Louis XVI
King of France and Navarre
Reign	10 May 1774 – 10 August 1792
Coronation	11 June 1775, Reims
Full name	Louis-Auguste
Titles	Duke of Berry (1754–65) Dauphin of France (1765–74) King of France (1774–91) King of the French (1791–92) 'Citizen Louis Capet'
Born	23 August 1754(1754-08-23)
Birthplace	Palace of Versailles, France
Died	21 January 1793 (aged 38)
Place of death	Paris, France
Buried	Eventually Saint Denis Basilica, France
Predecessor	Louis XV
Successor	Monarchy abolished De facto National Convention, ruling legislative body of the French First Republic De jure Louis XVII Next reigning Monarch: Napoleon I (in 1804)
Consort	Marie Antoinette of Austria (1755–93)
Issue	Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte, Dauphine of France (1778–1851) Louis-Joseph-Xavier-François, Dauphin of France (1781–89) Louis-Charles, future titular Louis XVII (1785–95) Sophie Hélène Béatrix of France (1786–87)
Royal House	House of Bourbon
Father	Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–65)
Mother	Marie-Josèphe of Saxony (1731–67)

Louis XVI (23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793), born Louis-Auguste, ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792. Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1774 ( MDCCLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 1792 ( MDCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1184 BC - Trojan War: Troy is sacked and burned according to the calculations of Eratosthenes. Year 1775 ( MDCCLXXV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Reims (alternative English spelling Rheims; riːmz in English and /ʁɛ̃s/ in French) is a city of the Champagne-Ardenne région of northern The title of Duke of Berry ( duc de Berry) in the French Nobility was frequently created for junior members of the French royal family. The Dauphin of France (Dauphin de France—strictly Dauphin of Viennois ( Dauphin de Viennois)—was the title given to the Heir apparent of the List of Queens and Empresses of France Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below List of Queens and Empresses of France Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1754 ( MDCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal Château in Versailles, in France 's Île-de-France region This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1793 ( MDCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. The Basilica of Saint Denis ( French: Basilique de Saint-Denis, or simply Basilique Saint-Denis) is the burial site of almost all the French This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Louis XV (15 February 1710 &ndash 10 May 1774 ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774 During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the Constitutional and legislative assembly The First Republic in France, officially the French Republic (République française was proclaimed on 21 September 1792 during the French Revolution. Louis XVII of France, also Louis VI of Navarre ( Versailles March 27 1785 – Paris June 8 1795) from birth Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen (November 2 1755 &ndash October 16 1793 known to history as Marie Antoinette ( pronounced /maʀi ɑ̃ntwanɛt/ Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte of France ( 19 December 1778 &ndash 19 October 1851) was the eldest child of King Louis XVI of France Ancestry Son of Marie Antoinette Louis XVII of France, also Louis VI of Navarre ( Versailles March 27 1785 – Paris June 8 1795) from birth Ancestry The House of Bourbon is an important European Royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1754 ( MDCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1793 ( MDCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common List of Queens and Empresses of France Wikipedia_talkFeatured_lists#Proposed_change_to_all_featured_lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. This is a list of the kings of Pamplona ( Iruña in Basque), later Navarre. Popular Monarchy is a system of monarchical governance in which the monarch's title is linked with the people rather than a unitary state Suspended and arrested during the 10th of August 1792 Insurrection, he was tried by the National Convention, found guilty of treason, and executed on 21 January 1793. During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the Constitutional and legislative assembly Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1793 ( MDCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common

Although he was beloved at first, his indecisiveness and conservatism led some elements of the people of France to eventually hate him as a symbol of the perceived tyranny of the Ancien Régime. Ancien Régime ( pronounced: /ɑ̃sjɛ̃ ʁeʒim/ refers primarily to the aristocratic social and political system established in After the abolition of the monarchy in 1792, the new republican government gave him the surname Capet, a reference to the nickname of Hugh Capet, founder of the Capetian dynasty, which the revolutionaries wrongly interpreted as a family name. Hugh Capet (c 940 &ndash 24 October, 996) was the first King of France of the eponymous Capetian dynasty from his election to succeed the For the Direct Capetians, who ruled France 987&ndash1328 see the House of Capet. He was also informally nicknamed Louis le Dernier (Louis the Last), a derisive use of the traditional nicknaming of French kings. Today, historians and Frenchmen in general have a more nuanced view of Louis XVI, who is seen as an honest man with good intentions, but who was probably unfit for the herculean task of reforming the monarchy, and who was used as a scapegoat by the revolutionaries.

Early life

Louis-Auguste, who was given the title of duc de Berry at birth, was born on 23 August 1754, in the Palace of Versailles in France. The title of Duke of Berry ( duc de Berry) in the French Nobility was frequently created for junior members of the French royal family. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Year 1754 ( MDCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal Château in Versailles, in France 's Île-de-France region Out of eight children, he was the third son of the Dauphin Louis, the only son of King Louis XV of France and his consort, Queen Maria Leszczyńska. Louis XV (15 February 1710 &ndash 10 May 1774 ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774 This is the correct spelling in modern Polish various other spellings are also used in English and French His mother was Marie-Josèphe of Saxony, the daughter of Frederick Augustus II of Saxony, Prince-Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. Augustus III (Augustus III the Saxon or the Corpulent (August III The Prince-Electors (or simply Electors) of the Holy Roman Empire ( German: Kurfürst ( pl The Free State of Saxony (Freistaat Sachsen ˈzaksən Swobodny Stat Sakska is the easternmost federal state of Germany. Poland, or at least its nucleus was ruled at various times either by książęta (Dukes(ca

The duc de Berry had a difficult childhood because his parents neglected him in favor of his bright and handsome older brother, Louis, duc de Bourgogne, who died at the age of ten in 1761. Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which Year 1761 ( MDCCLXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The sorrow his parents felt at the death of their elder son made it difficult for them to give Louis-Auguste the attention and affection he needed. A strong and healthy boy, although very shy, he excelled in his studies and had a strong taste for Latin, English, history, geography and astronomy. He also enjoyed working on locks, hunting with his grandfather Louis XV and playing with his younger brothers, Louis-Stanislas, comte de Provence, and Charles-Philippe, comte d'Artois. Louis XV (15 February 1710 &ndash 10 May 1774 ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774 Louis XVIII (17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824 Louis Stanislas Xavier de France, was a King of France and Navarre. Charles X (9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836 ruled as King of France and Navarre from 20 May 1824 until the French Revolution of 1830, when he abdicated

Upon the death of his father, the Dauphin, who died of tuberculosis on 20 December 1765, the eleven-year old Louis-Auguste became the new Dauphin. Events 69 - Vespasian, formerly a general under Nero, enters Rome to claim the title of Emperor. Year 1765 ( MDCCLXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a His mother, who had never recovered from the loss of her husband, died on 13 March 1767, also from tuberculosis. Events 1138 - Cardinal Gregorio Conti is elected Antipope as Victor IV, succeeding Anacletus II. Year 1767 ( MDCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Louis-Auguste, his two brothers and two sisters were left orphaned. ^[1]. The strict and conservative education he received from the duc de La Vauguyon, "gouverneur des Enfants de France" (governor of the Children of France) from 1760 until his marriage in 1770 did not prepare him for the throne he was to inherit in 1774 at the death of his grandfather.

Family life

Marie Antoinette Queen of France with her three oldest children, Marie-Thérèse, Louis-Charles and Louis-Joseph

On 16 May 1770, at the age of fifteen, Louis-Auguste married the fourteen-year-old Habsburg Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria (better known by the French form of her name, Marie Antoinette), the youngest daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and his wife, the formidable Empress Maria Theresa. Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen (November 2 1755 &ndash October 16 1793 known to history as Marie Antoinette ( pronounced /maʀi ɑ̃ntwanɛt/ See also List of French monarchs This is a list of the women who have been Queens consort or Empresses consort of the realm of France. Events 1204 - Baldwin IX Count of Flanders is crowned as the first Emperor of the Latin Empire. Year 1770 ( MDCCLXX) was a Common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting on Friday Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna von Habsburg-Lothringen (November 2 1755 &ndash October 16 1793 known to history as Marie Antoinette ( pronounced /maʀi ɑ̃ntwanɛt/ Early life He was born in Nancy, Lorraine (now in France) the oldest surviving son of Leopold Joseph, duke of Lorraine and his wife Maria Theresa (Maria Theresia see also names in other languages; May 13, 1717 November 29 1780) was the Archduchess regnant The marriage was initially amiable but distant — Louis-Auguste's shyness meant that he failed to consummate the union, much to his wife's distress, whilst his fear of being manipulated by her for Imperial purposes caused him to behave coldly towards her in public. ^[2] Over time, the couple (who were second cousins once removed) became closer, and the marriage was consummated in July 1773. cousin in Kinship terminology is a relative with whom one shares a common Ancestor, but in modern usage the term is rarely used when referring to a ^[3]

Nonetheless, they failed to produce children for several years after that, placing strain upon the marriage,^[4] whilst the situation was worsened by the publication of obscene pamphlets (libelles) which mocked the infertility of the pair. One questioned, "Can the King do it? Can't the King do it?"^[5]

The reasons behind the couple's initial failure to have children were vigorously debated even at the time, and have continued to be so since. One suggestion is that Louis-Auguste suffered from a sexual dysfunction,^[6] perhaps phimosis (a tightness of the foreskin that inhibits erection and ejaculation in sufferers), a suggestion first made in late 1772 by the royal doctors^[7] Historians adhering to this view suggest that he was circumcised (the common cure for phimosis) to relieve the condition seven years after the marriage. Phimosis is a condition where the male foreskin cannot be fully retracted from the head of the Penis. Male circumcision is the removal of some or all of the Foreskin (prepuce from the Penis. ^[8]

Louis XVI at the age of 20

Historical evidence, however, is against this. The Dauphine's doctor, Jean-Marie Lassonne, examining the Dauphin in 1773, found him 'well made', and judged that the problem was one of 'clumsiness and ignorance'. ^[9] This incident was followed several months later by the above-mentioned consummation of July 1773. ^[10] Nor were Louis's doctors in favor of it—the operation was delicate and traumatic, and capable of doing "as much harm as good" to an adult male. As late as 1777, the Prussian envoy, Baron Goltz, reported that the King had definitely declined to be operated upon.

Nor is there any record of the king being operated upon, or of him spending several weeks convalescing, as would be necessary; the fact that his hunting journals show no such break, despite the impossibility of sitting in a saddle for several weeks after such an operation, strongly suggests that he did not in fact have it. ^[11]

The true cause of the couple's infertility is revealed in a letter written by Marie-Antoinette's brother, Joseph II, to another brother, Leopold II. Heir and co-regent Joseph was born in the midst of the early upheavals of the War of the Austrian Succession. Leopold II (May 5 1747 March 1 1792 born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor from 1790 to 1792 and Grand Duke Joseph in April 1777 visited Louis and Marie-Antoinette in France, and had a frank talk with both of them regarding sexual matters; from this, he discovered that the King slept with his wife for duty rather than pleasure. There was no problem with the King's sexual organs: Joseph wrote, "he has strong perfectly satisfactory erections", and "he sometimes has night-time emissions"; the problem was that when the King and Queen slept together, "he introduces the member, stays there without moving for about two minutes, withdraws without ejaculating but still erect, and bids goodnight. . . when he is inside and going at it. . . [ejaculation] never happens. " In the Emperor's opinion, the pair were "two complete blunderers", who had nothing wrong with them aside from lack of sexual knowledge and desire (Lassonne had already opined in 1773 that the lack of consummation was down to "clumsiness and ignorance"). ^[12]

Joseph, it would appear, remedied the couple's ignorance during his 'talks' with the pair; by August, the marriage was finally consummated, and the pair had thanked him for his advice, to which they attributed the consummation. ^[13]

Subsequently, the Royal couple had four children:

• Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte (19 December 1778 – 19 October 1851)
• Louis-Joseph-Xavier-François (22 October 1781 – 4 June 1789)
• Louis-Charles (the future titular King Louis XVII of France) (27 March 1785 – 8 June 1795)
• Sophie-Hélène-Béatrix (9 July 1786 – 19 June 1787)

Absolute monarch of France, 1774-1789

When Louis XVI succeeded to the throne in 1774 he was 20. Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte of France ( 19 December 1778 &ndash 19 October 1851) was the eldest child of King Louis XVI of France Events 324 - Licinius abdicates his position as Roman Emperor. Year 1778 ( MDCCLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. 1851 ( MDCCCLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Ancestry Son of Marie Antoinette Events 202 BC - Hannibal Barca, leader of the Carthaginians, is defeated by the Roman legions under Scipio Africanus Year 1781 ( MDCCLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 781 BC - The first historic Solar eclipse is recorded in China. Year 1789 ( MDCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Louis XVII of France, also Louis VI of Navarre ( Versailles March 27 1785 – Paris June 8 1795) from birth Events 196 BC - Ptolemy V ascends to the throne of Egypt. 1309 - Pope Clement V excommunicates Year 1785 ( MDCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Ancestry Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Year 1786 ( MDCCLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1179 - The Norwegian Battle of Kalvskinnet outside Nidaros. Year 1787 ( MDCCLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common He had an enormous responsibility, as the government was deeply in debt, and resentment towards 'despotic' monarchy was on the rise. Louis also felt woefully unqualified for the job. He aimed to earn the love of his people by reinstating the parlements. While none doubted Louis’s intellectual ability to rule France, it was quite clear that although raised as the Dauphin since 1765 he was indecisive and not firm enough to rule. ^[14] Louis therefore appointed an experienced advisor, Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux, comte de Maurepas who, until his death in 1781 would take charge on many important ministerial decisions. Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux comte de Maurepas ( July 9, 1701 - November 21, 1781) was a French statesman

Radical financial reforms by Turgot and Malesherbes angered the nobles and were blocked by the parlements who insisted that the King did not have the legal right to levy new taxes. Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot Baron de Laune, often referred to as Turgot ( 10 May 1727 &ndash 18 March 1781) was a French Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, often referred to as Malesherbes or Lamoignon-Malesherbes ( December 6, 1721 &ndash So Turgot was dismissed in 1776 and Malesherbes resigned in 1776 to be replaced by Jacques Necker. Jacques Necker ( September 30, 1732 &ndash April 9, 1804) was a French statesman of Swiss origin and finance Necker supported the American Revolution, and proceeded with a policy of taking out large international loans instead of raising taxes. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" When this policy failed miserably, Louis dismissed him, and replaced him in 1783 with Charles Alexandre de Calonne, who increased public spending to 'buy' the country's way out of debt. Charles Alexandre, vicomte de Calonne (1734 – October 30, 1802) was a French statesman Again this failed, so Louis convoked the Assembly of Notables in 1787 to discuss a revolutionary new fiscal reform proposed by Calonne. History The Assembly of Notables consisted of a group of notables invited by the King of France to discuss reform of the government When the nobles were told the extent of the debt, they were shocked into rejecting the plan. This negative turn of events signaled to Louis that he had lost the ability to rule as an absolute monarch, and he fell into depression.

As power drifted from him, there were increasingly loud calls for him to convoke the Estates-General, and in May 1789 he did so, summoning it for the first time since 1614 in a last-ditch attempt to get new monetary reforms approved. In France under the Ancien Regime, the States-General or Estates-General (French états généraux) was a Legislative assembly This convocation was one of the events that transformed the general economic and political malaise of the country into the French Revolution, which began in June 1789, when the Third Estate unilaterally declared itself the National Assembly. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an The Estates of the realm were the broad divisions of society usually distinguishing Nobility, Clergy, and Commoners recognized in the Middle Ages The National Assembly of France is the lower legislative house under the French Fifth Republic. Louis' attempts to control it resulted in the Tennis Court Oath (serment du jeu de paume, 20 June), and the declaration of the National Constituent Assembly on 9 July. The Tennis Court Oath (serment du jeu de paume was a pivotal event during the French Revolution. Events 451 - Battle of Chalons: Flavius Aetius ' defeats Attila the Hun. The National Constituent Assembly (Assemblée nationale constituante was formed from the National Assembly on 9 July 1789, during the first stages of the Events 455 - Roman military commander Avitus is proclaimed Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Within three short months, the majority of the king's executive authority had been transferred to the elected representatives of the people's nation. The storming of the Bastille on 14 July served to reinforce and emphasize this radical change in the mind of the masses. The Storming of the Bastille in Paris occurred on 14 July 1789. Events 1223 - Louis VIII becomes King of France upon the death of his father Philip II of France.

Silver Ecu of Louis XVI, struck 1785
Obverse: (Latin) LUD[OVICVS] XVI D[EI] G[RATIA] F[RANCIA] ET NA[VARRE] RE[X] or in English, "Louis XVI, By the Grace of God, King of France and Navarre. This article is about the medieval and early modern French currency not the European Currency Unit (ECU or an Electronic control unit (ECU "	Reverse: (Latin) SIT NOMEN DOMINI BENEDICTUM 1785, or in English, "Blessed Be the Name of the Lord, 1785. "

Revolutionary constitutional reign, 1789–1792

On 5 October 1789, an angry mob of women from the Parisian underclass who had been incited by revolutionaries marched on the Palace of Versailles, where the royal family lived. Events 869 - The Fourth Council of Constantinople is convened to decide about what to do about Patriarch Photius of Constantinople Year 1789 ( MDCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The March on Versailles, also known as The Bread March of Women, and The Women's March on Versailles, was an event in the French Revolution. The Palace of Versailles, or simply Versailles, is a royal Château in Versailles, in France 's Île-de-France region During the night, they infiltrated the palace and attempted to kill the queen, who was associated with a frivolous lifestyle that symbolized much that was despised about the Ancient Regime. After the situation had been defused, the king and his family were brought back by the crowd to Paris to live in the Tuileries Palace. The Palais des Tuileries was a royal Palace in Paris. It stood on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed The reasoning behind this forced departure from Versailles was the opinion the king would be more accountable to the people if he lived among them in Paris where he and his family could be better monitored.

Initially, after the removal of the royal family to Paris, Louis maintained a certain level of popularity by acquiescing to many of the social, political, and economic reforms of the revolutionaries. Unbeknownst to the public, however, recent scholarship has concluded that Louis began to suffer at the time from severe bouts of clinical depression, which left him prone to paralyzing indecisiveness. Major depressive disorder, also known as major depression, unipolar depression, unipolar disorder, clinical depression, or simply depression During these indecisive moments, his wife, the unpopular queen, was essentially forced into assuming the role of decision-maker for the Crown.

The revolution's principles of popular sovereignty, though central to democratic principles of later eras, marked a decisive break from the absolute monarchical principle of throne and altar that was at the heart of traditional French government. As a result, the revolution was opposed by many of the rural people of France and by practically all the governments of France's neighbors. As the revolution became more radical and the masses became more uncontrollable, several leading figures in the initial formation of the revolution began to doubt its benefits. Some like Honoré Mirabeau secretly plotted with the Crown to restore its power in a new constitutional form. Honoré Gabriel Riqueti Comte de Mirabeau ( March 9, 1749 &ndash April 2, 1791) was a French writer popular orator and statesman

However, Mirabeau's sudden death, and Louis's indecision, fatally weakened negotiations between the Crown and moderate politicians. On one hand, Louis was nowhere near as reactionary as his right-wing brothers, the Comte de Provence and the Comte d'Artois, and he repeatedly sent messages to them requesting a halt to their attempts to launch counter-coups. Louis XVIII (17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824 Louis Stanislas Xavier de France, was a King of France and Navarre. Charles X (9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836 ruled as King of France and Navarre from 20 May 1824 until the French Revolution of 1830, when he abdicated This was often done through his secretly nominated regent, the Cardinal Loménie de Brienne. Étienne Charles de Loménie de Brienne ( October 9, 1727 &ndash 16 February, 1794) was a French churchman and Politician On the other hand, Louis was alienated from the new democratic government both by its negative reaction to the traditional role of the monarch and in its treatment of him and his family. He was particularly irked by being kept essentially as a prisoner in the Tuileries, where his wife was being humiliatedly forced to have revolutionary soldiers in her private bedroom watching her as she slept, and by the refusal of the new regime to allow him to have confessors and priests of his choice rather than 'constitutional priests' pledged to the state and not the Roman Catholic Church.

On 21 June 1791, Louis attempted to secretly flee with his family from Paris to the royalist fortress town of Montmédy on the northeastern border of France in the hope of forcing a more moderate swing in the Revolution than was deemed possible in radical Paris. Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Year 1791 ( MDCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Flight to Varennes ( June 20 - 21, 1791) was a significant episode in the French Revolution during which King Louis XVI of France Montmédy is a commune of the Meuse département, in northeastern France. However, flaws in the escape plan caused enough delays to enable the royal refugees to be recognized and captured along the way at Varennes. For other uses of the term Varennes see Varennes (disambiguation. Supposedly Louis was captured while trying to make a purchase at a store, where the clerk recognized him. According to the legend, Louis was recognized because the coin used as payment featured an accurate portrait of him. He was returned to Paris, where he and his immediate family were viewed suspiciously as traitors. As a result, they were place under tight house arrest upon their return to the Tuileries. In Justice and Law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or electronic monitoring) is a measure by which The Palais des Tuileries was a royal Palace in Paris. It stood on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed

The return of the royal family to Paris on June 25, 1791, colored copperplate after a drawing of Jean-Louis Prieur

The other monarchies of Europe looked with concern upon the developments in France, and considered whether they should intervene, either in support of Louis or to take advantage of the chaos in France. Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1791 ( MDCCXCI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or The key figure was Marie Antoinette's brother, the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II. Leopold II (May 5 1747 March 1 1792 born Peter Leopold Joseph Anton Joachim Pius Gotthard, was Holy Roman Emperor from 1790 to 1792 and Grand Duke Initially, he had looked on the revolution with equanimity. However, he became more and more disturbed as it became more and more radical. Despite this, he still hoped to avoid war.

On 27 August, Leopold and King Frederick William II of Prussia, in consultation with émigré French nobles, issued the Declaration of Pilnitz, which declared the interest of the monarchs of Europe in the well-being of Louis and his family, and threatened vague but severe consequences if anything should befall them. Events 479 BC - Greco-Persian Wars: Persian forces led by Mardonius are routed by Pausanias, the Spartan Frederick William II (Friedrich Wilhelm II September 25 1744 &ndash November 16 1797) was the fourth King of Prussia, reigning from The Kingdom of Prussia (Königreich Preußen was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918 and from 1871 was the leading state of the German Empire, comprising Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out" but often carries a connotation of politico-social self- Exile. The Declaration of Pillnitz on August 27, 1791, was a statement issued at the Castle of Pillnitz in Saxony (south of Dresden) by the Although Leopold saw the Pillnitz Declaration as an easy way to appear concerned about the developments in France without committing any soldiers or finances to change them, the revolutionary leaders in Paris viewed it fearfully as a dangerous foreign attempt to undermine France's sovereignty .

In addition to the ideological differences between France and the monarchical powers of Europe, there were continuing disputes over the status of Austrian estates in Alsace, and the concern of members of the National Constituent Assembly about the agitation of emigré nobles abroad, especially in the Austrian Netherlands and the minor states of Germany. Alsace (Alsace alzas Alsatian and Elsass pre-1996 German: Elsaß; Alsatia is one of the 26 Regions of France, located on the eastern The National Constituent Assembly (Assemblée nationale constituante was formed from the National Assembly on 9 July 1789, during the first stages of the The Southern Netherlands (Zuidelijke Nederlanden Países Bajos del Sur Pays-Bas du sud were a part of the Low Countries controlled by Spain ( Spanish Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.

In the end, the Legislative Assembly, supported by Louis, declared war on the Holy Roman Empire first, voting for war on 20 April 1792, after a long list of grievances were presented to it by the foreign minister, Charles François Dumouriez. During the French Revolution, the Legislative Assembly was the legislature of France from October 1 1791 to September 1792. Events 1303 - The University of Rome La Sapienza is instituted by Pope Boniface VIII. Year 1792 ( MDCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Charles François Dumouriez ( January 25, 1739 &ndash March 14, 1823) was a French general of the French Revolutionary Wars Dumouriez prepared an immediate invasion of the Austrian Netherlands, where he expected the local population to rise against Austrian rule. However, the revolution had thoroughly disorganized the army, and the forces raised were insufficient for the invasion. The soldiers fled at the first sign of battle, deserting en masse and in one case, murdering their general.

August 10, 1792 The Storming of the Tuileries Palace

While the revolutionary government frantically raised fresh troops and reorganized its armies, a mostly Prussian allied army under Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick assembled at Coblenz on the Rhine. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Year 1792 ( MDCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The Palais des Tuileries was a royal Palace in Paris. It stood on the right bank of the River Seine until 1871, when it was destroyed Charles William Ferdinand Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbuttel-Bevern ( Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand Herzog zu Braunschweig-Lüneburg Fürst von Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel-Bevern Koblenz (also Coblenz in pre-1926 German Spellings French Coblence) is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine In July, the invasion commenced, with Brunswick's army easily taking the fortresses of Longwy and Verdun. Longwy (lɔ̃wi in French Langich is a Town and commune located in the Meurthe-et-Moselle département in northeastern France Verdun (medieval Wirten official name before 1970 Verdun-sur-Meuse) is a city and commune The duke then issued on 25 July a proclamation called the Brunswick Manifesto, written by Louis' émigré cousin, the Prince de Condé, declaring the intent of the Austrians and Prussians to restore the king to his full powers and to treat any person or town who opposed them as rebels to be condemned to death by martial law. Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler The Brunswick Manifesto was a proclamation issued by Charles William Ferdinand Duke of Brunswick, commander of the Allied Army (principally Austrian and Prussian on 25 Louis Joseph of Bourbon-Condé (Louis V Prince of Condé ( August 9 1736 – May 13 1818) was Prince of Condé from 1740 to his death

Contrary to its intended purpose of strengthening the position of the king against the revolutionaries, the Brunswick Manifesto had the opposite effect of greatly undermining Louis' already highly tenuous position in Paris. The Brunswick Manifesto was a proclamation issued by Charles William Ferdinand Duke of Brunswick, commander of the Allied Army (principally Austrian and Prussian on 25 It was taken by many to be the final proof of a collusion between Louis and foreign powers in a conspiracy against his own country. The anger of the populace boiled over on 10 August when a mob — with the backing of a new municipal government of Paris that came to be known as the "insurrectionary" Paris Commune — besieged the Tuileries Palace. Events 612 BC - Killing of Sinsharishkun, King of Assyrian Empire Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city The Paris Commune during the French Revolution was the government of Paris from 1789 until 1795 and especially from 1792 until 1795 The king and the royal family took shelter with the Legislative Assembly. During the French Revolution, the Legislative Assembly was the legislature of France from October 1 1791 to September 1792.

Arrest and execution, 1792-1793

Execution of Louis XVI in the Place de la Revolution. The Place de la Concorde is one of the major squares in Paris, France. The empty pedestal in front of him had supported a statue of his grandfather, Louis XV, torn down during one of the many revolutionary riots. Louis XV (15 February 1710 &ndash 10 May 1774 ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774

Louis was officially arrested on 13 August and sent to the Temple, an ancient Paris fortress used as a prison. Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. The Temple was a medieval Fortress in Paris, located in what is now the IIIe arrondissement. On 21 September, the National Convention declared France to be a republic and abolished the monarchy. Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights. During the French Revolution, the National Convention or Convention, in France, comprised the Constitutional and legislative assembly

The Girondins were partial to keeping the deposed king under arrest, both as a hostage and a guarantee for the future. The Girondists (in French Girondins, and sometimes Brissotins or "Baguettes" were a political faction in France within the Legislative The more radical members -- mainly the Commune and Parisian deputies who would soon be known as the Mountain-- argued for Louis' immediate execution. The Mountain (in French La Montagne) refers in the context of the history of the French Revolution to a political group whose members called The legal background of many of the deputies made it difficult for a great number of them to accept an execution without due process of some sort, and it was voted that the deposed monarch should be tried before the National Convention, the organ that housed the representatives of the sovereign people.

On the 11 December, among crowded and silent streets, the deposed king was brought from the Temple to stand before the Convention and hear his indictment, an accusation of High Treason and Crimes against the State. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office In the Common law legal system an indictment (ɪnˈdaɪtmənt (in-DITE-mint is a formal accusation of having committed a criminal offense On the 26th, his counsel, Raymond de Sèze, delivered Louis' response to the charges, with the assistance of François Tronchet and Malesherbes. Raymond Romain Comte de Sèze or Desèze ( September 26 1750 &ndash May 2 1828) was a French Advocate. François Denis Tronchet ( March 23, 1726 - March 10, 1806) was a French Jurist. Guillaume-Chrétien de Lamoignon de Malesherbes, often referred to as Malesherbes or Lamoignon-Malesherbes ( December 6, 1721 &ndash

On the 15 January of 1793 the Convention, composed of 721 deputies, voted out the verdict. Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Amid hard evidence of Louis' treason, the verdict was a foregone conclusion--693 voted guilty, and none voted for acquittal. The next day, a voting roll-call was carried out in order to decide upon the fate of the king, and the result was, for such a dramatic decision, uncomfortably close. 288 deputies voted against death and for some other alternative, mainly some means of imprisonment or exile. 72 deputies voted for the death penalty, but subject to a number of delaying conditions and reservations. 361 deputies voted for Louis' immediate execution.

Louis was informed by Malesherbes of the Convention's decision on the 17 of January. The next day, a motion to grant Louis reprieve from the death sentence was voted down; 310 deputies requested mercy, 380 voted for the carrying out of the execution. This decision would be final. On Monday, 21 January 1793, stripped of all titles and honorifics by the republican government, Citoyen Louis Capet was guillotined in front of a cheering crowd in what today is the Place de la Concorde. Events 1189 - Philip II of France and Richard I of England begin to assemble troops to wage the Third Crusade. Year 1793 ( MDCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The Place de la Concorde is one of the major squares in Paris, France. The executioner, Charles Henri Sanson, testified that the former King had bravely met his fate ^[15]. Charles Henri Sanson (1739 - 1806 public Executioner of Paris from 1788 to 1795

As Louis XVI mounted the scaffold he appeared dignified and resigned. He attempted a speech in which he reasserted his innocence and pardoned those responsible for his execution. He declared himself willing to die and prayed that the people of France would be spared a similar fate. He seemed about to say more when Antoine-Joseph Santerre, a general in the Garde Nationale, cut Louis off by ordering a drum roll. Antoine Joseph Santerre ( 16 March, 1752 – 6 February, 1809) was a businessman and general during during the French Revolution. The National Guard ( la Garde nationale) was the name given at the time of the French Revolution to the Militias formed in each city in imitation of The former king was then quickly executed.

Accounts of Louis’s beheading indicate that the blade did not sever his neck entirely the first time. There are also accounts of a blood curdling scream issuing from Louis after the blade fell but this is unlikely as the blade would have severed Louis’s spine. It is agreed however that, as Louis' blood dripped to the ground, many in the crowd ran forward to dip their handkerchiefs in it. ^[16]

Legacy

• Louisville, Kentucky is named for Louis XVI. In 1780, the Virginia General Assembly bestowed this name in honor of the French king, whose soldiers at the time were aiding Americans in the Revolutionary War. The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots"

In fiction

• Louis XVI has been portrayed in a great number of films depicting the French Revolution. In Marie Antoinette, he was played by Robert Morley. Marie Antoinette is a 1938 Film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Robert Morley CBE ( May 26, 1908 &ndash June 3, 1992) was an Oscar -nominated English Actor who In Sacha Guitry's Si Versailles m'était conté, he was portrayed by producer Gilbert Bokanowski (using the alias Gilbert Boka), who arguably resembled him. Sacha Guitry ( 21 February 1885 &ndash 24 July 1957) was a French film actor director screenwriter and playwright Royal Affairs in Versailles ( Si Versailles m'était conté) is a 1954 film directed by Sacha Guitry, and starring Claudette Colbert Several films have upheld the image of a bumbling, almost foolish King, such as his portrayals by Jacques Morel in the 1956 French film Marie-Antoinette reine de France and by Terence Budd in the Lady Oscar live action film. Jacques Morel ( May 29, 1922 Paris - April 9, 2008 Paris was a French Film and Television Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Lady Oscar is a 1979 film based on the Manga / Anime The Rose of Versailles, created by Riyoko Ikeda. In Start the Revolution Without Me, Louis XVI is portrayed by Hugh Griffith as a laughable, bumbling cuckold. Start the Revolution Without Me is a 1970 Film directed by Bud Yorkin, starring Gene Wilder, Donald Sutherland, Hugh Griffith Hugh Emrys Griffith ( May 30, 1912 &ndash May 14, 1980) was a Welsh Film, stage and Television Actor A cuckold is a married man whose wife has sex with other men In current usage it sometimes refers to non-married couples in committed relationships as well although the traditional meaning In the two-parts film La Révolution française, Jean-François Balmer gave a critically-acclaimed performance as Louis XVI, whom he portrayed as an insecure, shy, yet decent and intelligent man. La Révolution française is a two-part Film, co-produced by France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Canada. Jean-François Balmer (born April 18, 1946 in Valangin) is a Swiss Actor. In Ridicule, the King was played by Urbain Cancelier. Ridicule is a 1996 French film set in the 18th century at the decadent court of Versailles. In Jefferson in Paris, Louis XVI was played by Michael Lonsdale who, at 64 years old, greatly exceeded the King's actual age. Jefferson in Paris is a 1995 American / French historical drama film directed by James Ivory. Michael Lonsdale, sometimes billed as Michel Lonsdale ( May 24, 1931, in Paris) is an Anglo-French Actor who has appeared In Marie Antoinette, he was played by Jason Schwartzman. Marie Antoinette is a 2006 Biographical film written and directed by Sofia Coppola about the life of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France Jason Francesco Schwartzman (born June 26, 1980) is an American Actor and Musician.
• Louis XVI is a supporting character in the manga The Rose of Versailles (also known as Lady Oscar). ˈmɑŋgə is the Japanese word for Comics (sometimes called komikku コミック and print Cartoons In their modern form manga date from shortly
• In the American supernatural television drama Moonlight, Louis XVI is the fictional father of a vampiric bloodline in which discovered a temporary cure for vampirism

Ancestors

. Moonlight is an American Paranormal romance Television drama created by Ron Koslow and Trevor Munson who also served as Executive producers Vampires are mythological or folkloric revenants who subsist by feeding on the blood of the living

References

• Doyle, William (2002). The Oxford History of the French Revolution. UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199252985.   Pages 194-196 deal with the trial of Louis XVI.

• Mignet, François Auguste (1824). History of the French Revolution from 1789 to 1814. Project Gutenberg. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works See Chapter VI, The National Convention, for more details on the king's trial and execution.

External links

• Encyclopaedia Britannica, Louis XVI - full access article
• Works by or about Louis XVI of France in libraries (WorldCat catalog)