Jonah Patel
Louis Philippe I, also known as the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848. He was proclaimed king after his cousin Charles X was forced to abdicate by the July Revolution. Louis Philippe's reign, known as the July Monarchy, was a constitutional monarchy that was dominated by wealthy industrialists and bankers. The king himself was supported by the wealthy bourgeoisie, and he ruled in an unpretentious fashion, avoiding the lavish spending of his predecessors. However, his popularity waned as his government was perceived as increasingly conservative and he was forced to abdicate during the French Revolution of 1848.
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What You'll Learn
- Louis Philippe's rule was a victory for the upper bourgeoisie over the aristocracy
- He was perceived as a 'Citizen King' and a 'bourgeois monarch'
- He consolidated power by steering a middle course between right-wing monarchists and socialists
- Louis Philippe was a supporter of a constitutional monarchy
- He was popular for his support for a meritocratic social order
Louis Philippe's rule was a victory for the upper bourgeoisie over the aristocracy
The revolution that brought Louis-Philippe to power constituted a victory for the upper bourgeoisie over the aristocracy. The new ruler was titled Louis-Philippe, king of the French, instead of Philip VII, king of France. This marked his acceptance of popular sovereignty and his departure from the conservative supporters of his predecessor, Charles X.
Louis-Philippe's rule, known as the July Monarchy, was dominated by wealthy industrialists and bankers, with his support coming from the wealthy bourgeoisie. He was initially popular, being called the "Citizen King" and the "bourgeois monarch", and was perceived as unpretentious, avoiding the lavish spending of his predecessors. However, his popularity waned as his government was seen as increasingly conservative and monarchical.
During his reign, Louis-Philippe took actions to develop legitimate, broad-based reform. The government based its legitimacy on the Charter of 1830, which was committed to religious equality among Catholics and Protestants, the reestablishment of the National Guard, electoral reform, reform of the peerage system, and the lessening of royal authority. However, these policies were seen as veiled attempts to shore up the power and influence of the government and the bourgeoisie, rather than promoting equality and empowerment for all French citizens.
The enfranchisement roughly doubled during the July Monarchy, but it still only represented a small percentage of the population and favoured the wealthy merchant bourgeoisie. This allowed the bourgeoisie to politically challenge the nobility, and Louis-Philippe acted primarily to empower his supporters and increase his hold over the French Parliament. Under his rule, the income gap widened, and the working classes faced deteriorating conditions.
By 1848, the year of the French Revolution, Louis-Philippe's popularity had collapsed, and he was forced to abdicate. His refusal to implement electoral reforms and his narrow-minded conservatism drove many divergent interests against him.
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He was perceived as a 'Citizen King' and a 'bourgeois monarch'
Louis Philippe I, also known as the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848. He was nicknamed the Citizen King because he ruled in an unpretentious fashion, avoiding the pomp and lavish spending of his predecessors. He was also known as the bourgeois monarch because his support came from the wealthy bourgeoisie.
Louis Philippe was proclaimed king in 1830 after his distant cousin, Charles X, was forced to abdicate by the July Revolution. The reign of Louis Philippe is known as the July Monarchy, a liberal constitutional monarchy that was dominated by wealthy industrialists and bankers. The revolution that brought Louis Philippe to power constituted a victory for the upper bourgeoisie over the aristocracy. He consolidated his power by steering a middle course between the right-wing extreme monarchists (the Legitimists) and the socialists and other republicans (including the Bonapartists).
During his reign, Louis Philippe took actions to develop legitimate, broad-based reform. He and his ministers adhered to policies that promoted the central tenets of the constitution. He supported religious equality among Catholics and Protestants, the empowerment of the citizenry through the reestablishment of the National Guard, electoral reform, reform of the peerage system, and the lessening of royal authority. He also promoted friendship with the United Kingdom and sponsored colonial expansion, notably the French conquest of Algeria.
In the early years of his reign, Louis Philippe was much loved by the people. He demonstrated his support for a meritocratic social order by sending his sons to a state secondary school. He also oversaw economic growth, expanded public schooling, and maintained a diplomatic alliance with England that guaranteed peace in Europe. However, his popularity suffered as his government was perceived as increasingly conservative and monarchical. He refused to remove his deeply unpopular President of the Council, François Guizot, and his narrow-minded conservatism and unwillingness to seek solutions for pressing political and social problems drove many divergent interests against him.
By 1848, Louis Philippe's popularity had collapsed, and he was forced to abdicate due to the revolution. His refusal to implement any electoral reforms meant that many members of the lower middle class, from whom he might have drawn support, remained without the vote. He ultimately fell from power because he could not win the allegiance of the new industrial classes.
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He consolidated power by steering a middle course between right-wing monarchists and socialists
Louis Philippe I, the penultimate monarch of France, ruled from 1830 to 1848. He was nicknamed the "Citizen King" and his reign is known as the July Monarchy.
Louis Philippe's power was challenged by various factions, including the Legitimists, who supported the senior branch of the Bourbons, and Republicans. The Legitimists were right-wing monarchists who opposed the July Monarchy, which they saw as a liberal constitutional monarchy that lacked legitimacy due to its revolutionary origins. They wanted to restore the absolute monarchy of the House of Bourbon, which had been overthrown in the July Revolution of 1830.
On the other hand, the Republicans, socialists, and other radicals sought more progressive reforms and some even wanted to abolish the monarchy altogether. They agitated for religious equality, the empowerment of citizens through a reformed National Guard, electoral reform, and the reduction of royal authority.
Louis Philippe consolidated his power by steering a middle course between these two opposing forces. He called himself the "'King of the French' instead of the 'King of France', signalling his acceptance of popular sovereignty and a break from the absolute monarchy of the past. He also promoted religious equality, re-established the National Guard, and initially supported broad-based reform. However, he refused to implement electoral reform, which cost him support from the lower middle class.
To maintain his position, Louis Philippe relied on the support of the wealthy bourgeoisie, who dominated the July Monarchy. He followed conservative policies, especially under the influence of French statesman François Guizot, and promoted colonialism, sponsoring the French conquest of Algeria. As his reign progressed, he became increasingly conservative and dogmatic, refusing to remove his unpopular President of the Council, François Guizot. This, along with a deteriorating economy, led to his downfall during the French Revolution of 1848, when he was forced to abdicate and fled into exile in the United Kingdom.
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Louis Philippe was a supporter of a constitutional monarchy
Louis Philippe I, also known as the "Citizen King", was King of the French from 1830 to 1848. He was a supporter of a constitutional monarchy, which was reflected in his reign through various policies and actions.
Louis Philippe's support for a constitutional monarchy can be traced back to his early life. He was the eldest son of Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, who was a strong advocate for a constitutional monarchy in France. Louis Philippe himself joined the Jacobin Club and supported the French Revolution of 1789, demonstrating his commitment to democratic ideals.
During his reign, Louis Philippe's support for a constitutional monarchy was evident in his policies and actions. He swore an oath to the 1830 Charter, which included commitments to religious equality, reestablishment of the National Guard, electoral reform, reform of the peerage system, and the reduction of royal authority. He also promoted friendship with the United Kingdom, which was a constitutional monarchy, and worked to guarantee peace in Europe.
Louis Philippe's reign, known as the July Monarchy, was marked by his attempts to steer a middle course between the conservative supporters of Charles X and radicals on the left. He was titled "King of the French" instead of "King of France", signifying his acceptance of popular sovereignty. He also promoted a meritocratic social order by sending his sons to state secondary schools.
However, despite his initial popularity, Louis Philippe's support waned over time due to his increasingly conservative policies and refusal to implement electoral reforms. He faced opposition from various factions, including Legitimists, Republicans, and Bonapartists. Ultimately, he was forced to abdicate during the French Revolution of 1848, which led to the establishment of the Second Republic.
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He was popular for his support for a meritocratic social order
Louis Philippe I, also known as the Citizen King, was King of the French from 1830 to 1848. He was popular for his support for a meritocratic social order, as demonstrated by his decision to send his sons to a state secondary school. This aligned with his broader commitment to promoting a constitutional monarchy and steering a middle course between the right-wing extreme monarchists (the Legitimists) and the socialists and other republicans (including the Bonapartists).
Louis Philippe's popularity was also influenced by his unpretentious ruling style, avoiding the lavish spending of his predecessors. He consolidated his power by adopting the title )"King of the French" instead of "King of France," emphasising his acceptance of popular sovereignty. He supported religious equality, the reestablishment of the National Guard, electoral reform, reform of the peerage system, and the lessening of royal authority.
During his reign, Louis Philippe oversaw an increase in the number of public primary schools, with a third more schools for boys and a fifth more for girls. He also expanded male taxpayers' eligibility to vote, increasing the number from 90,000 to 170,000. Additionally, he abolished hereditary peers, applying the principle of merit to access to public offices except for the throne.
However, towards the end of his reign, Louis Philippe's popularity declined as his government was perceived as increasingly conservative and unwilling to implement electoral reforms. His constant refusal to consider electoral reform alienated many members of the lower middle class, from whom he might have otherwise drawn support. His popularity suffered further due to the deteriorating economic conditions in France, leading to his forced abdication during the French Revolution of 1848.
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Frequently asked questions
Louis Philippe was a supporter of a constitutional monarchy and believed in a more moral and democratic form of government in France. He advocated for the separation of church and state, limited monarchy, and was against feudalism and slavery. He also supported a meritocratic social order, which increased his popularity.
Louis Philippe's reign, known as the July Monarchy, was dominated by wealthy industrialists and bankers. He promoted friendship with the United Kingdom and sponsored colonial expansion, such as the French conquest of Algeria. He also supported religious equality among Catholics and Protestants, the reestablishment of the National Guard, and electoral reform.
Louis Philippe supported the French Revolution of 1789 and joined the Jacobin Club in 1790. He voted for the execution of King Louis XVI in 1793 and later deserted the Revolutionary cause to negotiate with the Austrians. He refused to join the prince de Condé's army of aristocratic émigrés, which included his family's enemies.
Louis Philippe's popularity declined as economic conditions in France deteriorated, and he was perceived as increasingly conservative and unwilling to implement electoral reforms. This led to the outbreak of the French Revolution of 1848, during which he was forced to abdicate, ending his reign and the July Monarchy.
