"Disasters waiting to happen: Charles X of France" Topic

"Charles was born in 1757 and was King of France for barely six years. He was a younger brother of Louis XVI, guillotined during the French Revolution, and also Louis XVIII, who as the Count of Provence had escaped to Brussels in 1791 at exactly the same time as his ill-fated brother attempted escape to Varennes with his family. Louis XVIII became king after Napoleon's abdication as Emperor and was persuaded by Talleyrand (q.v.) to accept the Charter of 1814 and therefore recover the throne. It was this Louis who ran from Paris when news of Napoleon's escape from Elba arrived, and the Hundred Days' War began. After the Allies dealt at last with the Corsican, Louis became king again, reigning from 1814 to 1824.

Charles rushed off at the fall of the Bastille, at the beginning of the Revolution. He was the Count d'Artois then, and from exile made himself the leader of a counter-revolution. He was one of those mixtures so often found in the eighteenth century. As a youth, he gained a reputation for riotous and libertinous living, while remaining a stout Catholic. However, like many other Bourbons, he was not over-endowed with intelligence…"
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A good guy!… (smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Louis XVIII made a very definite point that he was king long before Napoleon abdicated. Indeed he insisted he became king the instant Louis XVII (the Dauphin) died in Revolutionary captivity. OK he could not step near to France most of that time but, legally, he was…….depending of course on which laws you apply (usually victor's law…with a small V)

What is it they said of the Bourbons, 'Never forgot a slight or ever forgave one'?

"Never forgot a slight or ever forgave one"

A principle that has stood us in good stead for centuries here in Albion, the farther north and west you travel.

Did not do the Bourbons much good.

Better remembered as a rather tasteless chocolate biscuit, these days, than the surviving family, who are more likely pretenders to the various thrones of Europe than occupants.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand