Louis XVI of France
Monarch
1754 – 1793
Who was Louis XVI of France?
Louis XVI was King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, after which he was subsequently King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before his deposition and execution during the French Revolution. His father, Louis, Dauphin of France, was the son and heir apparent of Louis XV of France. Due to the Dauphin's death in 1765, Louis succeeded his grandfather in 1774.
The first part of Louis' reign was marked by attempts to reform France in accordance with Enlightenment ideals. These included efforts to abolish serfdom, remove the taille, and increase tolerance toward non-Catholics. The French nobility reacted to the proposed reforms with hostility, and successfully opposed their implementation; increased discontent among the common people ensued. From 1776 Louis XVI actively supported the North American colonists, who were seeking their independence from Great Britain, which was realized in the 1783 Treaty of Paris.
The ensuing debt and financial crisis contributed to the unpopularity of the ancien régime which culminated at the Estates-General of 1789. Discontent among the members of France's middle and lower classes resulted in strengthened opposition to the French aristocracy and to the absolute monarchy, of which Louis and his queen Marie Antoinette were viewed as representative. In 1789, the Bastille was stormed during riots in Paris, and the French Revolution began.
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- Born
- Aug 23, 1754
Palace of Versailles - Also known as
- Duc de Berry
- Citoyen Louis Capet
- Louis Auguste de France
- Parents
- Siblings
- Spouses
- Marie Antoinette
(1770/05/16 - 1793/01/21)
- Marie Antoinette
- Children
- Religion
- Catholicism
- Roman Catholic Church
- Ethnicity
- French people
- Nationality
- France
- Died
- Jan 21, 1793
Place de la Concorde - Resting place
- Basilica of St Denis
Submitted
on July 23, 2013
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