Who hired assassin Robert Damiens, who was a member of the Paris underworld, to take the life of King Louis XV?

gtho4

According to this, and other sources, it's unknown: On the 5th of January 1757, as the king was entering his carriage, he rushed forward and stabbed him with a knife, inflicting only a slight wound. He made no attempt to escape, and was at once seized. He was then tortured so as to have him denounce his accomplices or those who had sent him, to no avail. He was condemned as a regicide by the Parlement of Paris, and sentenced to be torn in pieces by horses in the Place de GrÚ‚. He was first tortured with red-hot pincers; his hand, holding the knife used in the attempted murder, was burnt using sulphur; molten wax, lead, and boiling oil were poured into his wounds. Horses were then harnessed to his arms and legs for his dismemberment. Damiens' joints would not break; after some hours, representatives of the Parlement ordered the executioner and his aides to cut Damiens' joints. Damiens was then dismembered, to the applause of the crowd. His trunk, apparently still living, was then burnt at the stake. After his death his house was razed to the ground, his brothers and sisters were ordered to change their names, and his father, wife, and daughter were banished from France. http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Robert-Damiens http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Robert-Damiens">www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Robert-Damiens Jan 15 07, 10:08 PM

Baloo55th

According to www.alsapresse.com/jdj/99/01/06/MA/3/article_12.html http://www.alsapresse.com/jdj/99/01/06/MA/3/article_12.html he claimed he was alone in the attempt and had no accomplices, and that he wanted to die like Jesus in torment and pain (which wish was certainly granted) "Je l'ai exécuté seul parce que seul je l'ai conçu... Je veux mourir comme Jésus dans les tourments et la douleur". He had stolen the money to buy the knife, which lends weight to this claim. Jan 16 07, 10:39 AM