Why was Louis XVI guillotined?

Answer 1

King Louis XVI and his wife Queen Marie Antoinette lost their monarchical power during the French Revolution. They inherited an enormous state debt (by Louis XIV and Louis XV). Also, Louis XVI was indecisive and not firm enough to rule.

Radical financial reforms by Turgot and Malesherbes angered the nobles and were blocked by the parlements who insisted that the King did not have the legal right to levy new taxes. So Turgot was dismissed in 1776 and Malesherbes resigned in 1776 to be replaced by Jacques Necker. Necker supported the American Revolution, and proceeded with a policy of taking out large international loans instead of raising taxes. When this policy failed miserably, Louis dismissed him, and replaced him in 1783 with Charles Alexandre de Calonne, who increased public spending to 'buy' the country's way out of debt. Again this failed, so Louis convoked the Assembly of Notables in 1787 to discuss a revolutionary new fiscal reform proposed by Calonne. When the nobles were told the extent of the debt, they were shocked into rejecting the plan. This negative turn of events signaled to Louis that he had lost the ability to rule as an absolute monarch, and he fell into depression.

The French didn't want to be ruled by monarchs anymore, but wanted to become a republic without "tyrannizing" monarchs that they thought spend all their tax money and wanted equality, and also no more nobility with all their benefits and privileges.

The revolutionists captured King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, held them prisoners and eventually had them beheaded by a guillotine.

Answer 2

Louis xiv was considered a traitor after trying to leave France disguised as a women

Louis XIV, the Sun King, died in his bed from gangrene in his 70s. He definitely did not attempt to leave France disquised as a woman. Louis XVI was executed by beheading (according to eye-witnesses, a botched job as the head was not immediately severed) for High Treason and Crimes Against the State. Louis XVI is the King killed during the French Revolution, not Louis XIV.

Answer 3

The revolutionary government wanted to proclaim themselves as the Republic of France, but they realized that to do this, they had to destroy the old monarchy. Within the government, the Girondin faction favored simply exiling the king, but the Jacobins won the vote and had him guillotined.

Answer 4

Well firstly it wasn't just Louie that was guillotined the majority of the royalty and upper class was executed during the french revolution more specifically the great terror.

King Louis XVI was guillotined because the revolution at the time was trying to do away with everything to do with the old government.

Answer 5

During the French Revolution, a number of people were seeking help from England and other governments outside of France to overthrow the government. When The Committee of Public Safety obtained a note indicating the king was part of such a plot, the committee decided to execute the king. (The note could have been forged.) The king was beheaded.

Answer 6

If you are to follow the history of Europe, Luis XVI was guillotined due to his refusal to initiate reforms in France, basically the people( peasant) wanted reforms in economy,religion and politics but the king had insisted on the ill-advice of his politically weak wife Marie Antoniette and other privileged classes such as Clergy and the Nobles

He was very relaxed on the problems raised by the local people and above he had a weak will

Answer 7

The French decided that a dead King was less dangerous to the French Revolution than a living King who might somehow be returned the Throne.

Answer 8

Republicans claimed that he had attempted to stop the revolution and allied himself with the forces outside of France that were attempting to restore him as King to absolute power.

Answer 9

For the treason of which thy were undoubtedly guilty. They attempted to escape from France and join Marie-Antoinette's Austrian relatives, who were at war with France.