Louis XVI on the scaffold

On 21 January 1793, King Louis XVI, renamed Louis Capet in the indictment of his trial, was guillotined in public on the Place de la Révolution, now the Place de la Concorde, in Paris. His death brought to an end nearly 1,300 years of monarchy in France, dating back to the reign of Clovis at the end of the 5th century. Less than four years had passed between the storming of the Bastille and the king’s execution.
Stepping forward to the edge of the platform, Louis XVI signalled to the drummers to stop and attempted to address the people: ‘I die innocent of all the crimes of which I am accused. I forgive those responsible for my death. I pray to God that the blood you are about to shed may never fall upon France.” He wanted to continue, but Santerre gave the order for the drums to beat again to drown out his voice.
At 10.22 am, the executioner Charles-Henri Sanson swung the blade. After which the bloodied head was shown to the crowd.