Charles X (1757–1836), born Charles Philippe, was the last Bourbon monarch to reign as King of France. Ascending to the throne in 1824, he ruled until the July Revolution of 1830 forced his abdication. Charles X’s reign was marked by attempts to restore an absolute monarchy, which ultimately led to his downfall and the establishment of the July Monarchy under Louis Philippe.
Born in 1757 at the Palace of Versailles, Charles Philippe was the second son of the Dauphin Louis, the heir apparent to the French throne, and his wife, Maria Josepha of Saxony. He was initially known as the Count of Artois and later as Charles Philippe when his brother Louis XVI ascended to the throne in 1774. Charles X spent much of his early life in the shadow of his elder brother’s reign and became associated with the conservative faction at court.
During the French Revolution, Charles emigrated along with other aristocrats fearing for their lives. He played a prominent role in organizing counter-revolutionary forces and was a leading figure in the émigré community. His staunch opposition to the revolutionary government earned him the moniker “Charles the Simple” among the French revolutionaries. Charles’s experiences during this period solidified his commitment to restoring the monarchy and traditional values in France.
Following the execution of his brother Louis XVI in 1793 and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles continued to advocate for the Bourbon cause. He joined the coalition of European powers fighting against Napoleon and participated in various military campaigns aimed at restoring the monarchy. However, the defeat of the Bourbon monarchy at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 marked the end of Napoleon’s rule and paved the way for the restoration of the Bourbon dynasty.
In 1824, upon the death of his brother Louis XVIII, Charles X ascended to the throne as the King of France. His reign began with optimism among royalists who hoped for a return to the pre-revolutionary order. However, Charles’s attempts to roll back liberal reforms and strengthen monarchical authority quickly alienated many segments of French society.
One of Charles’s most controversial actions was the issuance of the Four Ordinances in July 1830, which restricted freedom of the press, dissolved the newly elected Chamber of Deputies, and limited suffrage. These measures sparked widespread protests and culminated in the July Revolution, a popular uprising against the monarchy. Faced with mounting opposition, Charles X abdicated the throne in favor of his grandson, the Duke of Bordeaux, and went into exile in England.
The July Revolution resulted in the establishment of the July Monarchy under Louis Philippe, a constitutional monarchy with limited suffrage. Charles X spent the remainder of his life in exile, residing primarily in England and later in Prague. Despite his efforts to maintain a royalist movement and support for his cause, he was unable to regain the throne.
Charles X died in 1836 at the age of 79 in Gorizia, then part of the Austrian Empire. His death marked the end of an era for the Bourbon monarchy in France. Although his reign was brief and tumultuous, Charles X left a lasting legacy as the last king to attempt the restoration of absolute monarchy in France. His policies and actions contributed to the political instability that characterized much of the early 19th century in France and set the stage for further upheavals in the years to come.
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Charles X, born Charles Philippe of France on October 9, 1757, was a pivotal figure in French history, known for his attempts to restore absolute monarchy during a time of profound political and social change. As the younger brother of King Louis XVI, Charles spent much of his early life in the shadow of his sibling’s reign. However, it was during the tumultuous years of the French Revolution that Charles’s convictions and aspirations for monarchy became most evident.
Raised in the opulent surroundings of the Palace of Versailles, Charles received a traditional aristocratic education, steeped in the principles of divine right and royal absolutism. His formative years were shaped by the intellectual currents of the Enlightenment, which championed reason, liberty, and the rights of man – ideals that clashed with the entrenched privileges of the French nobility.
The outbreak of the French Revolution in 1789 thrust Charles into the center of a rapidly changing political landscape. Unlike his brother Louis XVI, who initially sought compromise with the revolutionary forces, Charles harbored deep-seated hostility towards the ideals of the Revolution and the nascent Republic. Viewing the overthrow of the monarchy as an affront to divine order, Charles joined the ranks of émigrés who sought refuge in neighboring European courts.
Throughout the 1790s, Charles emerged as a leading figure among the émigré community, advocating for the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy and rallying support for counter-revolutionary efforts. He traveled extensively across Europe, forging alliances with monarchs and aristocrats who shared his vision of a restored ancien régime. Charles’s efforts to enlist foreign support for the Bourbon cause culminated in his participation in the War of the First Coalition against Revolutionary France.
Despite early setbacks, including the execution of his brother Louis XVI in 1793 and Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power, Charles remained steadfast in his commitment to the Bourbon dynasty. Following Napoleon’s defeat and the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy in 1814, Charles returned to France with the hope of reclaiming his birthright and restoring the traditional order.
Upon the death of his brother Louis XVIII in 1824, Charles ascended to the throne as King Charles X of France. His reign began amidst a wave of conservative fervor, with royalists anticipating a return to the glory days of the ancien régime. However, Charles’s attempts to roll back the constitutional reforms of the post-revolutionary period quickly alienated many segments of French society.
Central to Charles’s agenda was the restoration of Catholicism as the state religion and the reassertion of monarchical authority over the secular institutions of government. His policies, including the controversial Ordinances of Saint-Cloud in July 1830, aimed to curtail the growing influence of liberalism and parliamentary democracy. However, these measures sparked widespread opposition and ultimately precipitated the July Revolution.
The July Revolution of 1830 marked a turning point in French history, leading to the overthrow of Charles X and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy under Louis Philippe. Faced with mounting resistance, Charles abdicated the throne in favor of his grandson, the Duke of Bordeaux, and sought refuge in England. Despite efforts to rally support for his cause, including an ill-fated invasion of France in 1832, Charles was unable to regain power.
Exiled from his homeland, Charles spent his final years in relative obscurity, residing primarily in England and later in Prague. He died on November 6, 1836, at the age of 79, far from the kingdom he had sought to rule. Despite his failure to restore absolute monarchy, Charles X left a lasting legacy as a symbol of Bourbon restorationism and the struggle against revolutionary ideals. His reign and its aftermath underscored the enduring tensions between tradition and modernity in 19th-century France, shaping the course of the nation’s history for decades to come.