Louise XV, also known as ‘Louis – The Beloved,’ was the King of France from 1715 to 1774. Despite his endearing nickname, his reign contributed to the decline of royal authority and ultimately led to the French Revolution. Ascending to the throne at the young age of 5, he initially relied on regents to govern the country until he reached majority. Cardinal Fleury later took control as Chief Minister until his death, after which Louis ruled independently. His reign lasted an impressive 59 years, the second longest in French history. However, his leadership was marred by involvement in three major wars, which severely impacted the state treasury. Failing to provide strong leadership and necessary reforms, Louis left the state administration weakened. He was married to Marie Leszczyńska and had numerous mistresses, including the influential Madame Pompadour. Sadly, Louis succumbed to smallpox at the age of 64.
Quick Facts
- French Celebrities Born In February Also Known As: Louis de France, Louis the Beloved
- Died At Age: 64
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Marie Leszczyńska (1725–68; her death)
- Father: Louis, Duke of Burgundy
- Mother: Marie Adélaïde of Savoy
- Children: Abbess of Saint Denis, Dauphin of France; Philippe, Duchess of Parma; Princess Henriette, Duke of Anjou; Princess Marie Adélaïde, Louise Élisabeth, Princess Marie Louise; Louis, Princess Sophie, Princess Thérèse Louise, Princess Victoire
- Died on: May 10, 1774
- Place of death: Palace of Versailles, Versailles, France
- Cause of Death: Smallpox
- City: Versailles, France
Childhood & Early Life
Louis XV was born on February 15, 1710, at the Palace of Versailles, to Louis Bourbon, Duke of Burgundy and Marie Adelaide of Savoy. At birth, he was created Duke of Anjou and succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV after his death in 1715. Louis became king at the age of 5. Phillipe, Duke of Orléans, ruled the nation as Regent until Louis reached the age of 13. In 1717, François de Villeroy was appointed as Governor to coach the 7-year-old king in royal duties, etiquettes, and skills. He was tutored by Abbé André-Hercule de Fleury, Bishop of Fréjus, who later became Cardinal de Fleury. Louis had a keen interest in science. In 1721, a marriage was settled between Louis and Infanta Maria Anna Victoria, the young daughter of Louis’s uncle, King Philip V of Spain. But later the Regent felt that she was too young to bear children soon, so she was sent back.
Reign of King Louis XV
The coronation of Louis XV took place in the Cathedral of Reims on October 25, 1722. The Regency was officially ended, and the king’s majority was announced on February 15, 1723. The Regent died that same year, and on Fleury’s advice, Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon, was made the Prime Minister. On September 5, 1725, the 15-year-old King Louis XV was married to 21-year-old Marie Leszczyńska, daughter of the dethroned King Stanislaw I of Poland, at Château de Fontainebleau. The intention of this marriage was to obtain an heir to secure the survival of the dynasty. The queen gave birth to 8 daughters and 2 sons between 1727 and 1737, but only 7 children lived till adulthood. One son, Dauphin Louis, survived to continue the lineage. The queen spent most of her time with her courtiers and pursued music and reading.
At the beginning of his reign, there were strains over religious differences. Earlier, religious figures were exempted from tax, but new taxes levied on the clergy raised discontent. Also, the repressive acts caused religious discontent which continued through his reign. The King relied more on Fleury than the Duke of Bourbon. This created tensions between the two, and the King removed the Duke. Louis was not strong at decision-making, thus Fleury ruled all the state affairs from 1726 until his death in 1743.
Though it was a peaceful period of the King’s reign, there was growing discontent amidst the nobles of Parlement. Under Fleury’s administration, a number of improvements were made such as an extensive and systematic national road network, better transportation and shipping, improved trade within the country and also with other countries.
Wars during King Louis XV’s Reign
The King’s reign was marked with 3 major wars:
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War of Polish Succession: In 1733, a Polish civil war over the succession to their King Augustus II widened into a major European war. Louis led the French army in order to reinstate his father-in-law, Stanislaw I, to the Polish throne. Louis couldn’t help Stanislaw, but won the Duchy of Lorraine, which he granted to Stanislaw with the condition that, on Stanislaw’s death, it would be returned to Louis.
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War of Austrian Succession: In 1740, after the death of Austrian King Charles VI, there were disputes over succession. France decided to fight alongside Prussia, while the British fought on the Austrian side. This war continued until 1748, with many changes in the alliances. The long-drawn war proved expensive for the French treasury.
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Seven Years’ War: Conflicts between Britain and France over their colonies were on the rise. In June 1756, Louis declared war with England, which was the beginning of the ‘Seven Years’ War.’ Initially, France appeared to be gaining, but Britain’s naval force was much stronger, and France had difficulty in reaching its far-off colonies. In September 1760, the French rule ended in Canada.
Personal Life and Mistresses
Apart from his beloved queen, Louis was also involved with a series of mistresses, the first being Louise Julie de Mailly, the eldest of the de Mailly sisters whom he took as his mistresses. He took the youngest sister on the battle-front at Versailles in 1744. In August 1744, Louis became very ill in Metz (at the battlefield). Everyone was afraid of the worst, and prayers were arranged across the state. When he survived the illness, his countrymen were relieved and called him ‘The Beloved.’
Among the King’s mistresses, Jeane-Antoinette Poisson or Madame de Pompadour was the most famous and powerful one. Louis formally met her at a costume ball in 1745. Soon she became the King’s chief mistress and received the title of ‘Marquise de Pompadour.’ Till her death in 1764, she remained his close friend and advisor. She was a patron of art and music. She aided the King in court matters, which resulted in the removal of some capable courtiers and the inclusion of some inefficient ones.
In 1748, Louis set up a secret diplomacy system, ‘le secret du roi,’ through which French secret agents were posted around the major European cities to pursue the King’s political objectives. But as his court ministers were not aware of this secret system, it created confusions, so Louis temporarily left it in 1756.
Later Years and Death
The ‘Seven Years’ War’ proved expensive for the French treasury. But the new taxes met with opposition. So the King, on Madame Pompadour’s advice, canceled the taxes, and the debt persisted. The ‘Seven Years’ War’ continued, and France’s proposal for negotiations was rejected in 1761 by the British Premier. Choiseul took the initiative in strengthening the French army and navy, but the French force proved inadequate against Britain and allies. In February 1763, a treaty was signed in Paris. France got to keep some of her possessions but lost many of her colonies to Britain.
Louis was grief-stricken after Madame Pompadour’s death in April 1764. This was followed by his son’s death in December 1765, and the queen died in June 1768. The Parlements continued to oppose the King’s authority. In March 1766, he addressed the members; his speech is known as ‘Flagellation.’ The resistance subsided for the time-being.
In 1769, Louis took Jeane Bécu, Comtesse du Barry, who was 33 years younger than him, as his chief mistress. She lived in the Palace of Versailles and was with the King until his death. Choiseul was removed from his post in 1770, and Chancellor René de Maupeou was appointed as the leader of the government. He took action against unruly Parlements and brought strict reforms.
During a hunting trip in April 1774, the King fell ill. It was diagnosed that he was suffering from smallpox. He died on May 10, 1774. Though popular as ‘The Beloved’ during his earlier days, Louis died as an unloved king.