Biography of Charles X of France

The sunset of the Ancien Régime

9 October 1757
6 November 1836
Charles, count of Artois, was born at Versailles on 9 October 1757 by Louis Ferdinand, Dauphin of France as the son of King Louis XV, and Marie-Josèphe of Saxony. Brother of two Kings of France, Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, in 1773 he married Maria Teresa of Savoy, daughter of King Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia and Maria Antonietta of Spain, and sister of Maria Giuseppina Luisa, the wife of Louis XVIII. Aristocratic faction leader (Ultras), at the outbreak of the French Revolution of 1789 is forced to leave France to return with the allies in 1814, when the Bourbon Restoration Louis XVIII back on the throne.
Succeeds his brother and ascends to the throne in 1824, and for the coronation in Reims, demands the pompous ceremonial of the Ancien Regime. This first episode is a little its political manifesto, because it says a lot about the roots of Charles X out of reactionary positions, and in fact it launches immediately into a work of restoration of the absolutist regime that determines an expansion and an accentuation of the opposition to the Bourbon regime. Setting up the "bottom billion", to reimburse to the noble damage because of the revolution, encourage the restoration of religious congregations suppressed and reintroduces the death penalty for whoever is responsible of sacrilege.
Supports the Government of monarchical extremist Jean-Baptiste Guillaume Joseph de Villèle, very unpalatable and unpopular. In 1829 the Government entrusts to Jules de Polignac, also an ultra-royalist and even more hated by the people. Raised the opposition-Bourbon rebellion in the Chamber, with the elections of July 1830, Charles X issues "four ordinances of St Cloud", which dissolves the Parliament, suspends press freedom and reduces the number of voters, going to seriously violate the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution and by placing substantially be a coup.
The brilliant conquest of Algeria began in may 1830 and concluded the next July 5, does not serve to distract the French resentment and a desire to revolt: on July 27, 28 and 29 Paris occurs giving rise to the "Trois Glorieuses" and forcing the King to mend in Rambouillet, where abdicates-unnecessarily, since it will be proclaimed King of the French Louis Philippe I, Duke of Orléans-the grandson Henri d'Artois , Duke of Burgundy (Henry V).
He moved soon after in Scotland and later in Prague. Six years later, during a temporary stay in Gorizia, is seized with cholera starting quickly at the end. Charles X of France goes out on 6 November 1836, in Gorizia (then part of the Austrian Empire) at the age of 79 years. With the death of Charles X, in addition to extinguish the main branch of the Bourbons of France, closes the era of Restoration, you check the Ancien Régime and opens a new page of constitutional turmoil for Europe that will lead to local uprisings before but which will expand like wildfire until the extraordinary events of 1848-1849.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.