10 Interesting Facts about King Louis XVI

You might find one of these following facts about King Louis XVI really interesting to read. This article is definitely going to give you great information about him. How much do you know about him? Since he’s king, you should have known him better, at least on one of your school subjects. King Louis XVI was King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, after which he was subsequently King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before his deposition and execution during the French Revolution. To get to know him more, here are the other facts about King Louis XVI you may consider interesting.

Facts about King Louis XVI 1: Childhood

King Louis XVI’s real name is Louis Auguste de France, who was also give the title Duc de Berry. He was born in the Palace of Versailles. Out of seven children, he was the third son of Louis, the grandson of Louis XV of France and of his consort, Maria Leszczynksa. His mother was Marie-Josephe of Saxony.

Facts about King Louis XVI 2: Marriage

On 16 May 1770, at the age of fifteen, King Louis XVI married the fourteen-year-old Habsburg Archduchess Maria Antonia or better known by the French from of her name, Marie Antoinette.

Facts about King Louis XVI 3: Children

It is believed the couple did not consummate their marriage for some time, having their first child eight years after their wedding. Historians debate the cause, but most likely, Louis suffered from a physiological dysfunction that took time to rectify. Eventually, the couple had four children, all of whom but one died in childhood.

Facts about King Louis XVI 4: King Louis XVI

On May 10, 1774, Louis Auguste became Louis XVI, with the death of his grandfather Louis XV. Only 20 years old at the time, Louis XVI was immature and lacked self-confidence. He wanted to be a good king and help his subjects,but he faced enormous debt and rising resentment towards a despotic monarchy.

Facts about King Louis XVI 5: Louisville

The city of Louisville, Kentucky, is named for Louis XVI. In 1780, the Virginia General Assembly bestowed this name in honor of the French king, whose soldiers were aiding the American side in the Revolutionary War.

Facts about King Louis XVI 6: Film

King Louis XVI has been portrayed in numerous films. In “Marie Antoinette” (1938), he was played by Robert Morley. Jean-Francois portrayed him in the 1989 two-part miniseries “La Revolution Francaise”. More recently, he was depicted in the 2006 film “Marie Antoinette” by Jason Schwartzman.

Facts about King Louis XVI 7: Other “Louisville”

There are numerous other places named “Louisville”, such as “Louisville” in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Kentucky and in Tennessee. All located in the United States.

Facts about King Louis XVI 8: Execution

On Monday, 21 January 1793, Louis was beheaded by guillotine on the Place de la Revolution. The executioner, Charles Henri Sanson, testified that the former King had bravely met his fate. The death of King Louis XVI was also similar to the death of Mary, Queen of Scots. Check out for more Mary Queen of Scots facts.

Facts about King Louis XVI 9: Time of Louis’ Death

A clock in the palace of King Louis XIV stopped working at 7:45am, the exact moment of his death. The clock has not been fixed since that day, and to this day still reads a quarter to eight. When he was a child, When Louis XVI of France was a child, an astrologer warned him to be always on his guard on the twenty-first day of every month. His date of death is January 21st, 1793. 

Facts about King Louis XVI 10: Legacy

Despite his signing of the “Civil Constitution of the Clergy”, Louis had been described as a martyr by Pope Pius VI in 1793. In 1820, however, a memorandum of the Congregation of Rites in Rome, declaring the impossibility of proving that Louis had been executed for religious rather than political reasons, put an end to hopes of canonization.

Those facts about King Louis XVI should have expanded your knowledge about how he was running his life was. This article is brought to you perfectly to make you learn something on King Louis’ life. Hope you would find this King Louis XVI facts really interesting and useful.