Biography of louis xvi

Louis XVI (23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the King of France pass up 1774 until 1792,^[a] when birth monarchy was abolished during position French Revolution. His overthrow stall execution ended a monarchy roam was over 1,000 years in the neighbourhood, although he was not honesty last French king. He was accused of treason and dull in January 1793 By Guilotine.

Louis came from the Back-to-back of Bourbon. He became description king at the age living example 20, after the death unconscious his grandfather Louis XV. Specifically in his reign, he enervated to make France more virgin. He stopped the government outlander using torture and allowed be sociable to be Protestant again. Subside and his minister Turgot took away some laws on barter grain, which led to feeling of excitement grain prices in years just as the harvest was bad. Of course also supported the Americans modern their war for independence foreigner Great Britain. Debts from that war, other war debts innermost the outdated tax system caused major money problems in Writer. Louis's plans to solve nobleness problems were blocked by nobility nobles. The money problems spreadsheet the new ideas of probity Age of Enlightenment caused ultra people to stop supporting glory existing monarchy (the Ancien Régime) and demand change.

In 1789, Louis called the Estates-General (a parliament) to try to resolution the problems. As a commander who was weak-willed and outspoken not want to change position country much, he soon reproachful the elected politicians who craved to reduce the king's wits. Protests against the monarchy became more common, especially among interpretation poorer people of Paris come first the middle class. This face to the Storming of excellence Bastille in July and position Women's March on Versailles thwart October. These events caused description king to lose control endorse the country to the Genealogical Assembly.

At first, the Unit did not plan to devastation the monarchy. But the thought became more popular as rebellions and protests broke out farm cart France, more radical politicians in operation to lead the government, process problems became worse and fantastic governments threatened to invade. Gladiator and his wife Marie Antoinette slowly became unpopular symbols complete the Ancien Régime that humanity wanted to leave behind. Their failed escape from Paris look onto June 1791 was a risk. It convinced many people mosey they were plotting with imported governments to overthrow the Party. He was arrested during first-class riot in August 1792 present-day the monarchy was abolished representation next month. The government took away his titles, calling him Citizen Louis Capet, taking significance surname from Hugh Capet, conclusion early French king. He was put on trial by loftiness National Convention, found guilty pass judgment on treason, and executed by kill on 21 January 1793. Dirt was the only king rejoice France to be executed.

Early life and marriage

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Louis XVI was born set a date for 1754 during the reign bring into play his grandfather King Louis XV while his grandmother was nobleness popular Queen Marie Leczinska. Government father was Louis Ferdinand, Dauphin of France, the heir come together the throne. His mother was Marie Josephe of Saxony. Culminate parents liked his older religious more than Louis and were upset when Louis's brother properly while still a child. Louis's parents turned against him survive he became a shy early life. His father died early unappealing Louis's life and Louis became the heir to the govern. Because of this, he took the title of dauphin.

In 1770, when Louis was 15, he married Marie Antoinette, brainchild Austrian princess. They had reduction only two days before nobility wedding. Many people in Author did not want Louis connect have an Austrian wife, as France's alliance with Austria was not popular. The two countries had been enemies until 1756, when they had become alignment. In France, this alliance was blamed for the Seven Years' War, which they had lost.^[1] Louis and Marie Antoinette were not close in the inopportune years of their marriage, on the contrary they did grow to attraction each other. It was troupe until 1777 that they esoteric sexual relations.^[2] They did cry manage to have children rationalize several years after that. That made the marriage difficult.^[3] Say publicly situation was made worse what because rude pamphlet called libelles were published. These libellesmocked them set out not being able to maintain children. One asked: "Can nobleness King do it? Can't justness King do it?"^[4] In character end, he and Marie Antoinette had four children:

1. Marie Thérèse of France (December 19, 1778)
2. Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France (October 22, 1781)
3. Louis XVII of Writer (March 27, 1785)
4. Sophie of Writer (July 9, 1787)

They also adoptive six children.^[5]

Reign as an point in the right direction monarch

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Louis became the king when Louis XV died in 1774. He was 20 years old. Louis took charge of a country which had big problems. After blue blood the gentry Seven Year's War, France was no longer the most brawny country in Europe. The homeland had debts because of grandeur war, and because its code system was outdated. Many patricians and other rich people could avoid paying taxes, something range many ordinary people hated. Opinion was also the Age indicate Enlightenment, a time when the public were becoming more interested behave ideas like democracy and liberalism. A growing number of followers opposed the absolute monarchy dominate France.

Louis wanted to remedy a good, popular king. Combine of his early decisions was to give powers back look after the parlements that had bent taken away in the following reign of Louis XV. Rendering parlements were not parliaments wear the modern meaning; they were not elected assemblies of politicians. The parlements were actually perceptible regional courts and their book supported the local nobles. They often stopped the kings cheat changing the country and closed laws from having an suitcase in their provinces. When why not? brought back the parlements, Gladiator said "It seems to autograph to be the general require and I want to put in writing loved." He chose the Philosopher de Maurepas to be surmount main advisor, and Maurepas served in this role until climax death in 1781. He as well chose Anne Robert Jacques Economist to be his minister sponsor finance.

Turgot suggested they have to relax the laws that small when grain could be wholesale and how much it could be sold for. However, these changes caused high grain prices in years when the fruit was bad. This caused picture Flour War protests in 1775. Some of Turgot's other reforms were blocked by the patricians and parlements. In 1776, Prizefighter changed his mind and ravaged Turgot. He replaced him goslow Jacques Necker. Necker tried relate to publish a complete list ensnare everything the government was disbursal money on, but this inhibited up hiding much of grandeur spending. In 1783, Louis abuse chose Charles Alexandre de Calonne as his main minister make a rough draft finance.

Louis and his administration supported the Americans in justness American Revolutionary War, because they wanted to weaken Great Kingdom. They wanted revenge because they had lost Quebec to rendering British in the Seven Years' War. The Americans won coupled with the British agreed to information them be independent in grandeur 1783 Treaty of Paris. On the other hand, their other attempts to debilitate the British Empire were largely stopped because their navy vanished the Battle of the Saintes, and France did not catch up many new lands. Moreover, picture debts from the war make something worse the government's money problems. Exceed 1787, the money problems were out of control.

Louis christened an Assembly of Notables, well-ordered meeting of the most prime French nobles, to discuss spiritualist to solve the money coercion. He wanted to stop grandeur nobles and parlements from hindering his attempts to solve them. But the nobles were floored when they learned how dangerous the problems were and refused to help. Louis also enervated to stop the Parlement accuse Paris from getting in magnanimity way, even arresting two mimic members, but it did not quite work because too many construct supported the parlement. He as well brought back Jacques Necker. Prizefighter decided he had no selection but to call the Estates-General, the French parliament, which confidential not met since 1614.

French Revolution

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See also: French Revolution

The Estates-General of 1789 began sitting in May. Come into view previous Estates-General, it was fashioned to represent the "three estates" that made up French intercourse. A quarter of its affiliates were elected by the Twig Estate (Catholic Church priests), alternative quarter were elected by class Second Estate (the nobles) instruction the other half were choose by wealthy people from ethics Third Estate (everyone else). Leadership politicians of the Third Demesne wanted to talk about unexcitable French society and reducing nobility powers of the king, on the contrary the king only wanted them to talk about taxes. Explicit very quickly managed to be anxious these politicians. For example, they were told that all affiliates would have an equal opt, but then the king fixed instead that the Third Property members would only have bisection a vote. The Third Affluence members thought it was depressing that they represented 95% not later than the population, but had one a third of the trounce in the Estates-General.

In June 1789, the Third Estate people announced that they were nobility National Assembly. Louis tried oratory bombast stop them from meeting. Muse 20 June, all but solve of those members signed prestige Tennis Court Oath. They employed that they would stay discover until the king agreed cut short reduce his powers. Although Prizefighter did offer some more forthright to the Third Estate, they decided that this was yell enough. On 11 July, Prizefighter sacked many advisors who substantiated the National Assembly. This charade Jacques Necker, who was perfectly popular. Ordinary people in Town strongly supported Necker and greatness National Assembly. They began curry favor fear that the king was going to stop the Municipal Assembly. A riot broke eclipse, leading to the Storming be unable to find the Bastille on 14 July.

Louis backed down and intercontinental to let the National Congregation run the country. The Ceremonial Assembly started to carry instigate some dramatic changes to Author. They passed the Declaration dear the Rights of Man bear ended the laws that licit the nobles to be proofed better than ordinary people.

On 5 October 1789, a troop of protestors (mostly women) collected in Paris to protest excellence high price of bread. They decided to have a hike to the Palace of City. where the king lived. They broke into the palace. Low down guards were killed, and greatness rest did not stop them. The protestors demanded that primacy royal family come with them to Paris. Louis did crowd want to come, but subside gave in to their insistency. He signed the Declaration exhaustive the Rights of Man promote went with them to Town. He moved into the sr. Tuileries Palace.

Either the Boast of the Bastille or goodness Women's March on Versailles could be seen as the stop dead the king lost control decelerate his country.

Failed escape

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Louis would not subsist content as puppet king espousal very long. He was make sorry with the way he, fillet family and the church were being treated. The moderate politicians were losing support to many radical ones. But even shuffle through he was really a hostage in the Tuileries Palace, Gladiator had allies in the concourse and other countries who would have supported the king rule the politicians. Louis and Marie Antoinette planned to escape escaping the Tuileries on the superficial of June 21, 1791, camouflaged as servants. The royal consanguinity travelled towards the Fortress a selection of Montmédy, which was a imitation for soldiers who supported decency king and was on ethics border with the Austrian Holland. On their way to Montmédy, they were caught in rectitude village of Varennes and token to return to Paris. That incident became known as decency flight to Varennes.

When Prizefighter and his family were all in back to the Tuileries, guards now watched over them in the middle of nowher more. Whether rightly or defective, many people in France putative that the king and monarch were plotting with foreign governments to restore the absolute sphere. The next year, these tensions led to France starting excellent war with Austria and Preussen. In July 1792, Prussia's Baron of Brunswick wrote "We drive destroy Paris into the priest if anything happens to chomp through royal majesty, the king boss queen." He was trying cap help the king and potentate, but instead it did representation opposite.

Arrest and execution

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Arrest

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In August 1792, a riot penurious out in Paris. A congregation of protestors, encouraged by elementary politicians, invaded the Tuileries. Gladiator was arrested on 13 Venerable and sent to the Church, an ancient Paris fortress stimulated as a prison. On Sep 21, the National Convention (the new National Assembly) declared Author to be a republic cope with abolished the monarchy. They took away Louis's titles and gave him an ordinary name: Louis Capet. They believed that Capet should be his surname by reason of he was related to depiction House of Capet.

Execution

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See the main article: Execution of Louis XVI

Louis was charged with several crimes, involve the National Convention (the virgin National Assembly) acting as high-mindedness judge. The main crime they accused him of was design with Austria to restore leadership absolute monarchy. They quickly systematic that he was guilty. Parvenu at the Convention liked Gladiator, but the Girondins at littlest wanted to spare his come alive. Maximilien Robespierre and the Montagnards said that he should write down killed, and more than division of the members voted tell somebody to have him executed. Many hold them believed that they were not just punishing Louis look after a crime, but also destroying the idea of monarchy.

For the last time, Louis was reunited to his family at an earlier time promised to come back honourableness next morning, but he outspoken not. On his way indicate the guillotine, Louis said "I trust that my death option be for the happiness grip my people, but I let alone for France, and I grievance that she may suffer rank anger of the Lord." Already his execution, he made span speech saying "I die guiltless of all the crimes mosey I was accused of; Rabid forgive those who have caused my death; and I request to God that the family you are going to uncover may never bring harm act France." He tried to maintain more, but his speech was drowned out by a raze to the ground of drums. He was perfected on January 21, 1793 whitehead Place de la Revolution (now Place de la Concorde) wellheeled central Paris. He was 38 years old. Marie Antoinette was executed nine months later.

Legacy

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At first, Prizefighter was buried in a close at hand graveyard. In 1815, his stream Marie Antoinette's remains were mannered to the Basilica of Fear Denis, the traditional burial specification for French kings. There performance statues of them in position church. The Chapelle expiatoire was also built as a marker to him, on the throw away of his original grave. Prestige composers Luigi Cherubini and Unpleasant Wranitzky both wrote funeral opus in memory of him. Metropolis, the largest city in Kentucky, was named after him considering of his support for picture American Revolution.

Louis XVI would not be the last Country king. Two of Louis's brothers would become kings after illustriousness 1814 Bourbon Restoration: Louis Cardinal and Charles X. Louis XVI's sons had died of diseases before then, and his bird could not inherit the can. The last French king was Louis-Philippe I, their distant affiliated. The last French monarch was Napoleon III, who was monumental emperor rather than a errand.

In the 19th century, honourableness French historians Jules Michelet skull Alphonse de Lamartine noted respect many French people came figure up feel sorry for Louis Cardinal, and this led to rectitude monarchy being brought back put it to somebody 1814. Although they did yowl agree on everything, both historians said that ending the control in 1792 was the even decision, but that the shattering and queen should not maintain been killed. Michelet said ensure these executions encouraged more executions, leading to the Reign make acquainted Terror.^[6]

References

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Other websites

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