Â鶹APP

Louis XV king of France-by Louis-Michel van Loo-

Top 10 Amazing Facts about Louis XV of France

Louis XV, known as Louis the Beloved was born on 15th February 1710 in the palace of Â鶹APP, Â鶹APP, France. He was the king of France from 1st September 1715 when he was 5, succeeding his great grandfather until his death in 1774.

His reign of almost 59years was the second-longest in the history of France exceeded by his predecessor, Louis XIV who had ruled for 72 years.

He took sole control of the kingdom in 1723 after reaching his maturity. Before then, the kingdom was ruled by Phillipe II, Duke of Orleans, as Regent of France. His rule contributed to the decline of royal authority.

He gave up New France to Great Britain and Spain at the conclusion of the Seven Years’ War in 1763 and took in the territories of the Duchy of Lorraine and the Corsican Republic into the kingdom of France.

He is criticized for his embarrassment to the kingship due to corruption contributed by his mistresses. Here are 10 amazing facts about Louis XV of France.

1. Louis XV was a monarch of the House of Bourbon

Louis XV of France-Jean-Martial Frédou-

Louis XV was the great-grandchild of Louis XIV and the son of Duke of Burgundy and Marie Adelaide of Savoy. He was born in the palace of Â鶹APP and immediately titled the Duke of Anjou.

His chance of becoming king was remote for the king’s eldest son Louis Le Grand Dauphin and grandfather of XV was expected to assume the throne upon the king’s death.

Then the eldest son of Grand Dauphin Louis’s father Le Petit Dauphin also Duke of Burgundy would be the next in line.

2. Louis XV became the heir to the throne after the death of his older brother

Louis XV as a child-by Marshall, H. E. (Henrietta Elizabeth), b. 1876-

Louis’s grandfather the Grand Dauphin was the rightful heir of the throne who died in1711 of smallpox. In less than a year, his mother Marie Adelaide died of measles followed by his father six days later.

With the death of both Louis XV’s grandfather and father, his elder brother immediately became Dauphin of France.

Two weeks after their parent’s death, Louis and his older brother had also contracted measles.

They were treated traditionally with bloodletting but the new Dauphin died from the combination of the disease and the treatment leaving the younger Louis as the heir to the throne.

3. His life was saved by his governess Madame de Ventandor

Madame de Ventador was a French office holder of the French Royal Court, who became the governess of Louis XV after saving his life.

After the death of Louis’s elder brother, she forbade the doctors from bleeding the younger Louis.

She then kidnapped Louis XV and hid him in a palace closet where she cared for him alone as he was very ill but because of her actions he survived.

4. He was crowned king and officially ended the regency in 1723

Coronation of Louis XV of France-by Unknown-

Louis approached his 13th birthday on 15th June 1722, where he had happy moments of his childhood.

On October 25th, Louis XV got crowned the king at the Cathedral of Reims, and the regency was officially ended which was led by Philippe II the nephew of Louis XIV.

At the beginning of his reign, the Duke of Orleans continued to manage the government and took the prime minister title in August 1723 but he died in December the same year.

Louis XV appointed his cousin Louis Henri, Duke of Bourbon, as the prime minister.

5. He got married to Marie Leszczynska

One of the first priorities of the Duke of Bourbon was to find a bride for the king to assure the continuity of the kingship. A list of 99 princesses was prepared among them Duke’s own sisters.

The 21-year-old Marie was chosen and got married in 1725 when Louis was 15. They had 10 children, 8 girls, and 2 boys.

6. He stabilized the government with the help of Cardinal Fleury

From 1726 until his death in 1743, Fleury successfully ruled France with the king’s approval. He was sworn in after the Duke was dismissed by the king due to poor ruling.

This was the most peaceful and prosperous period of Louis XV’s reign as Fleury showed him the virtues of a stable government.

He reduced government ministers to 13, over the course of 19 years, while Louis in his last 31 years employed 43 ministers.

7. He was a major patron of literature

Louis XV spent more money on buildings over the course of his reign than Louis XIV.His major architectural projects were the work of his favorite court architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel.

He began construction of the church of Saint-Genevieve and also constructed monumental squares and surrounding buildings in the center of Nancy, Bordeaux, and Rennes.

8. He took a keen interest in science and engineering

Louis XV was a generous patron to scientists and engineers.

He sponsored maritime exploration and encouraged scientific expeditions to bring back plant specimens from distant surroundings.

In the King’s Garden, in Â鶹APP, and in the Triton Botanical Gardens, he used the system of plant classification developed by the Swedish botanist Linne.

He also took an interest in the first experiments with electricity. In 1746, at Â鶹APP, Abbe Nollet performed a Leyden jar experiment for the King, successfully gathering an electric charge.

9. Louis XV was almost killed in an assassination attempt

In 1957, as he was getting into his carriage in the courtyard of Â鶹APP, a displeased man, Robert-Francoise Damiens pushed through the guards and him in the side with a small knife.

He bled wildly which led o him fainting as he summoned a doctor. He was saved from greater harm by his clothing thickness.

10. He ended the disastrous Seven Years War in 1763

French mounted grenadiers of Louis XV-by Anonymousplate-

The Seven Years’ War ended on February 10, 1763, after the Treaty of Â鶹APP was signed by Great Britain, Hanover, France, and Spain.

Louis XV gave up Canada, Louisiana, and Florida to Great Britain and Spain thereby removing European rivals and opening up North America for Westward expansion.

Louis XV is best known for contributing to the decline of royal authority that led to the French Revolution in 1789.

He died an unpopular king in 1774, his passing bringing an end to his reign of 59 years, the second-longest in the history of France after that of Louis XIV.