Louis XVII of France



King of France (1793-1795)

also called Duke of Normandy (until 1789) fullname Louis-Charles de France

Born: March 27, 1785, Versailles, France Died: June 8, 1795, Paris

Son of King Louis XVI of France and Queen Marie Antoinette. At the death of his father on January 21, 1793, Louis became titular King of France and Navarre although he never ruled.

Louis-Charles de France was born at the Palace of Versailles, the third child of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. At birth, he bore the title Duke of Normandy until he became the dauphin (heir to the throne) on the death of his elder brother, Louis-Joseph, in June 1789, shortly after the outbreak of the French Revolution. With the monarchy overthrown, Louis-Charles was imprisoned with the rest of the royal family in the Temple in Paris. His captors referred to him by the family name “Capet,” after Hugh Capet, the founder of the royal dynasty.

In January 21, 1793, Louis XVI was beheaded, and royalists immediately proclaimed Louis-Charles as King of France and Navarre. The republican government had therefore decided to separate the eight-year old Louis XVII from the rest of the royal family in July 3, 1793. He was put under surveillance of a shoemaker, Antoine Simon. His mother was guillotined on October 16, 1793, and Louis was again imprisoned in the Temple. Under solitary confinement, Louis’ health rapidly falls and died at the age of only 10. An inquest established that Louis had suffered from scrofula (tuberculosis of the lymph glands).

The secrecy surrounding the last months of Louis XVII’s life gave rise to rumors that he was not dead but had escaped from the Temple. During the next few decades, more than 30 persons claimed to be Louis XVII. Hoping to end the controversy, scientists began DNA testing on a preserved heart, apparently that of Louis XVII, in late 1999, comparing it to hair samples from various royal family members, including Marie-Antoinette. The findings, announced in April 2000, confirmed that Louis XVII, in fact, died on the prison.