23 août 1754
21 janvier 1793
Duc de Berry (1754-1774)
Capet, Louis (1792-1793)
Louis XVI (roi de France ; 1754-1793)
Louis-Auguste de France, futur Louis XVI, d'abord titré duc de Berry, naît à Versailles le 23 août 1754. Il est le troisième fils du dauphin Louis-Ferdinand de France (1729-1765), seul fils de Louis XV, et de sa seconde épouse Marie-Josèphe de Saxe (1731-1767). Il devient dauphin de France à 11 ans en 1765 suite au décès de son père et du décès prématuré de ses frères, le duc d'Aquitaine (1753-1754) et le duc de Bourgogne (1751-1761). Il a pour frères cadets Louis Stanislas Xavier de France (1755-1824), comte de Provence, qui deviendra roi sous le nom de Louis XVIII en 1814 et Charles Philippe de France (1757-1836), comte d'Artois, qui deviendra roi sous le nom de Charles X en 1824. L'une de ses soeurs, la princesse Clotilde de France (1759-1802) épouse en 1775 le duc Charles-Emmanuel de Savoie et sera reine de Sardaigne en 1796. Enfin sa soeur la princesse Élisabeth de France (1764-1794), dite Madame Élisabeth, ne se marie pas et reste auprès lui jusqu'à ses derniers jours.
Élevé dans l'ombre de ses frères, le duc de Bourgogne et le comte de Provence, le duc de Berry a pour gouverneur Antoine de Quélen de Stuer de Caussade, duc de la Vauguyon, prince de Carency et pair de France. Il reçoit une éducation soignée et se montre un élève studieux et doué. Il excelle en géographie, physique, écriture, morale, droit public, histoire, danse, dessin, escrime, religion et mathématiques. Il connaît plusieurs langues (latin, allemand, italien et anglais), a une culture historique et géographique incontestable et des compétences en économie. Cependant le futur Louis XVI est écarté des affaires du pouvoir et on ne lui apprend pas à gouverner. Passionné par la chasse, l'horlogerie et la serrurerie, il est d'un naturel timide, manque d'aisance en public et n'est pas enclin à prendre des décisions rapidement, ce que certains prennent pour un manque de caractère et d'intelligence.
Il épouse à Versailles le 16 mai 1770 Marie-Antoinette d'Autriche (1755-1793), fille de l'impératrice Marie-Thérèse, avec laquelle il aura, après plusieurs années de mariage, quatre enfants : Marie-Thérèse (1778-1851), dite Madame Royale qui épousera en 1799 son cousin germain Louis-Antoine d’Artois, duc d’Angoulême ; Louis-Joseph (1781-1789), premier dauphin ; Louis-Charles (1785-1795), second dauphin en 1789 après la mort de son frère, roi de France en 1793 sous le nom de Louis XVII ; et Marie-Sophie-Béatrice (1786-1787).
Le 10 mai 1774 il devient roi de France sous le nom de Louis XVI. En dépit d’un réel intérêt pour le progrès des sciences et des techniques, mais de caractère indécis et influençable, il n'a pas le courage de soutenir les réformes proposées par ses ministres : son règne est marqué par une série de crises politiques et économiques, par la vaine tentative de maîtriser les dépenses de l'État et de réformer les finances, par la montée des oppositions tant chez les privilégiés que chez les parlementaires et les membres du Tiers-État, et par une succession de crises frumentaires provoquant des émeutes populaires. L'image de la monarchie est assombrie par plusieurs affaires, comme celle du Collier, par les libelles mettant en cause la reine, ses favoris et ses dépenses.
En 1789, pour faire face aux difficultés financières du régime, Louis XVI est contraint de convoquer les États généraux. La prise de la Bastille le 14 juillet ouvre la voie d’une révolution populaire. Les privilèges et le droit féodal sont abolis. Le 5 octobre 1789, le peuple envahit Versailles et exige que la famille royale réside désormais à Paris. Le roi est emmené aux Tuileries avant de tenter de s’enfuir le 20 juin 1791. Arrêté à Varennes, il est ramené à Paris, mais il a perdu la confiance du peuple. La Constitution, votée enseptembre 1791, instaure un nouveau type de monarchie, avec une Assemblée législative. Louis XVI n'est plus roi de droit divin mais roi des Français, qui doit prêter serment à la Constitution. Blessé dans sa conscience, notamment par la constitution civile du clergé, Louis XVI use de son droit de veto. Suspecté de soutenir l’Autriche, qui entre en guerre contre la France en avril 1792, le roi est soumis à la pression de la rue. Le 10 août 1792 la foule prend d'assaut le château des Tuileries ; le roi et sa famille trouvent refuge à l'Assemblée législative qui décide leur enfermement au Temple. La monarchie est abolie et la République proclamée le 21 septembre 1792. Inculpé pour trahison, Louis XVI est jugé coupable, condamné à mort et guillotiné le 21 janvier 1793.
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