Louis XV, known as le Bien-Aim� ('the Well-Beloved') 1710-74
King of France

Born in Versailles, he succeeded his great-grandfather, Louis XIV, in 1715, aged only five. His regent, Philippe, Duc d'Orl�ans, a tolerant and liberal man, created much scandal by his private life and on his death in 1723 he was replaced briefly by the Duc de Bourbon. Louis came of age in 1723, married Maria, the daughter of the deposed King of Poland, Stanislas I Leszczynski in 1725, and in 1726 replaced Bourbon by his former tutor, the Cardinal de Fleury. Fleury governed France well until his death in 1744 at the age of 90 but in 1740 France became embroiled, against his wishes, in the War of the Austrian Succession, in which Louis took part, falling seriously ill while at Metz in 1744. A popular king, the evident relief of his subjects at his recovery led to his being nicknamed 'le Bien-Aim�'. Faced with his responsibilities as head of state, Louis was well intentioned but lacked Louis XIV's interest in politics or administration. He concentrated on preserving the royal autocracy to which he had succeeded and defending it from orthodox Catholics but was unable to effect any real reform of the system he had inherited. The heavy losses incurred under his command at Fontenoy left him with a marked distaste for warfare. In addition, he allowed his personal life to interfere with state matters as one particular mistress, Madame de Pompadour, who became 'reigning mistress' in 1745, used her position to exert considerable influence over government policy. However, fiscal reform advocated by the comptroller-general Machault was blocked and local bureaucracies increased in power, notably the Intendants who were the king's principal representatives in the provinces. Peace in Europe had been temporarily achieved in 1748 but in 1756 renewed hostilities in Europe involved France in the Seven Years War. A series of military disasters abroad led to the replacement of the Foreign Minister, Bernis, by the Duc de Choiseul, a liberal and a friend and ally of Madame de Pompadour, who achieved peace with the Pacte de famille (1761), a permanent alliance with Spain, and rebuilt the weakened French navy. Choiseul regarded the Treaty of Paris (1763), which established British hegemony in India and North America, as little more than a truce in the continuing struggle between France and Great Britain, but Louis favoured a general European peace and worked behind Choiseul's back to promote diplomatic initiatives with this aim. Abroad Choiseul was able to incorporate the Duchy of Lorraine into France (1766) and conquer Corsica, a former Genoese colony (1770). At home, he was largely responsible, in alliance with the Parlements, for the suppression of the French Jesuits, despite the misgivings of Louis. Madame de Pompadour died in 1764, the Dauphin the following year and the queen in 1768. Louis found a new mistress and companion in Madame du Barry. The new Dauphin, Louis's grandson, the future Louis XVI, was married in 1770 to Marie Antoinette, the youngest daughter of the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa, cementing the alliance between France and the Empire. In the same year, Choiseul, at Madame du Barry's insistence, was dismissed. To the growing displeasure of the Parlements all future projects for reform were abandoned. Louis and his new Chancellor, Maupeou, attempted to curb the Parlements' power, replacing the hereditary magistracy with a new body of royal nominees. However, the old system was reinstated after Louis's death. His last years were ones of peace abroad and deceptive calm at home, but the prestige of the royal government had never been lower and the France Louis left to his grandson remained in the grip of the same antiquated autocracy he had inherited, weakened but unreformed.

Bibliography: G P Gooch, Louis XV: The Monarchy In Decline (1956)