Quick Facts
The 'Citizen King' who ruled France during the July Monarchy, balancing between republicanism and royalism until the Revolution of 1848 ended the last French kingdom.
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Life Journey
Born Louis Philippe d'Orléans on October 6, 1773, at the Palais Royal in Paris. His father was Louis Philippe Joseph, Duke of Orléans (later known as Philippe Égalité). The Orléans branch was the cadet line of the Bourbons, wealthy and traditionally liberal in politics.
The sixteen-year-old Louis Philippe witnessed the outbreak of the French Revolution. His father embraced the revolutionary cause, renaming himself Philippe Égalité and eventually voting for Louis XVI's execution. Young Louis Philippe joined the Jacobin Club and adopted revolutionary ideals.
As a young officer in the Revolutionary army, Louis Philippe fought at the Battle of Valmy on September 20, 1792. This crucial victory saved the young French Republic from Prussian invasion. He also fought at Jemappes, earning genuine revolutionary credentials.
Despite voting for Louis XVI's death, Philippe Égalité was himself guillotined on November 6, 1793, during the Terror. Louis Philippe, now Duke of Orléans, learned of his father's execution while serving with the army. The experience profoundly shaped his views on revolution and order.
In April 1793, Louis Philippe defected to the Austrians along with General Dumouriez to escape the escalating Terror. This decision saved his life but forced him into 21 years of wandering exile across Europe and America.
Louis Philippe spent years traveling through Europe under assumed names. He taught geography and mathematics in Switzerland and visited Scandinavia, experiencing hardship that would shape his understanding of ordinary life and give him common touch as king.
Louis Philippe traveled to America, spending time in Philadelphia and visiting George Washington at Mount Vernon. He explored the frontier regions, traveling down the Mississippi River. His American experience reinforced his appreciation for republican institutions.
Louis Philippe married Princess Maria Amelia of Naples and Sicily on November 25, 1809. Their happy marriage produced ten children, eight of whom survived infancy. Maria Amelia would be a devoted partner throughout his reign and exile.
After Napoleon's first abdication, Louis Philippe returned to France and recovered the immense Orléans fortune. He established himself at the Palais Royal, cultivating a reputation as a liberal prince who walked the streets like a citizen.
When the July Revolution overthrew Charles X, the liberal deputies turned to Louis Philippe as an alternative to both Bourbon restoration and a republic. On July 31, 1830, he accepted the role of Lieutenant General of the Kingdom.
On August 9, 1830, Louis Philippe was proclaimed King of the French (not of France), emphasizing popular sovereignty. He accepted a revised Charter and flew the tricolor flag. His reign, known as the July Monarchy, would last eighteen years.
The first of many assassination attempts against Louis Philippe occurred in 1831. Over his reign, he survived at least seven assassination attempts, the most serious being the Fieschi machine gun attack in 1835 that killed 18 bystanders.
On July 28, 1835, Giuseppe Fieschi attempted to kill Louis Philippe with an 'infernal machine'—25 gun barrels fired simultaneously. The king was only grazed, but 18 people died including Marshal Mortier. The attack led to restrictive press laws.
Louis Philippe arranged for Napoleon's remains to be returned from St. Helena and interred at Les Invalides. The elaborate ceremony on December 15, 1840, was meant to bolster his regime but instead fueled Bonapartist sentiment.
Louis Philippe's eldest son and heir, Ferdinand Philippe, Duke of Orléans, died in a carriage accident on July 13, 1842. The tragedy devastated the king and created a succession crisis, as the new heir was only four years old.
Opposition to Louis Philippe's increasingly conservative government organized the 'banquet campaign,' holding political gatherings disguised as dinners to circumvent laws against political meetings. The campaign would lead directly to revolution.
On February 22-24, 1848, revolution erupted in Paris after the government banned a major reform banquet. Street fighting spread rapidly. Louis Philippe's support evaporated as the National Guard joined the insurgents.
On February 24, 1848, Louis Philippe abdicated in favor of his grandson, but the Chamber refused to accept a regency. Disguised as 'Mr. Smith,' the 74-year-old ex-king fled Paris and eventually reached England, ending the last French monarchy.
Louis Philippe died on August 26, 1850, at Claremont House in Surrey, England. He was the last king to rule France. His remains were initially buried at Weybridge but were later transferred to the Royal Chapel at Dreux, the Orléans family mausoleum.