France had kings for 1,000 years, then stopped completely.
You’ve probably wondered why countries like England still have queens while France, once Europe’s most powerful monarchy, has none.
It seems strange that a nation with such a rich royal history would completely abandon the crown.
The truth is, France didn’t just overthrow one king; they overthrew royalty three separate times, and each failure made it harder for families with royal French last names to ever reclaim power
The French Revolution and the Monarchy
The French Revolution wasn’t just a history lesson; it was basically the ultimate breakup between France and its royal family.
Think of it as the messiest divorce in European history, complete with angry crowds, financial drama, and some very unfortunate endings for the main characters involved.
The whole mess started because France was broke. Like, seriously broke. King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette, the last queen of France, were living it up in Versailles, while the average Frenchman couldn’t afford bread.
Here’s how things went down:
- The Money Problem: France had been spending like crazy on wars, including helping America fight Britain. The royal treasury was emptier than a teenager’s wallet after Christmas shopping.
- The Angry People: French citizens were paying heavy taxes while the nobles paid basically nothing. Imagine working overtime while your boss gets all the bonuses, that’s how they felt.
- The Big Meeting: In 1789, Louis XVI called the Estates-General (essentially a grand assembly) to address the financial crisis. But instead of fixing taxes, people started demanding real changes.
Things escalated quickly. The Third Estate (regular people) decided they’d had enough and formed their own assembly. They took the Tennis Court Oath, promising not to disband until France had a new constitution.
Then came July 14, 1789, the storming of the Bastille. Parisians attacked this fortress-prison, and boom! The revolution was officially on.
Abolishment of Monarchy in France
France didn’t just kick out one royal family and call it a day. Oh no, they went through multiple rounds of “let’s try monarchy again” followed by “nope, still don’t like it.
The First Time (1792)
The revolutionaries didn’t mess around. They put King Louis XVI on trial for treason and… well, let’s just say he lost his head over it. Literally. Marie Antoinette followed soon after in 1793.
Napoleon’s Royal Dreams (1804-1814)
Napoleon Bonaparte swooped in and crowned himself Emperor. Technically still a monarchy, but with a different vibe. He lasted until other European countries ganged up on him at Waterloo.
The Comeback Kids (1814-1848)
- Louis XVIII (Louis XVI’s brother) became king
- Then Charles X took over, but got way too pushy about royal power
- Louis-Philippe tried the “citizen king” approach
- All of them eventually got the boot
The Final Nail (1870)
Napoleon III (Napoleon’s nephew) was the last person to rule France as anything close to royalty. After losing the Franco-Prussian War, France said “that’s it” and became the Third Republic.
Since 1870, France has been a republic only. No more crowns, no more “your majesty,” just presidents and prime ministers.
Who Would’ve Been the King of France Today
The French royal succession is like a family tree that got hit by a tornado, complicated, messy, and full of disputed branches. But the question remains, French royal bloodline still exist in?
The main contenders come from different royal lines:
The Legitimist Claim: Louis XX (yes, that’s his actual name) from the House of Bourbon. He lives in Spain and probably has some pretty fancy dinner parties.
The Orléanist Claim: Henri d’Orléans, Count of Paris. His family thinks they have the better legal claim, and they’ve been arguing about it for decades.
Both families have their supporters, though most French people couldn’t care less. It’s like watching a debate over who should be the captain of a ship that sank 150 years ago.
These royal wannabes still use their titles and attend fancy events, but they have about as much political power as your neighborhood cat. They’re essentially living history museums with impressive wine collections.
Final Thoughts
France ditched its royal family because broken kings, angry citizens, and political chaos don’t mix well. The revolution wasn’t just about cutting off heads (though that definitely happened).
It was about regular people deciding they deserved better than paying for someone else’s fancy lifestyle.
France attempted to restore the monarchy several times, but it never quite succeeded. Turns out, once people get a taste of choosing their own leaders, going back to “because I was born special” doesn’t sound so appealing.
Today, while there are still people who could technically claim the French throne, most French citizens are perfectly happy with their president.
