Simone Lawson
King Louis XVI was the last king of the Ancien Regime of France. He was born on August 23, 1754, and became the heir apparent after his father's death. Louis XVI was forced to accept the authority of the National Assembly, marking the end of ancient French feudalism. Despite his private belief in the monarchy's restoration, he publicly embraced his new role as a constitutional monarch. The Constitution of 1791, drafted by the National Constituent Assembly, was passed in September 1791, and Louis XVI accepted it between September 14 and 25, 1791.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date King Louis XVI signed the new constitution | 14–25 September 1791 |
| Name of the new constitution | Constitution of 1791 |
| Type of government | Constitutional monarchy |
| King's title change | From 'King of France' to 'King of the French' |
| King's power | Right to form a cabinet and select and appoint ministers |
| King's spending | Reduced from 45 million livres to 25 million livres |
| King's stance on the new constitution | Signed under duress, did not intend to support it |
| King's private belief | The revolution would burn out and restore the monarchy |
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What You'll Learn
The French Revolution
In the lead-up to the Revolution, France's king, Louis XVI, had been facing pressure from various factions. In 1778, he received US representatives, including Benjamin Franklin, and recognised the United States as an official American ally. However, he was initially reluctant to commit himself to the American cause, only deciding to back them publicly after their victory at Saratoga in 1777.
In 1789, the French people, organised as a National Assembly, issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. This document, written by the Marquis de Lafayette with help from American envoy Thomas Jefferson, outlined the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man. King Louis XVI signed the Declaration, but under duress, and with no intention of supporting it.
In 1791, the National Constituent Assembly drafted the Constitution of 1791, which was passed in September of that year. This constitution established a liberal constitutional monarchy, with the king's title amended from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that his power emanated from the people and the law, rather than divine right or national sovereignty. Louis XVI took an oath to uphold and respect this constitution, but in private, he expressed his dissatisfaction with it and his intention to bring about change by making it unworkable.
Despite his oath, Louis XVI soon began to resist the National Assembly's demands. In June 1791, he and his family attempted to escape to Austria, dressed as servants, but they were caught and brought back to Paris. War broke out in April 1792, and in September of that year, the First French Republic was declared, officially abolishing the monarchy. Louis XVI was tried and found guilty of treason, and he was executed in January 1793.
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The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
King Louis XVI of France signed the new constitution between 14-25 September 1791. This was influenced by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which was written in 1789. The declaration was drafted by the Marquis de Lafayette, with help from his friend and neighbour, American envoy to France, Thomas Jefferson. Abbé Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès and Honoré Mirabeau also played a central role in conceptualising and drafting the final declaration.
The declaration asserted the principles of popular sovereignty, in contrast to the divine right of kings that characterised the French monarchy. It proclaimed an end to feudalism and exemptions from taxation, and called for freedom and equal rights for all, regardless of social distinctions. It also restricted the monarchy and granted all citizens the right to participate in the legislative process.
The declaration included specific rights and restrictions, such as freedom of speech and press, and the outlawing of arbitrary arrests. It stated that no person shall be accused, arrested, or imprisoned except in the cases and according to the forms prescribed by law. It also asserted that all citizens are innocent until proven guilty and that any citizen summoned or arrested by virtue of the law must submit without delay, as resistance constitutes an offence.
The declaration also addressed the role of public military forces, stating that they are established for the good of all citizens and not for the personal advantage of those entrusted with their power. It affirmed the right of all citizens to decide on the necessity of public contributions, to grant them freely, and to know how their contributions are used and distributed.
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The National Assembly
On 19 June, King Louis XVI ordered the Salle des États, the hall where the National Assembly met, closed. He remained at Marly for several days while he prepared his address. The National Assembly, deprived of their usual meeting place, met in the Church of Saint Louis, where the majority of the representatives of the clergy joined them. On 23 June, the king addressed the representatives of all three estates, but his efforts to restore the old order were unsuccessful.
Thereafter, until 30 September 1791, the National Assembly became a legislative body known as the National Constituent Assembly (Assemblée nationale constituante). The National Assembly can dismiss the executive government (the prime minister and other ministers) by a motion of no confidence (motion de censure). The agenda of the National Assembly is mostly decided by the government, although the Assembly can also enforce its own agenda.
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The Constitution of 1791
The Constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of the government's powers. It abolished institutions that were considered injurious to liberty and equality of rights. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and equal representation was reflected in the constitutional separation of powers. The National Assembly was the legislative body, the king and royal ministers made up the executive branch, and the judiciary was independent of the other two branches. On a local level, the previous feudal geographic divisions were abolished, and the territory of the French state was divided into several administrative units, or departments.
The main controversies early on surrounded the issues of what level of power to grant to the king of France and what form the legislature would take. The Constitutional Committee proposed a bicameral legislature, but the motion was defeated in favour of a single house. The next day, they proposed an absolute veto, but this was also defeated in favour of a suspensive veto, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures. The king's title was also revised, changing from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that the king's power came from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty.
The population was separated into two classes: 'active citizens' (those entitled to vote and stand for office) and 'passive citizens' (those who were not). 'Active citizens' were males over the age of 25 who paid annual taxes equivalent to at least three days' wages. This was effectively a property qualification for voting rights, which was common in 18th-century Europe.
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The End of the Monarchy
King Louis XVI was the last king of the Ancien Regime of France. He was born on 23 August 1754 and became the heir apparent—or dauphin—upon his father's death. In 1770, he cemented an alliance between France and Austria by marrying Marie-Antoinette, daughter of the Austrian empress Maria Theresa and the Holy Roman Emperor Francis I. Louis ascended to the throne in 1774 after the death of his grandfather, Louis XV.
During the French Revolution (1789–1799), Louis XVI was forced to accept the authority of the National Assembly, effectively signing the death warrant of ancient French feudalism. Despite privately believing that the revolution would soon burn out and the monarchy would be restored, he publicly accepted his new role as a constitutional monarch. His popularity surged, especially after he visited Paris instead of remaining isolated in his palace at Versailles.
The Constitution of 1791, drafted by the National Constituent Assembly, amended Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French'. This implied that the king's power emanated from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty. The king was granted a civil list (public funding) of 25 million livres, a reduction of around 20 million livres on his spending before the revolution. While the king retained the right to form a cabinet and select and appoint ministers, the constitution also granted the monarch the power to veto legislative decrees, which could paralyse the Assembly.
Louis XVI took an oath to uphold and respect the Constitution of 1791. However, he soon began to resist the National Assembly's demands. In June 1791, the king and his family attempted to flee Paris, but they were recognised in Varennes, caught, and brought back to the city under guard. On 29 November 1791, the Assembly decreed that every non-juring clergyman must take a civic oath within eight days, which Louis vetoed as a matter of conscience. This resistance gave a weapon to his enemies in the Assembly.
In April 1792, war broke out when the Duke of Brunswick threatened to destroy Paris if the royal family was placed in danger again. In response, a Parisian mob captured the Tuileries Palace. Repeated military defeats and public unrest led to the declaration of the First French Republic on 22 September 1792, officially abolishing the monarchy. The former king, now known as Citizen Capet, was tried and found guilty of treason. On 18 January 1793, he was sentenced to death and executed by guillotine in the Place de la Revolution.
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Frequently asked questions
King Louis XVI accepted the new constitution of 1791 between 14-25 September 1791.
The new constitution was drafted by the National Constituent Assembly and amended King Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French'. This implied that the king's power came from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty.
The new constitution was well-received by the public, and King Louis XVI's popularity surged as a result. He was even called a "restorer of French liberty". However, he soon began to resist the National Assembly's demands, which led to a mob of angry Parisian women forcing the king and his family to move from Versailles to Paris, where they were imprisoned in the Tuileries Palace.
