During the 18th century, many people began to appreciate the idea of ​​political freedom. They wanted equality between different classes and freedom to do what they wanted. Many countries rebelled against the political authorities they once supported during this time. For example, the American colonies broke away from England. France also went through a turbulent time when the streets were red with blood. One of France's major political powers in the 18th century was King Louis XVI. Louis XVI, baptized Louis-Auguste, was born on 23 August 1754. He was the third child of the Dauphin and Marie Josephine of Saxony. He studied history, science, geography, law, Latin and Greek, as well as modern languages. However, his guardians did not adequately prepare him to govern France. He married Marie Antoinette, an Archduchess of Austria, when he was 16 in 1770. After the deaths of his two older brothers, he was next in line to the French throne. In 1774 he succeeded Louis XV, his grandfather, and became king of France. He and Marie Antoinette had four children, but only the two eldest (Madame Royale, 1778, and the Dauphin, 1785) were alive when the French Revolution broke out. When Louis XVI inherited the throne, he also inherited a government deeply in debt. By providing their aid to the Americans during their revolution, they put themselves on the verge of bankruptcy. On top of this, Marie Antoinette's frivolous spending put the country further into debt. Her excessive spending also reflected badly on her, and the monarchy's already shaky ground began to crumble beneath their feet. At that time France, as a society, had deeply rooted privileges that made it very difficult to influence members...... middle of paper ...... monarchy abolished, the Assembly tried King Louis XVI and found him guilty of treason. Along with most of the French nobility, he was executed by guillotine. He died on January 21, 1793, nine months before his wife. King Louis XVI was a man who lived and ruled in a time of turmoil. He inherited a failing country, and while he didn't completely save it from the bloodshed he saw, he did everything in his power to keep all of his subjects from dying. He was not a man strong enough to free France from present strife. He was easily influenced by the desires of others around him, but he wanted what was best for his kingdom. Even though he was unfit to rule, he gave his whole life for his country. He may have lost France to the ideas inspired by the Enlightenment, but he sustained his reign to the end of his days.