Louis XV (French Louis XV), official nickname Beloved (French Le Bien Aimé; February 15, 1710, Versailles - May 10, 1774, Versailles) - king of France since September 1, 1715 from the Bourbon dynasty.
The great-grandson, the future king (who bore the title Duke of Anjou from birth) was at first only fourth in line to the throne. However, in 1711, the boy’s grandfather, the only legitimate son of Louis XIV, the Grand Dauphin, died.
At the beginning of 1712, Louis's parents, the Duchess (February 12) and the Duke (February 18) of Burgundy, died of measles one after another, and then (March 8) his older 4-year-old brother, the Duke of Breton. Two-year-old Louis himself survived only thanks to the persistence of his teacher, Duchess de Vantadour, who did not allow the doctors to use severe bloodletting on him, which killed his older brother. The death of his father and brother made the two-year-old Duke of Anjou the immediate heir of his great-grandfather, he received the title of Dauphin of Vienne.
In 1714, Louis's uncle, the Duke of Berry, died without leaving any heirs. It was expected that he would act as regent for his nephew, since his other uncle, Philip V of Spain, renounced his rights to the French throne in 1713 at the Treaty of Utrecht. The fate of the dynasty, which only a few years ago was numerous, depended on the survival of a single child. The little orphan was constantly watched and was not left alone for a minute. The concern and sympathy that he aroused played a certain role in his popularity in the first years of his reign.
After the death of his great-grandfather, Louis XIV, on September 1, 1715, Louis ascended the throne at the age of 5, under the tutelage of the regent Philippe d'Orléans, the late king's nephew. The latter's foreign policy was a reaction against the direction and policy of Louis XIV: an alliance was concluded with England, and a war with Spain began.
Internal management was marked by financial troubles and the introduction of the John Law system, which entailed a severe economic crisis. Meanwhile, the young king was brought up under the guidance of Bishop Fleury, who cared only about his piety, and Marshal Villeroy, who tried to bind the student to himself, indulging all his whims and lulling his mind and will. On October 1, 1723, Louis was declared of age, but power continued to remain in the hands of Philippe d'Orléans, and upon the latter's death it passed to the Duke of Bourbon. In view of Louis' poor health and the fear that in the event of his childless death, his uncle, the Spanish King Philip V, would not lay claim to the French throne, the Duke of Bourbon hastened to marry the king to Maria Leszczynska, the daughter of the ex-King of Poland Stanislaus.
In 1726, the king announced that he was taking the reins of government into his own hands, but in reality power passed to Cardinal Fleury, who led the country until his death in 1743, trying to drown out any desire in Louis to engage in politics.
The reign of Fleury, who served as an instrument in the hands of the clergy, can be characterized as follows: within the country - the absence of any innovations and reforms, the exemption of the clergy from paying duties and taxes, the persecution of Jansenists and Protestants, attempts to streamline finances and make greater savings in expenses and the impossibility of achieving this due to the minister’s complete ignorance of economic and financial matters; outside the country - the careful elimination of everything that could lead to bloody clashes, and, despite this, the waging of two ruinous wars, for the Polish inheritance and for the Austrian.
The first, at least, annexed Lorraine to the possessions of France, to the throne of which the king’s father-in-law, Stanislav Leszczynski, was elevated. The second, which began in 1741 under favorable conditions, was carried out with varying success until 1748 and ended with the Peace of Aachen, according to which France was forced to cede to the enemy all its conquests in the Netherlands in exchange for the concession of Parma and Piacenza to Philip of Spain. Louis personally participated in the War of the Austrian Succession for a time, but in Metz he became dangerously ill. France, greatly alarmed by his illness, joyfully welcomed his recovery and nicknamed him Beloved.
Cardinal Fleury died at the beginning of the war, and the king, reiterating his intention to govern the state independently, did not appoint anyone as first minister. Due to Louis’s inability to deal with affairs, this had extremely unfavorable consequences for the work of the state: each of the ministers managed his ministry independently of his comrades and inspired the sovereign with the most contradictory decisions. The king himself led the life of an Asian despot, at first submitting to one or the other of his mistresses, and from 1745 he fell entirely under the influence of a woman who skillfully pandered to the base instincts of the king and ruined the country with her extravagance. The Parisian population became more hostile towards the king.
In 1757, Damien made an attempt on Louis' life. The disastrous state of the country prompted the Comptroller General Machaut to think about reform in the financial system: he proposed introducing an income tax (vingtième) on all classes of the state, including the clergy, and restricting the right of the clergy to buy real estate due to the fact that church property was exempt from payment of all kinds of duties. The clergy rose unanimously in defense of their ancestral rights and tried to create sabotage - to arouse the fanaticism of the population by persecuting Jansenists and Protestants. Eventually Machaut fell; his project remained unfulfilled.
In 1756, the Seven Years' War broke out, in which Louis took the side of Austria, the traditional enemy of France, and (despite the local victories of Marshal Richelieu) after a series of defeats, he was forced to conclude the Peace of Paris in 1763, which deprived France of many of its colonies (by the way - India, Canada) in favor of England, which managed to take advantage of the failures of its rival to destroy its maritime significance and destroy its fleet. France has sunk to the level of a third-rate power.
Pompadour, who replaced commanders and ministers at her discretion, placed the Duke of Choiseul, who knew how to please her, at the head of the department. He arranged a family treaty between all the sovereigns of the House of Bourbon and persuaded the king to issue a decree expelling the Jesuits. The country's financial situation was terrible, the deficit was huge. To cover it, new taxes were required, but the Parisian parliament in 1763 refused to register them. The king forced him to do this through lit de justice (the supremacy of the royal court over any other - the principle according to which, since parliament makes decisions in the name of the king, then in the presence of the king himself, parliament has no right to do anything. According to the saying: “When the king comes , the judges fall silent"). The provincial parliaments followed the example of the Parisian one: Louis organized the second lit de justice (1766) and declared the parliaments to be simple judicial institutions that should consider it an honor to obey the king. Parliaments, however, continued to resist.
The king's new mistress, who took over from Pompadour after the latter's death in 1764, brought Choiseul, the defender of the parliaments, d'Aiguillon, their ardent opponent, into place.
On the night of January 19-20, 1771, soldiers were sent to all members of parliament demanding an immediate answer (yes or no) to the question: whether they wish to obey the orders of the king. The majority answered in the negative; the next day it was announced to them that the king was depriving them of their positions and expelling them, despite the fact that their positions had been purchased by them, and they themselves were considered irremovable. Instead of parliaments, new judicial institutions were established (see Mopa), but lawyers refused to defend cases before them, and the people reacted with deep indignation to the violent actions of the government.
Louis did not pay attention to popular discontent: locked in his parc aux cerfs (Deer Park), he was engaged exclusively in his mistresses and hunting, and when they pointed out to him the danger that threatened the throne and the misfortunes of the people, he replied: “The monarchy will last longer, while we are alive” (“even a flood after us”, “après nous le déluge”). The king died of smallpox, having contracted it from a young girl sent to him by DuBarry.
Family and children of Louis XV:
On September 4, 1725, 15-year-old Louis married 22-year-old Maria Leszczynska (1703-1768), daughter of the former King of Poland Stanislaus. They had 10 children, of whom 1 son and 6 daughters lived to adulthood. Only one, the eldest, of the daughters got married. The king's younger unmarried daughters took care of their orphaned nephews, the children of the Dauphin, and after the accession of the eldest of them, Louis XVI, to the throne, they were known as “Lady Aunts” (French: Mesdames les Tantes). Children:
1. Louise Elisabeth (14 August 1727 – 6 December 1759), wife of Philip, Duke of Parma
2. Henrietta Anna (August 14, 1727 - February 10, 1752), to whom the Regent's grandson Louis-Philippe d'Orléans (1725-1785) unsuccessfully wooed
3. Marie Louise (July 28, 1728 – February 19, 1733)
4. Louis Ferdinand, Dauphin of France (4 September 1729 – 20 December 1765), father of Louis XVI, Louis XVIII and Charles X
5. Philip (30 August 1730 – 7 April 1733), Duke of Anjou
6. Adelaide (23 March 1732 - 27 February 1800)
7. Victoria (11 May 1733 – 7 June 1799)
8. Sofia (July 27, 1734 - March 3, 1782)
9. Therese Felicite (16 May 1736 - 28 September 1744)
10. Marie Louise (July 15, 1737 – December 23, 1787).
Madame de Pompadour had a daughter, Alexandrina-Jeanne d'Etiol (1744-1754), who died in childhood, who may have been the king's illegitimate daughter. According to some versions, the girl was poisoned by court haters of Madame de Pompadour.
In addition to his wife and favorite, Louis had a whole “harem” of mistresses, who were kept in the Deer Park estate and other places. At the same time, many favorites were prepared for this from adolescence, since the king preferred “uncorrupted” girls and was also afraid of venereal diseases. Later they were married off with a dowry.
On September 13, 2005, the opening of a recreated monument to the founder of the city took place in Peterhof in the Lower Park. The author is sculptor N. Karlykhanov. The opening of the monument was timed to coincide with the 300th anniversary of Peterhof. The current monument is a copy of the monument lost after the war "Peter I with the young Louis XV in his arms" works by R. L. Bernshtam. The sculpture illustrates the visit of the Russian Tsar to France in 1717, when Peter raised the young French king in his arms and said: “All of France is in my hands.”
King of France from the Bourbon dynasty, who reigned from 1715 to 1774. Son
Duke Louis of Burgundy and Maria Adelaide of Savoy. J.: From September 5th. 1725
Mr. Maria, daughter of the King of Poland Stanislaw I Leszczynski (born 1703, died 1758
In 1710, when Louis (who received the title of Duke at birth
Anjou) was born, nothing predicted that he would ever become
king - he was only the second son of the eldest grandson of the reigning king
Louis XIV and occupied fourth place in the order of heirs. But scary
the misfortune that befell the Bourbon dynasty in 1711 - 1712,
unexpectedly cleared the way for him to the throne. During these years, one after another died
Dauphin Louis, his son, Duke of Burgundy, and Louis's elder brother, Duke
Brittany. So the two-year-old Duke of Anjou became the heir to his
great-grandfather, seventy-three-year-old Louis XIV, and after his death in 1715
was declared by King Louis XV. His great-uncle became regent,
Duke of Orleans.
From the age of six, Louis was given to be raised by the Abbe Fleury, whom he
loved dearly, like a father. The king studied diligently and knew a lot; especially him
loved mathematics and geography. In addition to ordinary objects, he was taught to
state affairs: the regent forced him to attend important
meetings and explained diplomatic affairs in detail. Since 1723 king
was considered an adult. In 1725 he married the Polish Princess Mary. By
according to the Duke of Richelieu, Louis at that time seemed to many to be the most
handsome young man in the kingdom. Everyone admired the nobility and pleasantness
his appearance. But even then he was burdened by his royal duties
and tried to entrust them to the ministers. From 1726 to 1743 first minister
was Louis's childhood mentor, Abbot Fleury.
At twenty years old, Louis was pure and blameless in heart, and his court
was a picture of the most innocent and simple-minded morals. King
was passionate about hunting, loved refined society, games, a luxurious table and
Toulouse wines. He loved to work with his hands and did not shy away from painstaking work: with
I enjoyed planting onions, embroidering on canvas and turning snuff boxes. IN
in his private life he was kind and amiable. Shy in large crowds
people, he became very witty in private conversation. Despite the great
number of beautiful seductive women, the king kept for a long time
fidelity to your wife. The first years of their marriage were cloudless. But having given birth with
1727 to 1737 ten children, Maria began to show up to the king
fatigue and coldness. “What is this?” she said one day. “Everyone lie down,
Yes, be pregnant, and constantly give birth!" She began to deny her husband
performance of marital duties, she became cold and very pious.
The offended Louis gradually moved away from his wife. They write that one day,
offended by the queen's stubborn reluctance to receive him in the evening, he
vowed never again to require her to perform her duty. Since then
their life together was limited to ceremonial relations only, and
Mary's place in the heart of the sensual king was taken by other women.
Madame de Magli was his first favorite. Louis, owing to his timidity, did not
loved too noisy society and a courtyard constrained by etiquette, but gave
preference for close company, consisting of several friends and beautiful
women. The king's small apartments formed a special part of the courtyard, where no one
was not allowed without the special invitation of his favorite. Everything was here
full of taste and grace. To have even more freedom, Louis bought
Choisy. He immediately liked the location of this place: all around was thick, full
game forest and river snaking among the parks. He ordered a complete rebuild
castle and decorate it luxuriously. Everything here was arranged according to his taste: chambers,
decorated with statues and paintings of famous artists, luxurious sofas,
upholstered in Persian velvet; beds on which it was possible without outsiders
help to move around; gardens, where among the marble pools and
fountains there were tables with dishes and hanging cages with exotic
songbirds, bosquets of roses and jasmines. The king appeared in Versailles
only on special days. Here he was an excellent husband, a kind father
family and was constantly present at church services. All the rest
Louis lived in Choisy for a time. In this sanctuary of love first appeared
mechanical tables that relieved the witty company of revelers at evening
orgies from the presence of immodest and talkative servants. Every interlocutor had
next to him was a table with a device made of gold and crystal, he wrote on it what he wanted
have some food and some wine. By means of a spring the table disappeared for a minute under
the floor and rose back, laden with a variety of dishes. Countess de
Mallya knew how, like no one else, to add charm to such dinners: she was
so captivating with her gaiety, so naively, with all her heart, she laughed,
that the king, prone to melancholy by nature, began to have fun and
laugh like a child. However, the Countess de Magly did not reign for long
the heart of Louis. Soon he developed other hobbies. First he
fell in love with her older sister, the Duchess de Vantimille, but she died of
childbirth, and then became seriously interested in her younger sister - the ardent Marquise de
Latournel, who was later granted the Duchess of Chateauroux. Together with her
a militant party came to the leadership of the king, demanding a break with
Austria. Under her pressure, Louis in 1740 supported Prussia and Bavaria in their
War of the Austrian Succession.
In the summer of 1741, two French armies crossed the Rhine. In November the French
took Prague. However, in August 1742, the Austrians blocked it and forced
the French retreat. The following year Abbot Fleury died. Louis announced that
he was tired of the dominance of the first minister, which indulged his laziness, and
that from now on he decided to rule himself, like Louis XIV. Indeed, he
began to lead a more active life, worked with secretaries of state and
often chaired the council. He had worthy qualities, a sharp mind and
a strong sense of power, but an insurmountable weakness of character never
allowed him to be himself, so that he always yielded to the influence of others. IN
In state councils, the king usually showed a lot of intelligence, but never
insisted on his opinion. In the summer of 1743 the French retreated to the Rhine, and in
September, Eger was taken - the last fortress they owned in
Germany. In May 1744, an 80,000-strong French army, animated
presence of the king, entered West Flanders. In May-July they were taken
Menin, Courtray, Furne, Ypres and Diksmuiden. Meanwhile, the Austrians crossed
across the Rhine and occupied lower Alsace. Upon learning of this, the king rushed to defend
developed a dangerous fever and went to bed. Louis's situation was so bad that
everyone was waiting for his death. The Queen went to visit her husband, so the Duchess
Chateauroux, who had previously been inseparably with the king, was supposed to
leave the camp and soon died suddenly. Her death was complete
a surprise to everyone. As for the king, things soon went well for him.
amendment. Having recovered from his illness, Louis crossed the Rhine and three
Freiburg was besieged for months. The capitulation of this fortress in November 1744 led to
followed by the occupation of Austrian Swabia. Bavaria was cleared of the enemy.
On other fronts events developed with varying degrees of success. In 1745
commander of the French army in the Netherlands, Moritz of Saxony besieged
Tour. Wanting to rescue this city, the Dutch and British attacked in May
French positions. Thus, the battle took place before the eyes of the king and the dauphin.
at Fontenoy. The allies were pushed off the battlefield, but not defeated. In the next
month, Louis solemnly entered Tournai, Ghent and Bruges. In February 1746
Mr. Moritz took possession of Brussels. By the fall, several more Belgian troops had been captured.
army on the Meuse. That same year, the Franco-Spanish army was defeated in
Italy near Piacenza. Austro-Sardinian troops invaded Provence and reached
walls of Toulon, and then, having suffered a series of setbacks, retreated back to Italy. IN
April 1747 Louis declared war on Holland, but in this
country to stubborn resistance. In Italy, the French captured part of Nice, but
Aachen. Louis returned all her possessions to the Austrian Empress Maria Theresa
in Belgium. Thus, France did not receive as a result of this war
no territorial acquisitions.
The affairs of the king's heart during these years were as follows. Some
For a time, Louis mourned the Duchess of Chateauroux, and then fell into painful despondency. IN
thoughtfully, he returned to Paris, where the wedding celebrations began
Dauphine. Here in 1745, at a costume ball, Louis became interested in the lovely
Madame d'Etiol, who was soon granted the title of Marquise de Pompadour. She
she was very beautiful and charming, played excellent music, was passionate
painting, was well educated and witty. Having become close to the king, she
soon became more than a favorite and acquired such great influence on
Louis, who for many years became a real uncrowned queen
France. Her influence was not always positive for the country, but she
undoubtedly added shine to the reign of Louis. Fan of sciences and arts,
The Marquise de Pompadour gathered around her artists, writers, philosophers and
artists. She became a trendsetter and entire trends that
then they bore her name. Her power, however, lay not so much in her
charm, as much as in the amazing ability to disperse irresistible boredom
king. She was inexhaustible in her inventions and the first thing she tried to do was change
the whole environment of his life. From Shu-azi, who had already begun to bore Louis,
she took him to Bellevue - a beautiful pavilion that appeared as if from
magic. Here everything was used to entertain the king. Every day
new festivals and theatrical performances were given. But most of all
The marquise's credit was strengthened by her undeniable ability to do business and diligence
reduce their burden on the king. Like all lazy people, Louis had
the habit of becoming attached to those who bore the burden of responsibilities for him. Marquise
de Pompadour had the most perfect tact for this: she tried not to
tire the king with trivial matters, and the problems are the most difficult
presented it to him briefly and clearly, having caught the favorable moment, so that the work
became pleasant and easy for Louis. All this was far from simple
business. Louis was a complete egoist and, in essence, loved no one except
yourself. When pleasures corrupted his soul, he began to quickly become satisfied
any pleasure, every time he needed new sensations. He became very
uneven in his moods, subject to fits of black melancholy, from
which he proceeded to revelry and dinners that lasted until the morning, to drunkenness,
game and debauchery. Beginning in 1751, Louis began to stoop to fleeting
connections with simple concubines. His valet Le-bel brought him to his
apartment of unfortunate girls sold by their parents. Like a smart woman
The marquise understood that it was useless to demand loyalty from the flighty king, but
she tried to provide him with women who would only be for him
light entertainment and could not become serious rivals to her own
influence. With her assistance, it was purchased for the king in Deer Park in 1755.
a house where one or two kept women and servants could be accommodated. Louis visited
this house is secretly disguised as a Polish prince. There was also a maternity hospital here,
nurses and a whole staff for the king's secret pleasures.
An important consequence of the War of the Austrian Succession was the change
allies. Austria and France, continuously at odds for three centuries
each other, began to get closer, and the former ally, Frederick II, became increasingly
more hostile to Louis. Having learned in January 1756 about the Anglo-Prussian military
alliance, the king agreed in May to conclude a defensive alliance with Austria. Both
the powers promised each other assistance against any conqueror. At the end of the year
The Russian Empress Elizabeth joined this treaty. With these
Louis's allies in August 1756 began the Seven Years' War against England and
Prussia. In May 1757, Marshal Richelieu easily occupied Hanover and Brunswick.
At the same time, the main French army under the command of Soubise linked up with
imperial army on the Main. In November, Rosbach had a 60,000-strong Franco-German
the army entered into battle with 20,000 Prussians and was defeated. In 1758
The Prussians went on the offensive on the Rhine and defeated the French at Krefeld.
The 1759 campaign, marked by several battles, was more successful for
the French, but they were unable to take advantage of their victories. Their fleet was
defeated by the British. This predetermined defeat in the colonies. Both in America and in
In India, the British achieved decisive successes. Canada came under their control
in 1759, and in 1761 Pondicherry surrendered. In addition, the British took possession
Senegal, Martinique, Grenada and some other islands All France
cursed this war. Society still did not like the Austrians and
rejoiced at every victory of Frederick. Marquise de Pompadour, who was considered
the culprit of the Austrian Union, was condemned in all layers of society. The treasury was
exhausted. In March 1761, the French army in Europe achieved success at
Grunberg, but in the summer it was again defeated at Willinghausen. Exit from the war
1762 in Russia accelerated the conclusion of universal peace. It was signed in February
1763 in Paris and ended the colonial empire of France All conquests
the British in America and Hindustan remained behind them.
France lost its military prestige, its fleet and its
colonies. The year after the Peace of Paris, the Marquise de Pompadour died.
Her death changed little in court life. At first they thought that
the king gave up the idea of having a titled mistress and will be satisfied
with his concubines in Deer Park, but he returned from there bored. Passed
a lot of time before a replacement for the marquise was found. The latest favorite
Countess du Barry became king in 1768. It was a very dark woman
origin, who previously worked in a Parisian fashion store under the name
"Mademoiselle Lange." Her rise from this humble position was
swift and sudden - having first married the depraved Count du
Barry, she soon became the mistress of the king himself. Soon the Countess
bought herself the Lucien Castle and decorated it with fantastic luxury.
She adored fine Chinese porcelain, hyacinth figurines with eyes made of
pearls, halls decorated with ivory and ebony, cashmere and
Indian carpets, mirrored boudoirs, black grooms and fiery Senegalese
parrots Every evening at dinner she waited for the king and was
a wonderful housewife, inexhaustible in inventing various entertainments. Only
here Louis could still have fun.
However, from the beginning of 1774 they began to notice a strong change in habits and
the king's state of mind. He quickly grew old and decrepit. Deep sadness
did not leave him for another minute. With the greatest reverence he attended
at all sermons and strictly observed fasts. Louis seemed to have a presentiment
your near end. At the end of April 1774, after an affair with the daughter of one
carpenter, he suddenly fell ill. Soon a rash appeared on his body - through
leaving his heir huge government debts, many
unresolved problems and a kingdom in a protracted crisis.
Louis XV
Louis XV (15.II.1710 - 10.V.1774) - king since 1715, from the Bourbon dynasty, succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV. Until 1723, Duke Philippe d'Orléans was regent. After Louis XV came of age, the administration of France was in the hands of the Duke of Bourbon (1723-1726) and the former tutor of Louis XV, Cardinal Fleury (1726-1743). In 1725, Louis XV married Maria Leszczynska (daughter of Stanisław Leszczyński). Although in 1743 Louis XV announced his intention to rule independently, he was not involved in state affairs in the future; power was seized by his favorites (Marquise of Pompadour, Countess DuBarry), who appointed and dismissed ministers at their own discretion. Louis XV was absorbed in hunting, festivals and other entertainments. The extravagance of Louis XV led to disorder in the treasury. In 1757, an assassination attempt was made on Louis XV. During the reign of Louis XV, the crisis of French absolutism sharply worsened.
Soviet historical encyclopedia. In 16 volumes. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1973-1982. Volume 8, KOSSALA – MALTA. 1965.
Sources: Barbier E., Chronique de la Régence et du règne de Louis XV, v. 1-8, P., 1857.
Literature: Saint-André G., Louis XV, P., 1921.
Other biographical materials:
There was no sign that he would ever become king ( All the monarchs of the world. Western Europe. Konstantin Ryzhov. Moscow, 1999).
Time of Louis XV ( History of France. (Ed. A.Z. Manfred). In three volumes. Volume 1. M., 1972).
(1710-1774) - King of France, great-grandson of Louis XIV, ascended the throne in 1715, at the age of five, under the tutelage of the regent Philippe d'Orléans. Philip's foreign policy was a reaction against the international course of Louis XIV: an alliance was concluded with England, and a war with Spain began. Internal management was marked by financial breakdown and the introduction of the Law system, which led to a terrible economic crisis. Louis XV was brought up by Bishop Fleury and Marshal Villeroy, who, in order to gain the sympathy of the future king, indulged his every whim. In 1723, Louis was declared an adult, but power remained with Philippe d'Orléans, and after his death passed to the Duke of Bourbon. In view of the poor health of Louis XV and the fear that in the event of his childless death, the Spanish king would not lay claim to the French throne, the Duke of Bourbon hastened to marry the king to Maria Leszczynska, daughter of Stanislaw Leszczynski, who during the Northern War, by the grace of Charles XII, occupied the Polish throne.
Louis XV. Portrait by van Loo
In 1726, Louis XV announced that he would now begin to rule independently, but in reality power passed to Cardinal Fleury, who led France until his death in 1743, trying to keep Louis away from politics. Fleury, who pursued a strictly Catholic line, hindered internal reforms. He freed the clergy from duties and taxes, persecuted the Jansenists and Protestants, and tried to improve the state of finances by cutting expenses. In Europe, France under Fleury fought two wars, for the Polish inheritance and for the Austrian one. Following the War of the Polish Succession, France acquired Lorraine. The War of the Austrian Succession (1741–1748) ended with the Peace of Aachen, according to which Louis XV was forced to return all the conquests made by his troops in the Netherlands in exchange for the concession of the Italian Parma and Piacenza to Philip of Spain. Louis XV took personal part in the War of the Austrian Succession, but soon became dangerously ill. France, alarmed by the king's illness, joyfully welcomed his recovery - from then on Louis received the nickname le Bien-aimé ("The Beloved").
Cardinal Fleury died early in the war, and Louis XV, reiterating his intention to rule independently, appointed no one as first minister. Louis's inability to deal with state affairs gave rise to confusion among them: each minister managed his department independently of his comrades, all of them suggested contradictory decisions to the king. Devoted to his amorous adventures, Louis XV obeyed first one or another of his mistresses. From 1745 he fell entirely under the influence of the Marquise de Pompadour, who was ruining France with unheard-of extravagance. In Paris there was strong hostility towards the king. In 1757, a certain Damien made an attempt on the life of Louis XV.
The disastrous state of the country led Comptroller General Machaut to think about financial reform: he proposed introducing an income tax (“twenty”) on all classes of the state, including the clergy, and restricting the right of the clergy to buy real estate due to the fact that church properties were exempt from payment all duties. The clergy stood up to defend their ancestral rights and tried to arouse the fanaticism of the population by persecuting Jansenists and Protestants. Machaut was dismissed; his project remained unfulfilled.
In 1756, the Seven Years' War broke out, in which Louis XV unexpectedly took the side of Austria, the traditional enemy of France, and after a series of strong defeats and the loss of a million soldiers, he concluded the Peace of Paris in 1763, which deprived France of many of its colonies (including extensive conquests in India). They were captured by England, which managed to take advantage of the failures of the French to undermine their naval importance. Pompadour, who replaced commanders and ministers at her discretion, placed the Duke of Choiseul, who knew how to please her, at the head of the department. He arranged a Family Pact between all the Bourbon sovereigns who then ruled in France, Spain and Italy, and convinced Louis XV to announce the expulsion of the Jesuits from French possessions. The country's financial situation remained dire and the deficit enormous. To cover it, new taxes were needed, but the Parisian parliament (the highest court) in 1763 refused to register them. Louis XV forced him to do this through the so-called lit de justice - a solemn meeting of parliament in the presence of the king and peers, obliging parliament to approve all royal decrees without protest. Provincial parliaments (local supreme courts) followed the example of the Parisian one, and Louis XV organized a second lit de justice (1766), declaring parliaments simple courts that should consider it an honor to obey the king. Parliaments, however, did not stop resisting. The new mistress of Louis XV, Dubarry, who replaced Pompadour, who died in 1764, replaced the patron of parliaments, Choiseul, with their ardent opponent, the Duke d'Aiguillon. On the night of January 19-20, 1771, soldiers were sent to all members of parliament demanding an immediate response , whether they wish to obey the orders of the king. The majority answered in the negative; the next day they were informed that Louis XV was depriving them of their posts and expelling them, although members of parliaments inherited and bought their seats and were considered irremovable. In place of parliaments, the Minister of Justice (Chancellor) Maupou established new courts , in which important improvements were made. But lawyers refused to conduct business in them. The new courts received the nickname “parliaments of Maupou”, only Voltaire approved the destruction of the old parliaments. In the face of public irritation immediately after the death of Louis XV, his successor, Louis XVI, hastened restore the old parliaments.
Locked in his magnificent “deer park,” Louis XV at the end of his reign was busy only with mistresses and hunting. His character is best expressed by two phrases attributed to him: “after us, even a flood,” and “if I were in the place of my subjects, I would rebel.” Louis XV died in 1774 from smallpox, having contracted it from a young anemone sent to him by DuBarry.
Legendary French King Louis XIV The phrase is attributed: “The state is me!” Regardless of whether the monarch pronounced it or not, it reflects the essence of his reign, which lasted for 72 years.
Under the Sun King, absolute monarchy in France reached its peak. But after blossoming, decline inevitably follows. And the successor of a great monarch most often falls to the fate of being a pale shadow of his predecessor.
His great-grandson became the “shadow” of Louis XIV Louis XV.
The last years of the Sun King's reign were extremely dramatic. The position of the ruling dynasty, which until recently seemed unshakable, has been shaken due to a series of deaths of the heirs to the throne.
In 1711, the only legitimate son of Louis XIV died. In 1712, measles struck the royal family. From February 12 to March 8, the father, mother and elder brother of the future Louis XV died from this disease.
The two-year-old great-grandson of Louis XIV remained his only direct heir and the only barrier to the impending dynastic crisis.
The baby’s life hung in the balance, and the teacher snatched him from the clutches of death, Duchess de Vantadour.
The heir to the throne was protected like the apple of his eye. He was not left alone for a minute; doctors constantly monitored his health. Excessive care in childhood greatly influenced the character of Louis XV in later years.Marriage in the interests of the state
On September 1, 1715, the five-year-old heir to the throne ascended to the French throne after the death of his great-grandfather.
Of course, in the first years of the reign, public administration was concentrated in the hands of the regent, who became the nephew of Louis XIV Philip d'Orléans. This period was marked by the struggle of various court factions, an economic crisis and chaos in foreign affairs.
The young king was not privy to what was happening. Louis studied under the guidance Bishop Fleury, who taught him piety and piety, and spent his free time with Marshal Villeroy, who was ready to fulfill any whim of the monarch.
What united the warring factions at the French court was the fear of the sudden death of Louis, who, due to his too young age, had no heirs.
Therefore, as soon as the king turned 15 years old, he was married to his 22-year-old daughter retired King of Poland Stanislaw Leszczynski Maria.
This marriage indeed turned out to be prolific - the couple had 10 children, seven of whom lived to adulthood.
Maria Leshchinskaya and the Dauphin Louis. Photo: Public Domain
For the cardinal - power, for the king - entertainment
In 1726, 16-year-old Louis XV announced that he was taking the reins of power into his own hands, but in reality power actually passed into the hands of his tutor Fleury, who became a cardinal.
Louis XV had little interest in state affairs, which was greatly facilitated by the cardinal, who concentrated great power in his hands.
Cardinal Fleury avoided reforms and drastic political steps in general, but his cautious policy allowed him to somewhat improve the economic situation of the country.
Louis himself spent his time in entertainment and was engaged in philanthropy, supporting sculptors, painters and architects, and encouraged natural sciences and medicine.
From 1722 to 1774, more than 800 paintings, more than a thousand elegant pieces of furniture, and much more were purchased for the castles of Louis XV.
But women were a much greater passion for the king than art. Louis XV had countless favorites. Their number especially increased after the wife Maria Leshchinskaya(after the birth of her tenth child in 1737) she refused intimacy with her husband.
Main favorite
After the death of Cardinal Fleury in 1743, Louis XV finally became the sovereign ruler of France. In 1745 banker Joseph Paris, hoping to get closer to the king, introduced him to the 23-year-old Jeanne Antoinette d'Etiol, a Parisian beauty who, according to the financier, might appeal to Louis XV.
The banker was not mistaken - Jeanne Antoinette became the king's mistress. But this turned out to be no passing hobby. The energetic lady managed to become a close friend for the king, a confidant in all matters, and then, in fact, an adviser in matters of public administration.
This is how Jeanne Antoinette d'Etiolle became an influential Marquise de Pompadour, the official favorite of the king, who overthrew and appointed ministers and determined the direction of the country's domestic and foreign policy.
Subsequently, the French themselves were inclined to blame Madame de Pompadour for all the failures of France during the reign of Louis XV. However, in reality, the blame lies with the king himself, who was never able to overcome the aversion to state affairs that had been ingrained in him since childhood.By the end of the 1750s, the country's economic situation began to deteriorate sharply. In 1756, Louis XV, not without the influence of his favorite and her nominees, was drawn into the Seven Years' War, taking the side of Austria, traditionally a rival of France. This conflict not only devastated the treasury, but also led the country to the loss of colonies and a decrease in France's political influence in the world as a whole.
"Deer Park"
The king, who was the favorite of France in childhood and received the nickname Beloved, was rapidly losing popularity. He preferred to spend time in the company of his favorites, whom he presented with expensive gifts and in whose honor he threw luxurious feasts that shook out the last pennies from the treasury.
The king’s favorite leisure spot was the “Deer Park,” a mansion in the vicinity of Versailles, specially built for meetings between Louis XV and his favorites. The initiator of its construction was the Marquise de Pompadour. The far-sighted woman, who did not want to lose her place as the official favorite, decided to take into her own hands the matter of raising the girls, who would later go to bed with the king.
The older Louis XV became, the younger his mistresses were. However, the accusations of pedophilia against the king are somewhat exaggerated. The inhabitants of the “Deer Park” were mainly girls 15-17 years old, who, by the standards of that time, were no longer considered children.
After the next young mistress ceased to attract the king, she was given in marriage, giving a worthy dowry for this.
Two-faced marquise
The easiest way would be to call the power-hungry marquise “the keeper of the royal brothel.” But Madame de Pompadour was at the same time the patroness of scientists, painters and other creative people. Thanks to her, old palaces were rebuilt and new ones were built, and street ensembles were created, which are the pride of France to this day. The name of the Marquise de Pompadour is inextricably linked with the concept of “Gallant Age”. The great man admired the intelligence and energy of this woman. Voltaire.
In 1764, the all-powerful favorite passed away at the age of 42. Louis XV suffered this loss rather indifferently - as a consolation he was left with the Deer Park, where fresh beauties were always at his service.
The death of Madame de Pompadour opened the final period of the reign of Louis XV. Having never felt a craving for state affairs, he now almost completely withdrew from them, engaging in them only for one purpose - to obtain funds for entertainment and gifts for his mistresses.
"Flood" as a legacy to a grandson
The Parisian parliament, which resisted the king's introduction of new taxes, was forced by Louis to obey by force. In 1771, he completely dispersed the parliamentarians with the help of soldiers. Such measures contributed to the growth of discontent not only in the ranks of the aristocracy, but also among the lower strata of society.
In the last years of his life, Louis XV, who spent more and more time hunting and in the Deer Park, invariably responded to the words of the courtiers about the unrest among the people and the catastrophic financial situation of the country with a phrase once said by Madame de Pompadour, who was reproached for wastefulness: “After us even a flood!
Louis XV himself was not destined to see the “flood”. In 1774, another young mistress infected the king with smallpox. On May 10, 1774, he died in Versailles.
Louis XV's grandson, Louis XVI, ascended the throne. The young king, who did not share his grandfather’s hobbies and was disgusted by the “Deer Park,” soon became a victim of that very “flood”, the onset of which Louis XV and the Marquise de Pompadour predicted after themselves. But the guillotine does not understand royal necks...
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