Louis XVII
(Louis XVII of France)
1785–1795
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The little Dauphin was not given long to enjoy his title or his family. The same year he gained his new title, the Royal family was forced to move from Versailles to the Tuilieries, in Paris. When Louis was six years old, he was stripped of his hereditary title by the new constitution of France, and granted the title Prince Royal, which he kept until the execution of his father made him the titular king of France at the age of eight.
Louis XVI never escaped the captivity of the Revolution, and was never officially crowned King of France. After being forcibly separated from his family, he was kept under a variety of different captors over a two-year period. He was abused, forced to testify against his mother and sister, starved, and locked up. He died two years after his separation from his family, of illness, abuse, and neglect.
Key events during the life of Louis XVII of France:
| Born in Versailles, as Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy | |
| Becomes Dauphin of France at the death of his older brother, Louis-Joseph. | |
| Royal family forced to move from Versailles to the Tuileries in October. | |
| Stripped of his title by the new constitution, given the title Prince Royal. | |
| The Royal Family is placed in the Temple Prison. The King is separated from his family. | |
| Becomes uncrowned King of France after his father's execution. | |
| Separated from his family and given into the guardianship of Antoine Simon, a shoemaker, and his wife Marie-Jeanne. | |
| Sees his sister Marie-Therese-Charlotte for the last time. | |
| Death of his mother, Marie Antoinette. | |
| The Simons leave, Louis-Charles is placed in solitary confinement. | |
| Visited by Barras after 9 Thermidor. | |
| Attended by Jean Jacques Laurent and Gomin. | |
| Died alone in prison of illness, abuse, neglect. | |
| DNA testing proves Louis-Charles died in the Temple Prison, ending conspiracy theories that he might have escaped. |
Image Links | ||
|---|---|---|
 Happy Days in the Garden. in The Little Dauphin |
 The Cobbler and his little victim. in The Little Dauphin |
The Dauphin and the sparrows. in The Little Dauphin |
| Key figure of the French Revolution. Leader of the Reign of Terror. | |
| Extravagant Queen of France. Beheaded during French Revolution. | |
| King during the French revolution. Beheaded by republicans who sought to overthrow the monarchy. |