Louis XVI of France was born on 23 August 1754 in Palace of Versailles. King of France from 1774, Louis XVI was the grandson of Louis XV and married the Austrian archduchess Marie Antoinette in 1770. He inherited a monarchy burdened with debt, which was made worse by French support for the American Revolution, and failed reforms. In 1789 he summoned the Estates-General, which led to the French Revolution. He accepted a constitutional monarchy but hesitated and distrusted the revolutionaries, and his attempt to flee in June 1791 was halted at Varennes, which undermined his credibility. The monarchy was abolished in 1792, and he was tried by the National Convention for treason and executed by guillotine in January 1793.
Before and after
- 1752Founding of Pittsfield
- from 20 April 1752 to 6 May 1757Konbaung–Hanthawaddy War
- 25 May 1754Founding of Columbia University
- from 28 May 1754 to 7 October 1763French and Indian War
- 23 August 1754Birth of Louis XVI of France
- 20 September 1754Birth of Paul I of Russia
- 1755Discovery of magnesium
- 12 January 1755Founding of Lomonosov Moscow State University
- 1 November 17551755 Lisbon earthquake
More in Wars, politics & history
- 13 April 1598Edict of Nantes
- from 1642 to 1651English Civil War
- 24 October 1648Peace of Westphalia
- from 22 February 1700 to 10 September 1721Great Northern War
- from March 1701 to September 1714War of the Spanish Succession
- from 17 May 1756 to 15 February 1763Seven Years' War
The era
This moment belongs to the Early modern world (1500 CE to 1760 CE), voyages, printing and new ideas. You can also browse everything in the 18th century.