Louis XVI, King of France and Navarre
by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis
1775
Louis Auguste de France was born on 23 August 1754, at Versailles, France. He was the son of Princess Marie Josèphe of Saxony (4 November 1731 - 13 March 1767) and Louis, Dauphin de France (4 September 1729 - 20 December 1765). His maternal grandparents were Maria Josepha of Austria (8 December 1699 - 17 November 1757) and Frederick Augustus II, Prince Elector of Saxony and King of Poland (17 October 1696 - 5 October 1763). His paternal grandparents were Maria Leszczyńska, Queen Consort of France (23 June 1703 - 24 June 1768) and Louis XV, King of France (15 February 1710 - 10 May 1774). Louis Auguste's parents were married on 9 February 1747. For his father, this was his second marriage. Louis married first Infanta Maria Teresa Antonia Rafaela of Spain (11 June 1726 - 22 July 1746). She was the daughter of Elisabeth of Parma, Queen Consort of Spain (22 October 1692 - 11 July 1766) and Philip V, King of Spain (19 December 1683 - 9 July 1746). Maria Teresa died on 22 July 1746, three days after giving birth to a daughter, Marie-Thérèse de France (19 July 1746 - 27 April 1748). Marie Josèphe and Louis had eight children, his siblings were: Marie-Zéphyrine de France (26 August 1750 - 1 September 1755), Louis de France, Duc de Bourgogne (13 September 1751 - 22 March 1761), Xavier de France, Duc de Guyenne (8 September 1753 - 22 February 1754), Louis Stanislas de France, Comte de Provence (17 November 1755 - 16 September 1824), Charles Philippe de France, Comte d'Artois (9 October 1757 - 6 November 1836), Marie Adélaide Clotilde Xaviere de France (23 September 1759 - 7 March 1802) and Élisabeth Philippine Marie Hélène de France (3 May 1764 - 10 May 1794). His mother, Marie had a good relationship with the mistress to Louis XV, Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson, Madame de Pompadour (29 December 1721 - 15 April 1764). He was baptized as Louis Augustus, known as the Duc de Berry. He was educated by Antoine de Quélen de Caussade. To consolidate an alliance between Austria and France, Louis Auguste married Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria (2 November 1755 - 16 October 1793) by proxy on 19 April 1770, at the Augustine Church, in Wien. She was the daughter of Maria Theresia, Holy Roman Empress (13 May 1717 - 29 November 1780) and Franz I, Holy Roman Emperor (8 December 1708 - 18 August 1765). Marie Antoinette and Louis Auguste were married in person on 16 May 1770, at the Chapel Royal, Château de Versailles, in Versailles. His brother Louis, Count of Provence married Marie Josephine of Savoy, Princess of Sardinia and of the Piedmont (1753-1810) on 14 May 1771. His brother, Charles Philippe married Marie-Thérèse of Savoy, Princess of Sardinia and of Piedmont (1756-1805) on 16 November 1773. She was the younger sister of Marie Josephine. King Louis XV died of smallpox on 10 May 1774. He was succeeded by his grandson as, King Louis XVI. The new King, and his Queen Consort, fell to their knees in prayer, with Louis XVI saying; "Dear God, guide and protect us. We are too young to reign." According to the Memoirs of Marie Antoinette by Madame Campan, "Louis XVI, touched with the wretched condition of the poor of Versailles during the winter of 1776, had several cart-loads of wood distributed among them. Seeing one day a file of those vehicles passing by, while several noblemen were preparing to be drawn swiftly over the ice, he uttered these memorable words: "Gentlemen, here are my sleighs!"
Louis XVI, King of France and Navarre
by Joseph-Siffred Duplessis
1777
"To despise money is to despise happiness and liberty."
France was declared a state of bankruptcy on 16 August 1777. Marie Antoinette wrote to her mother, Maria Theresia on 30 August 1777, that she and Louis XVI finally had consummated their marriage. France recognized American independence on 17 December 1777. In support of the American Revolution, France declared war on England on 10 July 1778. Marie Antoinette gave birth to their first child, a daughter, Marie Thérèse Charlotte on 19 December 1778, at the Château de Versailles, in Versailles.
The Children of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI:
Marie Thérèse Charlotte de France (19 December 1778 - 19 October 1851)
Louis Joseph Xavier François, Dauphin de France (22 October 1781 - 4 June 1789)
Louis XVII, King of France and Navarre (27 March 1785 - 8 June 1795)
Marie Sophie Hélène Béatrix de France (9 July 1786 - 19 June 1787)
His mother-in-law, Maria Theresia, Holy Roman Empress died on 29 November 1780. Until 1781, Necker continued the regime of reform. His approval of French military and financial support for the American colonists led the government to the brink of bankruptcy. Their youngest daughter, Marie Sophie died on 19 June 1787.
Louis XVI, King of France and Navarre
by Antoine-François Callet
1788
Château de Versailles
"Ridicule, than which no weapon is more false or deadly."
In July 1788, the King was forced to summon the Estates General. The states-general had a meeting on 4 May 1789. Their eldest son, Louis Joseph died of consumption on 3 June 1789. The King and Queen were left heartbroken. The title of Dauphin passed to his younger brother, Louis Charles, Duke of Normandy. In early July 1789, Necker was dismissed. The Bastille was stormed on 14 July 1789. Louis XVI wrote in his diary on 14 July 1789, "July 14th; nothing." Upon learning that the Bastille had been taken, Louis XVI asked; "Is this a revolt?" La Rochefoucauld-Liancourt said; "No, Sire, it is a revolution." Louis XVI went to Paris to restore calm, but no actions were taken against those who stormed the Bastille. The electors of Paris set up a Commune on 15 July 1789. Leading members of the Royal Court fled the country, Marie Antoinette also hoped to flee, but Louis XVI insisted that it was his duty to stay. In early August 1789, the National Assembly proclaimed Louis XVI the restorer of French liberty. A great banquet for the Royal guards was held on 1 October 1789, at Versailles. When tales of the banquet spread to Paris, a hungry mob of peasants decided to march on Versailles. One of the King's courtiers, the Duc de Fronsac, was in the city at the time and ran through the woods to warn Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI at Versailles. Early in the morning on 5 October 1789, a group of women got together and made a big crowd in the central marketplace of Paris. When the women got to the Hotel de Ville they numbered around 6,000. As they marched through the streets, more women came out of their houses and off the street to join them. They were armed with pitch forks, muskets, pikes, swords, bludgeons, crowbars, and scythes as they marched through the rain. At 4:3o the mob broke in to kill Marie Antoinette. The Queen's two guards gave their lives to save her, as Madame Campan and her other maids hastily gathered some clothes, and Marie Antoinette ran from her bed to elude her attackers. They ran to the King's bedchamber, Madame Élisabeth was already there, and when the children arrived the doors were locked. The King told the women that he would have all of the bread in Versailles ordered out to them, but more than bread arrived in Paris. The Royal family took carriages on 6 October 1789, in a long procession, for Paris. The women's went in front, crying; "We shall now have bread we have brought back the baker, the baker's wife, the baker's boy!" They were taken to the Tuileries Palace, with the Marquis de la Fayette in charge of the Royal family's security. The National Guard was created on 13 December 1789, in France. Joseph Guillotine proposed a new method of execution on 21 January 1790, a machine designed to cut off the condemned person's head as painlessly as possible. The French Assembly approved a Civil Constitution on 12 July 1790. Louis XVI swore to maintain the constitution on 14 July 1790, at the festival of the federation. An attempt of a counter-revolution was put down on 26 July 1790, by the National Guard, at Lyons. National Guardsmen prevented Louis XVI and his family from leaving Paris on 18 April 1791. According to Madame Campan, "In the beginning of the spring of 1791, the King, tired of remaining at the Tuileries, wished to return to St. Cloud. His whole household had already gone, and his dinner was prepared there. He got into his carriage at one; the guard mutinied, shut the gates, and declared they would not let him pass. This event certainly proceeded from some suspicion of a plan to escape. Two persons who drew near the King's carriage were very ill treated. My father-in-law was violently laid hold of by the guards, who took his sword from him. The King and his family were obliged to alight and return to their apartments. They did not much regret this outrage in their hearts; they saw in it a justification, even in the eyes of the people, of their intention to leave Paris." King Louis XVI attempted to flee the country with his family on 20 June 1791. They were caught and arrested on 21 June 1791, at Varennes. Brought back to Paris, the King was suspended from office until he agreed to ratify the constitution on 16 July 1791. Louis XVI solemnly swore his allegiance to the French Constitution on 14 September 1791. The National Legislative Assembly held its first meeting on 1 October 1791, in Paris. The Legislative Assembly approved the use of the guillotine on 20 March 1792, in Paris. In April 1792, war broke out with Austria. The Tuileries was invaded on 20 June 1792. The palace was captured on 10 August 1792. A revolutionary commune was formed on 11 August 1792, in Paris. According to Clery, "The King usually rose at six in the morning. He shaved himself, and I dressed his hair; he then went to his reading- room, which, being very small, the municipal officer on duty remained in the bedchamber with the door open, that he might always keep the King in sight. His Majesty continued praying on his knees for some time, and then read till nine. During that interval, after putting his chamber to rights and preparing the breakfast, I went down to the Queen, who never opened her door till I arrived, in order to prevent the municipal officer from going into her apartment. At nine o'clock the Queen, the children, and Madame Elisabeth went up to the King's chamber to breakfast. At ten the King and his family went down to the Queen's chamber, and there passed the day. He employed himself in educating his son, made him recite passages from Corneille and Racine, gave him lessons in geography, and exercised him in colouring the maps. The Queen, on her part, was employed in the education of her daughter, and these different lessons lasted till eleven o'clock. The remaining time till noon was passed in needlework, knitting, or making tapestry. At one o'clock, when the weather was fine, the royal family were conducted to the garden by four municipal officers and the commander of a legion of the National Guard. As there were a number of workmen in the Temple employed in pulling down houses and building new walls, they only allowed a part of the chestnut- tree walk for the promenade, in which I was allowed to share, and where I also played with the young Prince at ball, quoits, or races. At two we returned to the Tower, where I served the dinner, at which time Santerre regularly came to the Temple, attended by two aides-de-camp. The King sometimes spoke to him, - the Queen never. After the meal the royal family came down into the Queen's room, and their Majesties generally played a game of piquet or tric-trac. At four o'clock the King took a little repose, the Princesses round him, each with a book... When the King woke the conversation was resumed, and I gave writing lessons to his son, taking the copies, according to his instructions, from the works of, Montesquieu and other celebrated authors. After the lesson I took the young Prince into Madame Elisabeth's room, where we played at ball, and battledore and shuttlecock. In the evening the family sat round a table, while the Queen read to them from books of history, or other works proper to instruct and amuse the children. Madame Elisabeth took the book in her turn, and in this manner they read till eight o'clock. After that I served the supper of the young Prince, in which the royal family shared, and the King amused the children with charades out of a collection of French papers which he found in the library. After the Dauphin had supped, I undressed him, and the Queen heard him say his prayers. At nine the King went to supper, and afterwards went for a moment to the Queen's chamber, shook hands with her and his sister for the night, kissed his children, and then retired to the turret-room, where he sat reading till midnight. The Queen and the Princesses locked themselves in, and one of the municipal officers remained in the little room which parted their chamber, where he passed the night; the other followed his Majesty. In this manner was the time passed as long as the King remained in the small tower." The French National Convention voted to abolish the monarchy on 21 September 1792. The French Republic was proclaimed on 22 September 1792. According to Clery, "Hebert, so well known under the title of Pere Duchesne, and Destournelles were on guard. They were sitting near the door, and turned to the King with meaning smiles. He had a book in his hand, and went on reading without changing countenance. The Queen showed the same firmness. The proclamation finished, the trumpets sounded afresh. I went to the window; the people took me for Louis XVI and I was overwhelmed with insults."
"Capet is not my name."
According to Madame Royale, "In the beginning of October, after my father had supped, he was told to stop, that he was not to return to his former apartments, and that he was to be separated from his family. At this dreadful sentence the Queen lost her usual courage. We parted from him with abundance of tears, though we expected to see him again in the morning. At nine o'clock, says Clery, the King asked to be taken to his family, but the municipal officers replied that they had "no orders for that." Shortly afterwards a boy brought the King some bread and a decanter of lemonade for his breakfast. The King gave half the bread to Clery, saying, "It seems they have forgotten your breakfast; take this, the rest is enough for me." Clery refused, but the King insisted. "I could not contain my tears, the King perceived them, and his own fell also." Madame Royale continued, "They brought in our breakfast separately from his, however. My mother would take nothing. The officers, alarmed at her silent and concentrated sorrow, allowed us to see the King, but at meal-times only, and on condition that we should not speak low, nor in any foreign language, but loud and in "good French." We went down, therefore, with the greatest joy to dine with my father. In the evening, when my brother was in bed, my mother and my aunt alternately sat with him or went with me to sup with my father. In the morning, after breakfast, we remained in the King's apartments while Clery dressed our hair, as he was no longer allowed to come to my mother's room, and this arrangement gave us the pleasure of spending a few moments more with my father." The King read Hume's History of England, Tasso, and the De Imitatione Christi while in the Tower. In November 1792, the Royal family and Clery had feverish colds. In November 1792, proof of Louis XVI's secret dealings with Mirabeau and of his counterrevolutionary intrigues with the foreigners was found in a secret cupboard in the Tuileries. It was decided on 3 December 1792, that Louis XVI should be brought to trial for treason. Called Citizen Capet, he appeared before the Convention on 11 December 1792 and 23 December 1792. During the calling of the votes Louis XVI asked M. de Malesherbes; "Have you not met near the Temple the White Lady?" He replied, "What do you mean?" The King resumed with a smile, "Do you not know, that when a Prince of our house is about to die, a female dressed in white is seen wandering about the palace?" He added to his defenders; "My friends, I am about to depart before you for the land of the just, but there, at least, we shall be reunited." Despite the last-minute efforts of the Girondins to save him, Louis XVI was found guilty by the National Convention and condemned to death on 18 January 1793, as "guilty of conspiracy against the liberty of the nation and a crime against the general safety of the State." The President declared the result of the scrutiny, out of 719 votes, 366 were for death, 319 were for imprisonment during the war, two for perpetual imprisonment, eight for a suspension of the execution of the sentence of death until after the expulsion of the family of the Bourbons, twenty-three were for not putting him to death until the French territory was invaded by any foreign power, and one was for a sentence of death, but with power of commutation of the punishment. After this enumeration the President said; "In consequence of this expression of opinion I declare that the punishment pronounced by the National Convention against Louis Capet is death!" According to Madame Royale, "He related his trial to my mother, apologising for the wretches who had condemned him. He told her that he would not consent to any attempt to save him, which might excite disturbance in the country. He then gave my brother some religious advice, and desired him, above all, to forgive those who caused his death; and he gave us his blessing. My mother was very desirous that the whole family should pass the night with my father, but he opposed this, observing to her that he much needed some hours of repose and quiet." In the morning, at 5 a.m. 21 January 1793, the King awoke, called Clery, and dressed with great calmness. A chest of drawers was formed into an altar. M. Edgeworth put on his pontifical robes, and began to celebrate mass. Louis XVI then received the communion from M. Edgeworth. At this moment the drums were beating in the capital. At eight in the morning, Santerre, with a deputation from the Commune, the department, and the criminal tribunal, repaired to the Temple. Louis XVI, on hearing them arrive, rose and prepared to depart. Louis XVI desired Clery to transmit his last farewell to his wife, his sister, and his children; "You will give this seal to my son and this ring to the Queen, and assure her that it is with pain I part with it. This little packet contains the hair of all my family; you will give her that, too. Tell the Queen, my dear sister, and my children, that, although I promised to see them again this morning, I have resolved to spare them the pang of so cruel a separation. Tell them how much it costs me to go away without receiving their embraces once more! I charge you to bear them my last farewell." The King then thanked Clery for his services. Officers of gendarmerie were placed on the front seat of the carriage. The King and M. Edgeworth the back. During the ride the King read in M. Edgeworth's breviary the prayers for persons at the point of death. At ten minutes past ten the carriage stopped and Louis XVI stepped out into the Place de la Revolution. When they were going to bind his hands, he made a movement of indignation. M. Edgeworth gave him a last look, and said; "Suffer this outrage, as a last resemblance to that God who is about to be your reward." The King was bound and conducted to the scaffold. With no sign of fear, Louis XVI mounted the scaffold. He cried; "Be silent, drummers. Frenchmen, I die innocent of the crimes which are imputed to me; I forgive the authors of my death, and I pray that my blood may not fall upon France." He would have continued, but the rolling of the drums drowned his voice. The executioners, with Charles Henri Sanson, laid hold of him, and M. Edgeworth said; "Son of Saint Louis, ascend to heaven!" Louis XVI was guillotined aged 38, on 21 January 1793, at the Place de la Révolution, in Paris. The public dipped their pikes and handkerchiefs in his blood, then dispersed throughout Paris, shouting; "Vive la Republique! Vive la Nation!". His body was moved to the cemetery of the Madeleine. His wife, Marie Antoinette met the same fate on 16 October 1793. His sister, Madame Élisabeth Philippine Marie Hélene was executed by the guillotine on 10 May 1794. During the Bourbon Restoration bones that were presumably the King and Queen's were found on 18 January 1815. The remains of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were interred on 21 January 1815, in the crypt of the Saint-Denis Basilica, in Saint-Denis, France.
"For two hours I have been considering whether, during my whole reign, I have voluntarily given any cause of complaint to my subjects; and with perfect sincerity I declare that I deserve no reproach at their hands, and that I have never formed a wish but for their happiness." Louis XVI, King of France and Navarre.
Excerpts and Sources: Memoirs of Marie Antoinette by Madame Campan and Mémoires de Madame Royale, Duchesse d'Angoulême by Marie Thérèse Charlotte, Duchess d'Angouleme.
