?? Why didn’t you change your appearance when you print money WITH YOUR FACE on it?? Ugh I’ve said too much already. Future Star, you know what to do
This narrative feels like King Louis XVI is the victim of some sort of time-traveling Divination Wizard with a great sense of humor. Dear reader, do you have mixed feelings with the perspectives provided by Great Man conceptions of history? Well what about Stupid Bumbling Man history? What if the thieves from Home Alone ran a country? I’m truly thankful for the Parlement of Paris punking his ass into calling an Estates-General simply for this hilarious narrative alone. This book genuinely gave me moments where I had to pause and burst out laughing because what do you mean you LEFT A LETTER DISSING THE REVOLUTION before you fled with your entire family to betray your country??? Why didn’t you use a light and inconspicuous carriage?? Why didn’t you change your appearance when you print money WITH YOUR FACE on it?? Ugh I’ve said too much already. Future Star, you know what to do
September 4, 2017
I had to read this for my history class this semester, and it was better than I was expecting. Tackett's argument is very interesting, and I enjoyed learning about the king's flight and all of its consequences in detail. I did feel like this could have been a little more interesting at parts. It felt like the author spent a ton of time on very minute details that might have been more appropriate for a footnote rather than spending more time on the big events. At the end, the second revolution, the king's trial, the Terror, and the executions all felt very rushed. They were all discussed for maybe five or six pages, but there were whole sections of chapters devoted to the exact pattern in which information about the flight and discovery spread from Paris to other towns.
August 20, 2025
A well-written narrative on the decision of King Louis and Marie Antoinette to flee France at a critical point in the Revolution. I liked the author's exploration into different topics in the various chapters: the context in Paris, the Provinces, the National Assembly, etc. Before this, I hadn't really read a history book dedicated to a very specific event but I liked the approach. Shout out to The Rest is History podcast hosts for recommending this.
September 27, 2017
Louis XVI gone done and messed up.
When a friend insisted I read this book I was hesitant to take him up on the offer. I may not be a historian but I nonetheless felt that I already knew quite a bit about the French Revolution, at least as far as the layman is concerned. What more did I really need to know about the fateful Flight to Varennes?
Tackett's decision to weave the historical into a proper narrative, though, insured that I would continue to read past the first chapter. He offered something that no other text on the Revolution I had yet read had: a dive into the thought processes of all the various actors involved in the Flight.
Beyond that, When the King Took Flight really drove home the point that on the eve of June 21, the French Revolution really was nearly complete. The constitution was nearly finalised and there was a sense of unity throughout the nascent nation of France. Now, more than before, I appreciate just how caustic to Flight to Varennes was to the French people.
I am a republican and believe that the cause of the second revolution of 1792 was just. But, I wonder: would the means have been less catastrophic if Louis XVI had been sincere in his loyalty to the constitution? Revolution, after all, can be a process and not an event. We're it not for the Flight, perhaps France could have slowly achieved a republic without the terror.
Happy year CCXXVI, citizens.
When a friend insisted I read this book I was hesitant to take him up on the offer. I may not be a historian but I nonetheless felt that I already knew quite a bit about the French Revolution, at least as far as the layman is concerned. What more did I really need to know about the fateful Flight to Varennes?
Tackett's decision to weave the historical into a proper narrative, though, insured that I would continue to read past the first chapter. He offered something that no other text on the Revolution I had yet read had: a dive into the thought processes of all the various actors involved in the Flight.
Beyond that, When the King Took Flight really drove home the point that on the eve of June 21, the French Revolution really was nearly complete. The constitution was nearly finalised and there was a sense of unity throughout the nascent nation of France. Now, more than before, I appreciate just how caustic to Flight to Varennes was to the French people.
I am a republican and believe that the cause of the second revolution of 1792 was just. But, I wonder: would the means have been less catastrophic if Louis XVI had been sincere in his loyalty to the constitution? Revolution, after all, can be a process and not an event. We're it not for the Flight, perhaps France could have slowly achieved a republic without the terror.
Happy year CCXXVI, citizens.
August 8, 2011
There's nothing better than a solid work of micro-history. You take a single event, or an unknown individual, research everything you possibly can about them, and publish a monograph. Timothy Tackett has done precisely this about one of the highest gambles of the French Revolution: the attempted flight of Louis XVI to the Austrian border in the summer of 1791.
It is Tackett's belief that the flight to Varennes represented a bridge between 2 distinct phases of the Revolution: the hopeful and the tragic. The King's decision to flee was taken late in the National Assembly's process of drafting France's first constitution; until then it had seemed Louis XVI was fully supportive of the process. His flight, however, told another story, and mobilized the French in unexpected ways that laid the foundation for the Terror of Robespierre.
Told in a fast paced narrative style and thoroughly researched, Tackett engages the reader in this seminal event in the history of the Revolution. A must read for amateur and professional historian alike.
It is Tackett's belief that the flight to Varennes represented a bridge between 2 distinct phases of the Revolution: the hopeful and the tragic. The King's decision to flee was taken late in the National Assembly's process of drafting France's first constitution; until then it had seemed Louis XVI was fully supportive of the process. His flight, however, told another story, and mobilized the French in unexpected ways that laid the foundation for the Terror of Robespierre.
Told in a fast paced narrative style and thoroughly researched, Tackett engages the reader in this seminal event in the history of the Revolution. A must read for amateur and professional historian alike.
April 24, 2011
An excellent--thorough and well written-account of the repercussions of the king's flight. I knew nothing of this except for the bare fact of it. "[I]n opting to flee from Paris at a critical moment, when the constitution was almost complete, and in repudiating his solemn oath to uphold the Revolution, the king greatly contributed to the destabilization of the state and society. In the short term, his action exerted a deeply traumatic effect on the whole population. A great wave of emotion swept across the country, emotions that ranged from crippling anxiety to outbursts of violence to chain-reaction panics over imagined invasions....They had imagined the monarch as a good father, and now they experienced a profound sense of desertion and betrayal". 221-222
Tackett makes a convincing argument-backing it up with his detailed study of letters and other texts from the time.
Tackett makes a convincing argument-backing it up with his detailed study of letters and other texts from the time.
August 3, 2018
An excellent history of the time during the French Revolution when the Royal Family tried to sneak out of Paris but were recognized and brought back. This is a pretty thorough, in-depth look at this incident and the events that led up to it, as well as what happened afterward.
The author describes the conditions that led the French King and his family to try to leave the country, and the mood of the people of Paris and the French countryside that caused them to worry about their doing that. He tells the events of the period immediately after the King and Queen returned to Paris, and how, despite what at first appeared to be a period of renewed stability, this incident led more or less directly to the eventual onset of the Reign of Terror.
The author describes the conditions that led the French King and his family to try to leave the country, and the mood of the people of Paris and the French countryside that caused them to worry about their doing that. He tells the events of the period immediately after the King and Queen returned to Paris, and how, despite what at first appeared to be a period of renewed stability, this incident led more or less directly to the eventual onset of the Reign of Terror.
August 15, 2008
A few of my classmates and I were honored to actually help our former professor with this book. I still have the draft!
April 9, 2019
A very organized account of French society and government in 1791, the year that Louis XVI fled to Varennes. It was actually an interesting read, Tackett's language was simple but engaging.
November 20, 2020
Fantastic examination of the king’s flight. As a student of his, this book is by far the most thorough study of the events that led to Varenne and the ramifications of the failed attempt
October 25, 2025
Revolutions, by their revolving nature, are full of turning points. They are punctuated by moments that historians can point to and say, “The events of this day changed everything forever.” In histories of the French Revolution, the royal family’s failed Flight to Varennes is invariably presented as one of those decisive forks in the road—King Louis XVI’s crossing of the Rubicon. What Timothy Tackett does so brilliantly in this book is hold his audience in that moment, taking us beat by beat, decision by decision, through the king and queen’s desperate attempt to flee Paris in disguise in the middle of the night. The opening chapters read more like a car chase or prison break scene from a novel than a work of academic nonfiction. And even though we know how the story ends—and that we’re not supposed to sympathize with the monarchs—it’s nearly impossible not to find yourself, at least once or twice, rooting for Louis and Marie Antoinette to reach the Austrian border.
Only when they are arrested and humiliatingly hauled back to Paris does Tackett zoom out, breaking from his minute-by-minute narrative to explore the broader political context, stakes, and emotional aftermath of what just took place. If the king and queen had succeeded in escaping, it would have meant civil war. When they failed, it permanently ruined the monarchy’s reputation. On June 20, most people still loved the king, even if they thought he was an idiot. He was their idiot. Their bon papa, the “good father” of the nation. By June 25, nearly everyone hated him and detested him as a liar, a traitor, and a despot. For the first time, the French began to seriously question the inevitability of kingship and the possibility of a republic. Nothing about this outcome was inevitable—and that, I think, is Tackett’s point. It’s tempting to see Varennes as an accelerant of forces already in motion, but reading this book makes clear that the event was truly transformational. It set France and Europe on a drastically different course than if it had never happened. That’s Tackett’s thesis, and he defends it convincingly. When the King Took Flight is entertaining, insightful, and an essential read for anyone interested in this period of history.
Only when they are arrested and humiliatingly hauled back to Paris does Tackett zoom out, breaking from his minute-by-minute narrative to explore the broader political context, stakes, and emotional aftermath of what just took place. If the king and queen had succeeded in escaping, it would have meant civil war. When they failed, it permanently ruined the monarchy’s reputation. On June 20, most people still loved the king, even if they thought he was an idiot. He was their idiot. Their bon papa, the “good father” of the nation. By June 25, nearly everyone hated him and detested him as a liar, a traitor, and a despot. For the first time, the French began to seriously question the inevitability of kingship and the possibility of a republic. Nothing about this outcome was inevitable—and that, I think, is Tackett’s point. It’s tempting to see Varennes as an accelerant of forces already in motion, but reading this book makes clear that the event was truly transformational. It set France and Europe on a drastically different course than if it had never happened. That’s Tackett’s thesis, and he defends it convincingly. When the King Took Flight is entertaining, insightful, and an essential read for anyone interested in this period of history.
June 26, 2025
When the King Took Flight is a book written by Timothy Tackett and published in 2003.
In this work, the author explains the escape of King Louis XVI, but not only that.
When the King Took Flight is a historical work, but the introduction is reminiscent of an adventure book with the epic tale of the king's escape on June 20 and 21, 1791. This choice to recount the escape from Varennes in an incredible manner is wise because it piques the reader's curiosity and makes them want to know more about this major incident of the eighteenth century.
Regarding the escape itself, it is important to acknowledge the many details provided by Timothy Tackett. We learn, for example, that Louis XVI owned a special vehicle, discreet inside but equipped with a leather chamber pot, emphasizing the discrepancy between the event and the character. The amount of detail provided by the author makes this book a true investigative work. Likewise, the author's thoroughness highlights the elements we know, but also those we assume or even ignore, given the significant complexity surrounding this event.
For the book doesn't focus solely on the king's flight. It also addresses the particular period preceding the flight, the flight itself, and its consequences. As an exceptional specialist in the French Revolution, Timothy Tackett brilliantly tells this troubled period in French and European history, marking the beginning of the modern period. When the King Took Flight is not a book about events, but a book about issues, allowing us to truly immerse ourselves in this exceptional era.
In conclusion, When the King Took Flight is an essential book for understanding the flight of King Louis XVI, but also the highly complex context of this incredible event.
In this work, the author explains the escape of King Louis XVI, but not only that.
When the King Took Flight is a historical work, but the introduction is reminiscent of an adventure book with the epic tale of the king's escape on June 20 and 21, 1791. This choice to recount the escape from Varennes in an incredible manner is wise because it piques the reader's curiosity and makes them want to know more about this major incident of the eighteenth century.
Regarding the escape itself, it is important to acknowledge the many details provided by Timothy Tackett. We learn, for example, that Louis XVI owned a special vehicle, discreet inside but equipped with a leather chamber pot, emphasizing the discrepancy between the event and the character. The amount of detail provided by the author makes this book a true investigative work. Likewise, the author's thoroughness highlights the elements we know, but also those we assume or even ignore, given the significant complexity surrounding this event.
For the book doesn't focus solely on the king's flight. It also addresses the particular period preceding the flight, the flight itself, and its consequences. As an exceptional specialist in the French Revolution, Timothy Tackett brilliantly tells this troubled period in French and European history, marking the beginning of the modern period. When the King Took Flight is not a book about events, but a book about issues, allowing us to truly immerse ourselves in this exceptional era.
In conclusion, When the King Took Flight is an essential book for understanding the flight of King Louis XVI, but also the highly complex context of this incredible event.
December 13, 2023
Wow, Louis was not that bright of a guy. Seems like he easily could have basically become a president for life and France's number one celebrity. But instead he lied about his oaths and then left a document explaining how much he disliked the constitution.
If he hadn't tried to escape he would have continued on being this beloved father of the country. If he hadn't left his document denouncing the constitution, he could have controlled the narrative a bit more and not lost so much respect.
And then such a disregard for the people of France. Would the new constitution have lasted longer if there was a strong king to lead his people into this new form of government? If George Washington had died in his first term, and political infighting gone unchecked, would the USA have had a similar experience to the Terror? Of course civil war and counter revolution could happen regardless, but people seemed excited for the future on the eve of Louis' attempted escape.
This book raised so many questions in the best way possible. And it was also terrifying to read. I have so little hope for the future. So many things from the past that are repeating themselves.
If he hadn't tried to escape he would have continued on being this beloved father of the country. If he hadn't left his document denouncing the constitution, he could have controlled the narrative a bit more and not lost so much respect.
And then such a disregard for the people of France. Would the new constitution have lasted longer if there was a strong king to lead his people into this new form of government? If George Washington had died in his first term, and political infighting gone unchecked, would the USA have had a similar experience to the Terror? Of course civil war and counter revolution could happen regardless, but people seemed excited for the future on the eve of Louis' attempted escape.
This book raised so many questions in the best way possible. And it was also terrifying to read. I have so little hope for the future. So many things from the past that are repeating themselves.
Read
April 3, 2023I have been wanting to read #whenthekingtookflight by #timothytackett for many years and was not disappointed. It is a terrific account of Louis XVI’s attempt to escape France in 1791. Each chapter examines the event from a different perspective: the town in which the king was stopped, the king and his immediate family, the citizens of a Paris, the politicians and influential revolutionary types and the citizens of France more generally. It is quite a dramatic depiction but cleverly provides specific detail of this surprisingly impactful turning-point while simultaneously considering the wider historical context and subsequent outcomes/consequences.
February 16, 2022
Another book for class-- the content was actually very interesting and I learned a lot about the motivations of the French Revolution. However, I cannot count how many times I feel asleep while reading this book because reading it wasn't that interesting even though the content was. Would not recommend unless you love French history or have nothing but time on your hands to read really specific books.
April 9, 2024
A really interesting and approachable look at Louis XVI's Flight to Varennes. It's written kind of like a novel which made it for a fun read. Overall Tackett is very convincing in his argument that the violence of the later period of the Revolution was not inherent, but that it was events like the King's flight earlier in the Revolution that radicalized people and laid the groundwork for the Terror.
February 4, 2017
Great history book! Reads like a thriller, but also teaches a lot about both the facts and consequences of an important episode in European history. The plot is fast-paced and the characters are engaging.
Want to read
December 9, 2024___________________________________
FROM BOOK: Un nuovo mondo inizia: La storia della Rivoluzione francese (Jeremy D. Popkin)
FROM BOOK: Un nuovo mondo inizia: La storia della Rivoluzione francese (Jeremy D. Popkin)
September 15, 2018
Definitely explained very well the importance of the king's flight to Varennes to the arc of the French Revolution, but often lingered on minutiae at the expense of more significant details.
February 26, 2020
Really good stuff.
November 7, 2022
Learning about the French revolution is not something I thought I would enjoy. A great book that reminded me of many of the events that happened during the Arab spring.
September 23, 2023
Read pages 49-87, 219-223
Read
September 29, 2023no cuz the way i wasnt supposed to read the whole thing today…crazy…the book was fun doe! for one of my history class
September 2, 2025
idk that the length of this was truly necessary but it is interesting to wonder how the revolution would’ve changed had Louis XVI been a reliable monarch. guess we’ll never know 🥀
December 22, 2025
Starting a “Worst Man” theory of history to explain King Louie
February 1, 2016
Though avid reader of Enlightenment history, if I had not had to read this book for class, I never would have picked it up. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for a pretty cover, but I saw this book everywher in stores when it came out, which gave it the stigma of being "popular" history written for the non-historian. But since I *had* to read it, I honestly did go in hoping that my first impression was wrong and that I would like it. But no.
I really, really disliked this book. Either Tackett is forgetful, or he assumes that the reader is. He defined a "cocarde" twice before page 150. Every time he mentioned Bailly, he felt the need to "remind" the reader who the man was, always saying something along the lines of "Bailly, astronomer and onetime friend of Benjamin Franklin." He repeats himself in a similar fashion over a number of people and subjects during the entire book. Perhaps someone new to the subject (probably Tackett's intended audience) would find the book more usetful, but I have my doubts. Tackett doesn't write very chronologically . Even as someone who has read a good many books on the French Revolution, I was still jarred by his strange order, which confused the points he was trying to make. He also leaves out a few things, such as many of the details of the Champs de Mars massacre. Whether or not Lafayette actually did give the order for troops to fire on the protesters, Tackett makes no mention of even the probability. Even Unger, whose rather poor biography of Lafayette does not (as I recall, it's been a while since I read the book) totally whitewash him in that respect! (And I'm a big Lafayette fan...)
When the King Took Flight is bland, poorly written, and Tackett fails to tie most of it into his main point in a significant, insightful way. It seems like he wanted to stretch a small amount of material into enough pages to make a respectably sized book. I will admit that his efforts to try and figure out what various kinds of contemporaries thought were commendable. His documentation of the spread of information was the best part of the book. If it had been an essay of about 30-60 pages, it might have seemed more meaningful. Don't forget, "brevity is the soul of wit!"
Authors to read instead: Hunt, Tilly, Bouloiseau.
I really, really disliked this book. Either Tackett is forgetful, or he assumes that the reader is. He defined a "cocarde" twice before page 150. Every time he mentioned Bailly, he felt the need to "remind" the reader who the man was, always saying something along the lines of "Bailly, astronomer and onetime friend of Benjamin Franklin." He repeats himself in a similar fashion over a number of people and subjects during the entire book. Perhaps someone new to the subject (probably Tackett's intended audience) would find the book more usetful, but I have my doubts. Tackett doesn't write very chronologically . Even as someone who has read a good many books on the French Revolution, I was still jarred by his strange order, which confused the points he was trying to make. He also leaves out a few things, such as many of the details of the Champs de Mars massacre. Whether or not Lafayette actually did give the order for troops to fire on the protesters, Tackett makes no mention of even the probability. Even Unger, whose rather poor biography of Lafayette does not (as I recall, it's been a while since I read the book) totally whitewash him in that respect! (And I'm a big Lafayette fan...)
When the King Took Flight is bland, poorly written, and Tackett fails to tie most of it into his main point in a significant, insightful way. It seems like he wanted to stretch a small amount of material into enough pages to make a respectably sized book. I will admit that his efforts to try and figure out what various kinds of contemporaries thought were commendable. His documentation of the spread of information was the best part of the book. If it had been an essay of about 30-60 pages, it might have seemed more meaningful. Don't forget, "brevity is the soul of wit!"
Authors to read instead: Hunt, Tilly, Bouloiseau.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews