Louis XVI (l. 1754-1793) was the last king of France (r. 1774-1792) before the monarchy was abolished during the French Revolution (1789-99). An indecisive king, his attempts to navigate France through the crises of the 1780s failed, leading to the Revolution, the destruction of the monarchy, and his death by guillotine on 21 January 1793.
More about: Louis XVI of FranceDefinition
Timeline
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23 Aug 1754Louis-Auguste, Duke of Berry and future King Louis XVI of France, is born.
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20 Dec 1765Louis, dauphin of France and only son of Louis XV of France, dies of tuberculosis aged 36.
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May 1770Marie Antoinette, aged 14, is married to the 15-year-old dauphin, the future King Louis XVI of France.
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10 May 1774Louis XVI is crowned King of France at age 19.
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Apr 1777Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor, visits France to help fix the troubled marriage of his sister Queen Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI of France.
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19 Dec 1778Queen Marie Antoinette of France gives birth to her first child, daughter Marie-Thérèse, eight years after she married Louis XVI of France.
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Oct 1789The Women's March on Versailles increases demand for a French constitutional monarchy, relocates the royal family to the Tuileries Palace in Paris.
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20 Jun 1791 - 21 Jun 1791The Flight to Varennes, an attempted escape by the French royal family from Paris, is foiled; public disdain for the monarchy increases.
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27 Aug 1791The Declaration of Pillnitz is issued by Austria and Prussia, threatening war against France should any harm befall the French royal family.
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20 Apr 1792Revolutionary France declares war on Austria, sparking the War of the First Coalition.
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13 Aug 1792The family of Louis XVI of France and Marie Antoinette are imprisoned in the Tower of the Temple.
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21 Sep 1792The National Convention abolishes the French Monarchy during the French Revolution.
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21 Jan 1793King Louis XVI of France, now known as Citizen Louis Capet, is executed by guillotine.
