louisxviI have noticed over time that those selling French coins, French furniture and French antiques tend to get their “Louis” mixed up! History can be confusing and French history is no exception, most notably the correct succession of French kings.

So here are a few pointers.

First of all, yes there were a lot of French Kings named Louis [Wikipedia: List of French Monarchs]. Most famous were Saint-Louis (actually Louis IX [Wikipedia]), Louis XIV the sun king and Louis XVI who was guillotined during the French Revolution. Louis XV for his part is better known for having reigned between Louis XIV and Louis XVI and losing Québec.

Louis XIV [Wikipedia], the sun king, ruled France for a very long time. He was the son of Louis XIII, but at his father’s death he was too young to rule since he was only 4 years old. Louis XIV managed to take over the Spanish crown for some time, found a brilliant way to keep all the Nobles of his kingdom very busy through warfare and an opulent court. Louis XIV also added new territories to continental France and promoted classical culture throughout Europe. However 90 % of the population remained poor and uneducated, he also failed at defending English Catholicism. Louis XIV is best known for having built Versailles Palace. In 1685 he revoked the Edict of Nantes, a document protecting the rights of French Protestants. The move was very popular at the time but proved in the long run to be his biggest political mistake. He reigned for so long that his son, Louis the grand dauphin, his grandson Louis Duke of Bourgogne both died before he did.

Louis XV [Wikipedia], the great-grandson of Louis XIV, born in 1710 and died in 1774. He became King at the age of 13 in 1723. His most famous achievement was his secret “black cabinet”, a mysterious secret service and shadow government. His was involved in many wars from Poland to Austria, but the seven-year war against Britain proved to be the most costly. By 1763, at the signing of the treaty of Paris, Louis XV had lost of all France’s colonies in North America. His son, Louis dauphin never reigned.

In 1774, Louis XVI [Wikipedia] was crowned King of France. The grandson of Louis XV, he was considered by many as being mentally challenged. According to members of his own family, he should never have been king and should have been removed through the appointment of special regency. However his powerful wife, Marie-Antoinette, daughter of the Empress of Austria, managed to keep her husband on the throne. His reign was disastrous, not only was his country bankrupt, he financed the American War of Independence. His disregard for parliament and the belief he was King by divine right made any reconciliation with the growing forces of dissent impossible. By 1789 a full-blown revolution had broken out, and by 1792 1793, he was executed by guillotine.

Royalists crowned Louis XVII [Wikipedia], son of Louis XVI, in 1793 during the height of the revolution. He died soon after in 1795 from neglect and sickness. His shrivelled heart is on exhibit at the Basilique Saint-Denis and recent DNA tests were used to confirm he had indeed died young and had not escaped to America, become a German clock-maker nor run away to Russia or led a secret life fathering countless new claimants to the throne. There is no such thing as Louis XVIIth furniture for instance …

Louis XVIII [Wikipedia], brother of Louis XVI reigned after the defeat of Napoleon from 1814 to 1815 and from 1815 to 1824. His reign was interrupted by the return of Napoleon Bonaparte who only managed to cling to power for less than 100 days. His reign was that of an authoritarian king. His brother, Charles X, reigned until his abdication in 1830. His son, Louis XIX [Wikipedia] never reigned and abdicated in 1830. Louis-Philippe, duke of Orleans, from the Orleans family became king until the revolution of 1848. Louis-Philippe was the last King of France.

Many websites contain a wealth of information on French Kings, and there are many people who claim to have a right to the non-existent throne of France.