Kelsey+C's+Essay

Kelsey Conti Period 6 4/29/11 __King Louis XVI of France__ King Louis XVI was born August 23rd, in Versailles, France. Once his brother the duc de Bourgogne and his father died, he became heir to the throne. Louis's ideals started as he was a teenager. His believes in an absoulute king came about as he got older. He was also raised with traditional Catholic beliefs. In 1770, he married Marie-Antoinette, youngest daughter of Maria Theresa, the ruler of Austria, and According to Gale Databases in Louis XVI (France)(1754-179) "Louis's marriage had been designed to cement the alliance with Austria."(2) Because both France and Austria were not allies, the marriage was to unite them both. Their marriage was at first rough. They did not get along, simply because they were so different. He was very "old fashion" while as she was very into going to the city and living an extravogant life. The plans for France, decided by his grandfather were not continued by Louis XVI mainly because he was not sure how to deal with them, because he was so young and inexperienced. The deceased King's plans to drop the royal authority against the Parelements were stopped when Louis XVI appointed Jean Frederic, count of Maurepas, whom was looking to rebuild the monarchy. According to Richard Hooker, in Louis XVI, Jacques set out to reforming the "country's financial situation by instituting a series of reforms that included replacing the corvée with a tax on landowners, an easing of guild laws to allow industrial manufacturing to increase, and, radically, a sharp cut in monarchical expenses."(4) These new taxes and cuts for the noble people did not pass well with the Parlements. Turgot was dismissed by Louis, and from then on the country entered a financial downspiral. France was still paying off the debt of being at war for seven years, and their involvement of the American Revolution, so half of what the country earned was not even going to them. Louis thought that helping out America would benifit them, and they would eventually get it back, but it only deepened their already "hole of debt." Taxation on the poor caused many of them to feel overwhelmed to the point they could no longer stand it. The third estate of people were no longer able to support themselves. Taxes were also unevenly spread out. In one area, people were paying a certain amount, whereas a few miles away they could possibly be paying ten times more. Talks of overthrowing the ruler spread. On october 5th October 1789, a group of Parisian working women marched on the Palace of Versailles, where the royal family lived. That night, they broke into the palace and attempted to kill the queen because of her extravogant spending, when much the population was struggling to get a piece of bread. In June, Louis and his family attempted to escape, and at the same time the National Assembly was working on a constitution to hopefully solve some problems. They were brought back and accused traitors for trying to flee while their coutry was suffering. Finally, he was arrested on August 13th, 1792 and to the temple fortress. On 21 September, the National Assembly declared France to be a Republic and abolished the Monarchy. Later in December, people crowded the streets to see King Louis stand before the Convention and hear his indictment, which was an accusation of high treason and crimes against the State. With 693 voting him guilty, none for an acquittal, and 23 abstained. Next came deciding his fate, which was voted as death. On January 21st, 1793,the former king of France, now a traitor named by the Republican Government, Louis XVI was beheaded by the guillotine on the Place de la Revolution. His wife, Marie Antoinette was also convicted of treason, and executed by guillotine on October 16th 1793.



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