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Louis XVI of France

Palace of Versailles, 23 Aug 1754 – place de la Concorde, 21 Jan 1793

11 facts1 source

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About Louis XVI

Louis XVI: From King of France and Navarre to King of the French

AI-assisted · edited

The collection records that Louis XVI was born in 1754 at the Palace of Versailles. His parents were Louis, Dauphin of France, and Marie Josèphe of Saxony, placing him within the Bourbon royal family. 123

Louis XVI held the title of King of France and Navarre from 1774 to 1791. From 1791 to 1792, he was King of the French, a change in royal title that accompanied the final phase of his reign. 456

The collection records his death in 1793 at the Place de la Concorde, the year after the end of his final royal title. The account follows a life that began at Versailles and ended in Paris. 74561

Drafted with AI and edited against the collection. Open a citation to see the record, its sources and how certain it is.

Facts and their sources

  • Born23 Aug 1754, Palace of Versaillesnot verified1 source
  • TitleGrand Master of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, 1757–1772or King of France and Navarre, 1774–1791 · French co-prince of Andorra, 1774–1792 · King of the French, 1791–1792not verified1 source
  • TitleFrench co-prince of Andorra, 1774–1792or Grand Master of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, 1757–1772 · King of France and Navarre, 1774–1791 · King of the French, 1791–1792not verified1 source
  • TitleKing of France and Navarre, 1774–1791or Grand Master of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, 1757–1772 · French co-prince of Andorra, 1774–1792 · King of the French, 1791–1792not verified1 source
  • TitleKing of the French, 1791–1792or Grand Master of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem, 1757–1772 · King of France and Navarre, 1774–1791 · French co-prince of Andorra, 1774–1792not verified1 source
  • Died21 Jan 1793, place de la Concordenot verified1 source
  • MotherMarie Josèphe of Saxonynot verified1 source
  • FatherLouis, Dauphin of Francenot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 23 Aug 1754

    Born in Palace of Versailles

  2. 1757–1772

    Grand Master of the Order of Our Lady of Mount Carmel and Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem

  3. 1774–1792

    French co-prince of Andorra

  4. 1774–1791

    King of France and Navarre

  5. 1778–1786

    6 children are born

  6. 1791–1792

    King of the French

  7. 21 Jan 1793

    Dies in place de la Concorde, aged 38

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 6

During his lifetime

He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Palace of Versailles.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1750s · Louis XVI is born in Palace of Versailles

What people wore

Footwear for laborers

Respectable working-class men wore shoes and felt hats, but laborers sometimes wore wooden clogs for heavy work.

Getting around

Rapid descent by ramasse sled

When crossing the snowy Mount Cenis pass in the Alps, travelers could descend into Lanslebourg in just 15 minutes using a specialized sled called a ramasse.

At the table

Variations in Bread Quality

While the wealthy enjoyed wheat bread, the poorest families often relied on indigestible chestnut bread or porridge made from rye, oats, or maize.

The Seven Years’ War. Fought in Europe, the Americas, Africa and India, often called the first world war: Britain took Canada and India from France.Around the world · 1756–1763

The Seven Years’ War. Fought in Europe, the Americas, Africa and India, often called the first world war: Britain took Canada and India from France.

Blaue Max · CC BY-SA 4.0

Music

Cost of a village festival license

To host a village fair or festival, peasants applied for a license from the commandant that cost about one French crown.

Daily life

Basic structure of rural peasant homes

Peasant homes were typically built of wattle and daub with thatched roofs, often consisting of a single room used for sleeping, working, and daily activities. Many rural homes had small windows without glass, and the floor was made of packed earth.

What it cost

Cost of bread and meat

Bread was the essential staple, though its price fluctuated wildly; by the 1770s, it cost between 4 and 5 sols in the heart of the kingdom. Meat was expensive, with beef, mutton, or veal often costing 9 to 15 sols per pound.