Louis XV of France
Louis XV, known as Louis the Beloved, was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity on 15 February 1723, the kingdom was ruled by Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, as Regent of France. …
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Who was Louis XV and what did he do?
Louis XV, byname Louis the Well-Beloved, French Louis le Bien-Aimé, (born February 15, 1710, Versailles, France—died May 10, 1774, Versailles), king of France from 1715 to 1774, whose ineffectual rule contributed to the decline of royal authority that led to the outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789.
What good things did Louis the 16th do?
Louis XVI (1754–1793) is generally known mainly as the French king who was guillotined when his country fell into chaos during the French Revolution in the late 1700s....1 Abolished The Death Penalty For Deserters.2 Promoted Enlightenment. ... 3 Abolished The Labor Tax. ... 4 Tried To Help The Poor. ... 5 Damage Control. ... More items...•
What role did Louis XV play in the financial crisis in France?
Louis XV attempted fiscal reforms that included the taxation of the nobility but his foreign policy failures weakened France and further strained its finances. As a result of lost wars, Louis was forced to cede many territories, including lucrative overseas colonies.
Why were people unhappy with Louis XVI?
The people of France were unhappy with how the country was being run by King Louis XVI, especially the costly involvement in the American Civil War and extravagant spending at home. The removal of King Louis XVI from power began an extremely violent and tumultuous period of the revolution where fear and paranoia ruled.
Who invented the guillotine?
It was originally developed as a more humane method of execution. The origins of the French guillotine date back to late-1789, when Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin proposed that the French government adopt a gentler method of execution.
How did Louis control the economy?
Louis' domestic policy was to centralize the economy by taxing the peasants and the middle class, run key industries and make more exports than imports. Louis' foreign policy was to defend his wealth and land by fighting almost all of Europe.
What were the 3 main causes of the French Revolution?
The causes can be narrowed to five main factors: the Estate System, Absolutism, ideas stemming from the Enlightenment, food shortages, and The American Revolution.
How did Louis actions weaken the French economy?
How did Louis's actions weaken France's economy? Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes, which made the Huguenots fled. They were the hardest working and most prosperous of Louis's subjects.
What positive things did Louis XIV do?
In that time, he transformed the monarchy, ushered in a golden age of art and literature, presided over a dazzling royal court at Versailles, annexed key territories and established his country as the dominant European power.
What are the 5 most important facts about King Louis XVI?
10 Facts About King Louis XVIHe was born the second son of the dauphin, and the grandson of Louis XV. ... He was married to the Austrian archduchess Marie Antoinette for political reasons. ... The royal couple had 4 children and 'adopted' a further 6. ... He attempted to reform French government. ... He was notoriously indecisive.More items...•
Why was King Louis a good king?
Louis XIV's reign was important in French history not just because it lasted so long but because he was a strong-willed ruler who was determined to make his subjects obey him and to make his kingdom the predominant power in Europe.
What was one of the main accomplishments of Louis IX?
He was largely admired by fellow European rulers and was sometimes asked to arbitrate disputes outside of his kingdom. Louis IX reformed the French legal process, creating a royal justice system in which petitioners could appeal judgements directly to the king.
Why was Louis XV painted?
The portrait, painted for her, commemorates her part in saving the dynasty. Louis XV was the great-grandson of Louis XIV and the third son of the Duke of Burgundy (1682–1712), and his wife Marie Adélaïde of Savoy, the eldest daughter of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy.
When did Louis XV leave Paris?
On 15 June 1722, as Louis approached his thirteenth birthday, the year of his majority, he left Paris and moved back to Versailles, where he had happy memories of his childhood, but where he was far from the reach of public opinion. On 25 October, Louis was crowned King at the Cathedral of Reims. On 15 February 1723, the king's majority was declared by the Parlement of Paris, officially ending the regency. In the beginning of Louis's reign, the Duke of Orléans continued to manage the government, and took the title of Prime Minister in August 1723, but while visiting his mistress, far from the court and medical care, he died in December of the same year. Following the advice of his preceptor Fleury, Louis XV appointed his cousin Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon, to replace the late Duke of Orléans as prime minister.
How long did the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle last?
The peace achieved by Louis with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle lasted only seven years. At the end of August 1755, Marie Therese, the Empress of Austria, discreetly wrote a letter to Louis XV, which was passed by the Austrian ambassador in Paris to Madame de Pomapadour for delivery to the King. She proposed a secret alliance between Austria and France, to meet the threats of the growing power of Prussia, which was still formally an ally of France, and Britain.
What did Fleury do to maintain the peace?
In the first years of his governance, Fleury and his foreign minister Germain Louis Chauvelin sought to maintain the peace by maintaining the French alliance with Great Britain , despite their colonial rivalry in North America and the West Indies. They also rebuilt the alliance with Spain, which had been shaken by the anger of the Spanish King when Louis refused to marry the Spanish infanta. The birth of the king's male heir in 1729 dispelled the risks of a succession crisis in France. However, new powers were emerging on the European stage, particularly Russia under Peter the Great and his successor, Catherine I of Russia. Prussia and the Holy Roman Empire of Charles VI were assembling a scattered but impressive empire far as Serbia in Eastern Europe with territories taken from Ottoman Turkey, and by marriage acquired the Catholic Netherlands (including Belgium), Milan and the Kingdom of Naples.
What did Fleury do to the French king?
From 1726 until his death in 1743, Fleury effectively ruled France with the king's assent. Fleury dictated the choices to be made, and encouraged the king's indecision and flattered his pride. He forbade the king to discuss politics with the Queen. In order to save on court expenses, he sent the youngest four daughters of the king to be educated at the Abbey of Fontevrault. On the surface it was the most peaceful and prosperous period of the reign of Louis XV, but it was built upon a growing volcano of opposition, particularly from the noble members of the Parlements, who saw their privileges and power reduced. Fleury made the Papal doctrine Unigenitus part of French law and forbade any debate in Parlement, which caused the silent opposition to grow. He also downplayed the importance of the French Navy, which would prove be a fatal mistake in future conflicts.
How did Grand Dauphin die?
However, the Grand Dauphin died of smallpox on 14 April 1711. On 12 February 1712 the mother of Louis, Marie Adélaïde, was stricken with measles and died, followed on 18 February by Louis's father, the former Duke of Burgundy, who was next in line for the throne.
What was the first conflict that disturbed the early reign of Louis XV?
One of the first serious conflicts that disturbed the early reign of Louis XV was a battle within the Catholic Church over a Papal Bull called Unigenitus. The Bull was requested by Louis XIV of Pope Clement XI and granted on 8 September 1713.
What did Louis XV do?
Only intermittently interested in political affairs over the years, Louis XV earned the admiration of the French people during the War of Austrian Succession. He took to the battlefield himself and seemed to take charge of the country's leadership. Louis XV chose to rule without having a first minister after the Fleury's death in 1743. The following year, Louis XV fell ill. He recovered, and his relieved constituents gave him the nickname "Le Bien-Aime," or "The Well-Loved."
What was Louis XV's role in the French Revolution?
Louis XV was king of France from 1715 to 1774. He is best known for contributing to the decline of royal authority that led to the French Revolution in 1789.
Why did Louis XV become king?
Because Louis XV's parents and surviving brother had died, he became king at the age of 5 following the death of his great-grandfather, Louis XIV. As a result of France's lack of strength in the Seven Years' War, Louis had lost to the British nearly all of France's colonial possessions in North America and India by 1763.
Why was Louis XV so hated?
He was abhorred by many due to his stubborn personality and detrimental political actions, including damaging France's foreign relations and continuously overspending, which exacerbated the country's financial problems. Louis XV died a hated man on May 10, 1774, in Versailles.
What caused Louis XV to fight with Austria?
Tensions with Britain caused Louis XV to side with Austria, his former enemy, to fight together in Seven Years War, which began in 1756. France was defeated and was forced to surrender some of its holdings abroad. During this conflict, Louis XV managed to survive an assassination attempt on January 5, 1757.
How old was Marie when Louis XV married?
Marie was the daughter of dethroned king of Poland. Louis XV and Marie wed in 1725, when Louis XV was only 15 years old. The couple had 10 children together—only seven of which lived to adulthood.
How did Louis XV change his life?
A series of family tragedies changed the direction of Louis XV's life. He was an infant when his grandfather died, and he was barely a toddler when he lost both of his parents and his older brother to illness. Louis XV became the heir apparent as a result. After his great-grandfather's death in 1715, he became king at the age of 5. Louis XV was too young to actually rule, however, so the Duke of Orleans took control as his regent.
What was Louis XV known for?
In 1725 he married Marie Leszczyńska, who would bear him an heir. Louis XV was a passionate student of science, especially botany, and did much to enrich the Palace’s gardens. He also commissioned the construction of the Petit Trianon for his mistress, Madame de Pompadour.
What did Louis XV do to help the world?
In the King’s Garden, in Paris, and in the Trianon Botanical Gardens, the king used the system of plant classification developed by the Swedish botanist Linné. Louis XV also took an interest in the first experiments with electricity. In 1746, at Versailles, Abbé Nollet performed a Leyden jar experiment for the King, successfully accumulating an electric charge.
How many children did Louis XV have?
Instead in 1725 the young King married the Polish princess Marie Leszczyńska, who was seven years older than him. The King and Queen went on to have ten children, born between 1727 and 1737. Six daughters and one son, the Dauphin, survived to adulthood. As children they lived in the Princes' Wing, now known as the South Wing. At the age of six the Dauphin moved to the main wing of the Palace, where a suite of apartments was set aside for the heir to the throne on the ground floor. For the education of his daughters, Louis XV chose the Abbey of Fontevraud. When they reached adulthood they returned to Versailles, with the exception of the eldest, who married her cousin in 1739, the Infante of Spain, later the Duke of Parma.
Where did Louis XV live as a child?
As children they lived in the Princes' Wing, now known as the South Wing. At the age of six the Dauphin moved to the main wing of the Palace, where a suite of apartments was set aside for the heir to the throne on the ground floor. For the education of his daughters, Louis XV chose the Abbey of Fontevraud.
Who was the painter that Louis XV commissioned to build the palace?
She took the painter François Boucher under her wing and supported numerous other artists, including the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Pigalle. In 1763 Madame de Pompadour persuaded Louis XV to commission the construction of a new palace: the Petit Trianon, future residence of Queen Marie Antoinette.
When did Louis XV become king?
He then became king in 1715 at just five years of age upon the death of Louis XIV.
Where was Louis XV crowned?
Shortly after the government and the Court were moved back to Versailles, which had been temporarily abandoned as the seat of power after the death of Louis XIV, Louis XV was crowned in Reims.
What is the most scandalous fact about Louis XV?
Scandalous Facts About Louis XV, France’s Playboy King. The real historical Louis XV makes most mad kings seem downright saintlike in comparison. This deranged monarch has become infamous for his scandalous affairs and for driving France to the brink of ruin.
What did Louis XV learn from his grandfather?
Apparently, Louis XV learned at least one thing from watching his grandfather, the Sun King: Whatever I say, goes. So when Louis wanted to make his new gal-pal Louise Julie de Mailly a Duchess, he didn’t blink. Give Louis credit for one thing: The man definitely had no shame—and it was only going to get worse.
How many children did Louis XV have?
Queen Marie gave Louis XV ten children in ten years—and all it took was a single “No” for him to turn his back on her forever. On doctor’s orders, Marie rebuked her husband’s advances after her miscarriage. This was maybe the first time in his life Louis didn’t get what he wanted—and he didn’t take it well.
How many kids did Louis and Marie have?
Though Louis and Marie ended up having 10 children, if history’s taught us anything, it’s that having a king for a dad is hazardous to your health. The couple’s second son, the adorable little Duke of Anjou, passed at just three years old. The couple was devastated—but that didn’t stop them from having four more kids in the next four years.
What happened to Louis' mother?
Unfortunately, that only made sure this couple met the same sad fate. Louis’ mother passed from measles just days shy of Louis’ second birthday, and his father followed less than a week later.
How old was Louis when he married Princess Marie?
The 15-year-old Louis married the 22-year-old Princess Marie in a lavish ceremony in 1725. They quickly got about doing their royal duty, and they had their first child in 1727. Queen Marie would spend the next decade in a state of perpetual pregnancy—but it wasn’t long before the young parents felt the horrible pain of loss.
Who was Louise Julie de Mailly?
Louise Julie de Mailly was just the first in a long line of scandalous mistresses for Louis XV. Pretty soon, everyone in France knew about the king’s appetites. The Duke of Luynes put it best when he said, “The King loves women, and yet there is absolutely no gallantry in his spirit.” Yeah, Louis was definitely a “Wham, bam, thank you ma’am” sort of lover.
How old was Louis XV when he died?
Death of Louis XV, 1774. Louis XV died, aged 64 , on 10 May 1774, in the bedchamber of his Private Apartment. His passing brought to an end a reign of 59 years, the longest in the history of France after that of Louis XIV.
What happened to Louis the Beloved?
Against all expectations, Louis “the Beloved” died an unpopular king. On 26 April the king went to the Petit Trianon with Mme Du Barry and a few members of his close circle. The following day he felt unwell when he woke, suffering aches and pains and a headache, but he nevertheless intended to keep to the planned hunting trip.
Why did La Martinière move to Versailles?
On the 28th La Martinière, his First Surgeon, was summoned, and ordered him to be moved to Versailles on the pretext that “Versailles is the place in which to be ill”.
How to take part in the history of the Palace of Versailles?
Take part in the history of the palace of Versailles by supporting a project that suits you: adopt a linden tree, contribute to the missions of the Palace or participate in the refurnishing of the royal apartments.
What were Louis XV and Louis XVI convinced of?
…subjects of Louis XV and Louis XVI were increasingly convinced that French institutions of government and justice could be radically improved. Tradition seemed to them an increasingly inadequate principle to follow in such matters. Meliorism, gauged especially by the progress of the sciences, was one of the cardinal beliefs of…
When did Louis XV become a king?
On the death of his grandfather Louis XV, Louis succeeded to the French throne on May 10 , 1774. At that time he was still immature, lacking in self-confidence, austere in manner, and, because of a physical defect (later remedied by an operation), unable to consummate his marriage.
Why did Louis XVI approve French military support for the American colonies?
Louis XVI approved French military support for the American colonies in their successful struggle against the British, but the expense nearly bankrupted the country. Louis convened the Estates-General in an effort to solve his budget crisis, but by doing so he unwittingly sparked the French Revolution.
What happened in 1793?
France: The second revolution. …any event, the former king Louis XVI, now known simply as “Citizen Capet,” was executed on January 21, 1793, in an act of immense symbolic importance. For the deputies to the National Convention, now regicides, there could be no turning back. Laws to deport the refractory clergy, to bar the….
What was Louis XVI's reaction to the Revolution?
After 1789 Louis XVI’s incapacity to rule, his irresolution, and his surrender to reactionary influences at court were partially responsible for the failure to establish in France the forms of a limited constitutional monarchy.
When did Louis XVI get executed?
The execution of Louis XVI in 1793.
When did Louis XVI flee to Varennes?
…flight to Varennes, when King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie-Antoinette (the youngest daughter of Maria Theresa and therefore sister of Joseph and Leopold and aunt of Francis), fled Paris in June 1791 for the safety of the Austrian Netherlands.
Why was Madame de Pompadour important to Louis XV?
Madame de Pompadour was able to wield such influence at court due to the invaluable role she played as a friend and confidant of the King. In opposition to previous mistresses of Louis XV, Pompadour made herself invaluable to the King by becoming the only person whom Louis trusted and who could be counted on to tell him the truth. Pompadour was an indispensable comfort to Louis who was prone to melancholy and boredom. She alone was able to captivate and amuse him, and would entertain Louis with elegant parties, afternoons of hunting, and journeying among their various real estate holdings.
Why did Louis XV name Jeanne Antoinette?
Due to her involvement in Paris salons as well as her grace and beauty, Louis XV had heard the name of Jeanne Antoinette mentioned at court as early as 1742. In 1744, Jeanne Antoinette sought to catch the eye of the King while he led the hunt in the forest of Sénart. Because she occupied an estate near this location she was permitted to follow the royal party at a distance. However, wanting to attract the King's notice, Jeanne Antoinette drove directly in front of the King's path, once in a pink phaeton, wearing a blue dress, and once in a blue phaeton, wearing a pink dress. The King sent a gift of venison to her. Though the King's current mistress, Madame de Châteauroux ( Marie Anne de Mailly ), had warned off Jeanne Antoinette, the position became vacant on 8 December 1744 when Châteauroux died. On 24 February 1745, Jeanne Antoinette received a formal invitation to attend the masked ball held on February 25 at the Palace of Versailles to celebrate the marriage of the Dauphin Louis of France to Infanta Maria Teresa of Spain (1726–46). It was at this ball that the King, disguised along with seven courtiers as a yew tree, publicly declared his affection for Jeanne Antoinette. Before all of court and the royal family, Louis unmasked himself before Jeanne Antoinette, who was dressed as Diana the Huntress, in reference to their encounter in the forest of Sénart.
How many engravings did Madame de Pompadour make?
Madame de Pompadour created 52 engraved prints, of drawings by Boucher, after gemstone engravings by Guay. Her collection of work, in book form, is called " Suite d'Estampes Gravées Par Madame la Marquise de Pompadour d'Apres les Pierres Gravées de Guay, Graveur du Roy " which translates to in English as " Series of Prints engraved by Madame la Marquise de Pompadour after the engraved stones of Guay, engraver of the King ".
How did Madame de Pompadour influence the art world?
Pompadour greatly influenced and stimulated innovation in what is known as the " Rococo " style in the fine and decorative arts: for example, through her patronage of the artists like Boucher and the constant refurnishing of the fifteen residences she held with Louis. Like Pompadour, this style was critiqued by some as a pernicious "feminine" influence, despite the fact that it was embraced by many men as well as women (Hyde, 456-458). However it is also widely recognised that Madame de Pompadour engaged with prominent artists as a way to capture the attention of the king whilst cultivating her public image. The oil sketch of Pompadour's lost portrait by Boucher sits in the Starhemberg room at Waddesdon Manor built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, surrounded by Sèvres porcelain, another industry that she greatly influenced and innovated through personal dissemination across an international network of her own clientele.
Why were Pompadour critics so hostile?
Art historian Melissa Hyde argues that the critics of Pompadour were driven by fears over the overturning of social and gender hierarchies that Pompadour's power and influence, as a woman who was not born into the aristocracy, represented.
What did Jeanne Antoinette do?
Jeanne Antoinette's marital status allowed her to frequent celebrated salons in Paris, such as those hosted by Mesdames de Tencin, Geoffrin, du Deffand, and others. Within these salons she crossed paths with principal figures of the Enlightenment, including Voltaire, Charles Pinot Duclos, Montesquieu, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Helvétius, and Bernard de Fontenelle. Additionally, Jeanne Antoinette created her own salon at Étiolles, which was attended by many of the cultural elite, among them were Crébillon fils, Montesquieu, the Cardinal de Bernis, and Voltaire. Within these circles she learned the fine art of conversation and developed the sharp wit for which she would later become known at Versailles.
What was the name of the battle that France lost to the Prussians?
France suffered a defeat at the hands of the Prussians in the Battle of Rossbach in 1757, and eventually lost her American colonies to the British. After Rossbach, Madame de Pompadour is alleged to have comforted the king with the now-famous: " au reste, après nous, le Déluge " ("Besides, after us, the Deluge "). France emerged from the war diminished and virtually bankrupt.
Overview
Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Well-Beloved (French: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity (then defined as his 13th birthday) on 15 February 1723, the kingdom was ruled by his grand-uncle Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, as Regent o…
Early life and the Regency (1710–1723)
Louis XV was the great-grandson of Louis XIV and the third son of the Duke of Burgundy (1682–1712), and his wife Marie Adélaïde of Savoy, who was the eldest daughter of Victor Amadeus II, Duke of Savoy. He was born in the Palace of Versailles on 15 February 1710 and was immediately styled the Duke of Anjou. At this time, the possibility of his becoming King Louis XV seemed rath…
Government of the Duke of Bourbon (1723–1726)
On 15 June 1722, as Louis approached his thirteenth birthday, the year of his majority, he left Paris and moved back to Versailles, where he had happy memories of his childhood, but where he was far from the reach of public opinion. On 25 October, Louis was crowned King at the Cathedral of Reims. On 15 February 1723, the king's majority was declared by the Parlement of Paris, …
Rule with Cardinal de Fleury (1726–1743)
From 1726 until his death in 1743, Fleury effectively ruled France with the king's assent. Fleury dictated the choices to be made, and encouraged the king's indecision and flattered his pride. He forbade the king to discuss politics with the Queen. In order to save on court expenses, he sent the youngest four daughters of the king to be educated at the Abbey of Fontevrault. On the surfa…
Personal government (1743–1757)
After Fleury's death in January 1743, his war minister, the Duke of Noailles, showed the King a letter that Louis XIV had written to his grandson, Philip V of Spain; it counseled: "Don't allow yourself to be governed; be the master. Never have a favorite or a prime minister. Listen, consult your Council, but decide yourself. God, who made you King, will give you all the guidance you need, as l…
Government of the Duke de Choiseul (1758–1770)
Louis named the Duke de Choiseul as his minister of foreign affairs on 3 December 1758, following the recommendation of Madame de Pompadour. In 1763, he became Minister of War, giving the role of minister of foreign affairs to his cousin, the Duc de Praslin. A few months later, he also became the Minister of the Navy, and became the most influential and powerful member of the gov…
Government of Maupeou and the Triumvirate (1770–1774)
The King passed the leadership of the government to a triumvirate of three conservative ministers, led by his Chancellor, René de Maupeou, who had been President of the Parlement from 1763 to 1768. Maupeou and two other conservative ministers, Abbot Terray for finance and the Duc d'Aiguillon for foreign affairs and war, took charge of the government. They became known a…
Personality
Several of his contemporaries who worked closely with him tried to describe the personality of Louis XV. The Duke de Croy wrote: "He had a memory, presence, and justness of spirit that was unique. He was gentle, an excellent father, and the most honest individual in the world. He was well informed in the sciences...but with a modesty which, with him, was almost a vice. He always saw more correctly than others, but he always believed he was wrong.... He had the greatest bra…