Louis XVIII (1755–1824) was the King of France 1814–24, except for a brief interruption during Napoleon’s Hundred Days in 1815. A member of the House of Bourbon, he played a key role in restoring the French monarchy after the Napoleonic Wars.
Born at the Palace of Versailles, he was the younger brother of Louis XVI. During the French Revolution, he fled France in 1791, living in exile across Prussia, Great Britain, and Russia. After Napoleon’s defeat in 1814, he reclaimed the throne, establishing a constitutional monarchy under the Charter of 1814, which granted civil liberties and a bicameral legislature.
His reign faced political instability, including the White Terror, a reactionary movement against former revolutionaries, and the dissolution of the ultra-royalist parliament, Chambre introuvable. He also managed foreign alliances, such as the Quintuple Alliance, leading to French military intervention in Spain (1823.)
Though Louis XVIII did not author books, his policies and reign have been widely studied. Notable works include Philip Mansel’s Louis XVIII (1999,) analyzing his political strategies, and Mark Jarrett’s The Restoration and the European Balance of Power (2003,) exploring his role in post-Napoleonic diplomacy.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Louis XVIII of France
A king should die on his feet.
—Louis XVIII of France
Topics: Royalty, Queens, Kings
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