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Louis XV of france

Louis XV
LouisXV-Rigaud1.jpg
Louis XV by Rigaud (1730)
King of France and Navarre
Reign 1 September 1715 – 10 May 1774
Coronation 25 October 1722
Predecessor Louis XIV
Successor Louis XVI
Regent Philippe d'Orléans (1715–1723)
Born (1710-02-15)15 February 1710
Palace of Versailles, France
Died 10 May 1774(1774-05-10) (aged 64)
Palace of Versailles, France
Burial Royal Basilica, Saint Denis, France
Spouse Marie Leszczyńska
Issue Louise Élisabeth, Duchess of Parma
Princess Henriette
Princess Louise
Louis, Dauphin of France
Philippe, Duke of Anjou
Princess Marie Adélaïde
Princess Victoire
Princess Sophie
Princess Thérèse
Louise, Abbess of Saint Denis
Full name
Louis de France
House Bourbon
Father Louis, Dauphin of France
Mother Marie Adélaïde of Savoy
Religion Roman Catholicism
Signature
Full name
Louis de France
Royal styles of
King Louis XV
Par la grâce de Dieu, Roi de France et de Navarre
France moderne.svg
Reference style His Most Christian Majesty
Spoken style Your Most Christian Majesty
Alternative style Monsieur Le Roi

Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (Louis le bien aimé), was a monarch of the House of Bourbon who ruled as King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity in 1723, his kingdom was ruled by Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans as Regent of France; the duke was his maternal great-uncle, as well as first cousin twice removed patrilineally. Cardinal Fleury was his chief minister from 1726 until the Cardinal's death in 1743, at which time the young king took sole control of the kingdom.

During his reign, Louis returned the Austrian Netherlands, territory won at the Battle of Fontenoy of 1745, but given back to Austria by the terms of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748. Louis also ceded New France in North America to Spain and Great Britain at the conclusion of the Seven Years' War in 1763. He incorporated the territories of Lorraine and Corsica into the kingdom of France. He was succeeded by his grandson Louis XVI in 1774.

Most scholars believe Louis XV's decisions damaged the power of France, weakened the treasury, discredited the absolute monarchy, and made it more vulnerable to distrust and destruction, as happened in the French Revolution, which broke out 15 years after his death. Norman Davies characterized Louis XV's reign as "one of debilitating stagnation," characterized by lost wars, endless clashes between the Court and Parliament, and religious feuds. A few scholars defend Louis, arguing that his highly negative reputation was based on propaganda meant to justify the French Revolution. Jerome Blum described him as "a perpetual adolescent called to do a man's job."


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