Essay on Louis XVI - 506 Words

Louis XVI When Louis XVI became King of France in 1774, he was only 20 years old. As the years passed, he learned how to rule better. Then he began to make changes. He abolished the age old practice of feudalism. The calling of the Estates-General was another change in the French government which he introduced. When the monarchy was abolished, he saw it as something that would help his country. All of Louis actions were attempts to achieve one goal. Louis XVI tried to please the French people and prevent the French Revolution. For many centuries, a feudal system had been in use in France. The peasants and serfs were at the bottom of this system. They made up 75% of the population. The National Assembly (formerly the†¦show more content†¦Having the ideas of the French people in the French government would make the government closer to the people. A system with representatives from all the provinces of France would accomplish that deed. Louis XVI achieved this by calling the Estates-General into the government in May 1789. This was a group of peers and deputies from towns and provinces across France. They had not been used in the government since 1614. They were originally put on an equal level with the King. The King had to approve all the laws that were to be passed. The commoners had one of the three votes in the Estates-General, so they had their say. Laws were passed by the Estates-General and National Assembly, including removing the nobles rights over the serfs and peasants. Another law reduced the power of the church by not allowing the church to own farming land. The National Assembly was the name they used when the third estate broke away and gave themselves power, but that is a different story. By giving the Estates-General power, Louis XVI got the peopleÕs ideas into the French government. One of the wants of the insurgents in France was the removal of the monarchy altogether. To satisfy the wants of the revolutionaries, Louis XVI stepped down from the throne. He actually did this because of a measure taken by the National Assembly on August 10, 1792, whichShow MoreRelatedThe Death Of Louis Xvi1004 Words   |  5 Pagesmoderate revolutionaries like, Marquis de Lafayette around 1792 the constitutional monarchy was quickly being replaced by a radical republic. Louis XVI was put on trial for crimes by the National Convention. While no one doubted his guilt, they did debate whether the king should be executed. The Reign of Terror began in 1793 after the death of Louis XVI. Nine months after his execution, his wife, Queen Marie Antoinette was the first person to face the guillotine. The Reign was meant to fight thoseRead MoreMarie Antoinette And Louis Xvi1611 Words   |  7 PagesRevolution. By the actions of growing up, Marie Antoinette had nothing to worry about as she was the heiress to the Austrian land. Married off at 15 to Louis XVI, she was given the responsibility of ruling France a much bigger country alongside her husband. Now she had more money and a husband that would do anything for her so she uses that to her advantage. Louis was a simple and innocent man; therefore Marie was able to easily influence his decisions. Both husband and wife did not really care about theRead MoreThe Reign of Louis the XVI Essay504 Words   |  3 PagesThe Reign of Louis the XVI There is great mystery surrounding the death of Louis XVI. Many different events led up to this. His actions before, during, and after the French Revolution greatly affected his fate. The French Revolution was a very important time period in European history. However, the situation in France under Louis XVI, was a negative one. France had great financial problems and it was infested with plagues of all sorts. A lot of the financial problems were because of the AmericanRead MoreEssay on King Louis XVI and the French Revolution921 Words   |  4 Pages In the 18th century King Louis XVIs spendings on the American Revolution practically bankrupt the country which had brought 2 decades of poor cereal harvest, cattle disease, and higher bread prices. Angry peasants showed their desperation by joining groups/clans that were against high taxes, those groups could not provide getting rid of taxes on how they always had riots and looted people homes. King Louis XVIs controller general (Charles Alexandre de Calonne) came up with an solution to thereRead MoreThe French Revolution And The Execution Of King Louis Xvi2000 Words   |  8 PagesThroughout the beginning of the French Revolution to the execution of King Louis XVI, the people took drastic measures to create more freedom and justice for themselves. In doing this, the Catholic Church was persecuted and France was de-Christianized. The French Revolution damaged Catholic culture by trying to control the Church’s power, putting it under the control of the State and executing its members. This was excessive on the part of the French people. The way that the Church was treated duringRead MoreAnalysis Of King Louis Xvi And The Royal Family963 Words   |  4 PagesOn June 21, 1791 King Louis XVI and the royal family left the city of Paris in an attempt to escape the city’s turmoil, and the King’s Jacobin enemies. The King, his wife Marie Antoinette, their tw o children, the king’s sister, and a governess, began their escape east towards the Austrian border. The escape party managed to make it to Sainte-Menehould, just a couple hours away from the border, before the relay stables manager Drouet recognized them. Drouet followed the party until they stopped toRead MoreThe Death Of Louis Xvi And Marie Antoinette1374 Words   |  6 PagesIn June of 1791, the French revolution witnessed one of its most dramatic events. King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, the Austrian born queen, escaped there parisian palace, the Tuileries. They fled Paris on the night of June 20th, dressed in rather inadequate disguises heading towards France’s eastern border. Prior to the escape, Louis had entailed a telling declaration in which he essentially renounced the constitutional monarchy, contradictory to previously expressing his support. However planRead MoreWhat were the causes of the downfall of Louis XVI?2259 Words   |  10 Pagesto 1790s Fr ance was in total chaos. France was ruled by the Bourbon family King Louis XVI from 1754 to 1793, it was an absolute monarch and they had absolute power and did not share it with a legislature. The situation was already bad before Louis XVI began his reign, but situation got worse. In the end, there was a revolution in France and a vast amount changes to the society and the government of France. Louis XVI himself was executed and killed; while France was established as a democratic countryRead MoreThe Road From Versailles : Louis Xvi, And The Fall Of The French Monarchy Essay781 Words   |  4 PagesAuthor- Munro Price Title- The road from Versailles: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the fall of the French Monarchy Citation- Price, Munro. The Road from Versailles: Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the Fall of the French Monarchy. New York: St. Martin s Press, 2003. Author’s Identity- Modern European Historian at the University of Bradford Date and Place of Document: France, 1792 Intended Purpose: Follow Louis XVI on his escape to Versailles and the monarchy he left behind. Intended Audience-Read MoreWhat Were The Causes of The Downfall of Louis XVI- Is he fully responsible for his own downfall?1688 Words   |  7 Pagesunfolded, King Louis XVI of France soon found himself in the centre of it and gradually became one of the victims. In the morning of Tuesday 21st January 1793, he was woken by his guards and taken to Place de la Revolution. My people, I die an innocent man were his last words to the crowd, and moments later, his head was held up to the crowd . However, what caused the end of monarchy? Was Louis XVI completely responsible for his own downfall? There is no questioning that Louis XVI is, in fact, partially