What was the Bourbon Restoration?

The Bourbon Restoration was the period in French history when the monarchy was restored under the rule of King Louis XVIII and later his brother, Charles X, following Napoleon's defeat. This era lasted from 1814 to 1830.

How did the Bourbon monarchy return to power?

After Napoleon's abdication in 1814, Louis XVIII ascended the throne. Although Napoleon briefly returned to power during the Hundred Days in 1815, his subsequent defeat at Waterloo led to the Second Restoration of the Bourbon monarchy.

What was the Charter of 1814?

The Charter of 1814, issued by Louis XVIII, established a constitutional monarchy in France. It preserved many revolutionary reforms, including civil liberties, equality before the law, and religious tolerance, while creating a bicameral legislature.

Bourbon Restoration | Revolution, Restoration

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Summary

The French House of Bourbon
The French Revolution
Napoleonic France
Bourbon Restoration
- Features of the Restoration
Bourbon Kings During the Restoration
End of the Bourbon Restoration

Key Facts And Information

Let’s know more about the Bourbon Restoration!

The Bourbon Restoration was a period in French history from 1815 to 1830, during which the House of Bourbon returned to power. The restoration occurred following the fall of Napoleon Bonaparte and saw the reigns of Louis XVIII and Charles X. Despite the relatively peaceful era, Charles X’s policies faced great opposition, which culminated in the July Revolution of 1830, ultimately leading to the monarch’s abdication and the rise of Louis-Philippe of the Orleans branch of the Bourbon family.

Grand Royal Coat of Arms of France

The French House of Bourbon

The House of Bourbon, originating in the Kingdom of France, was a branch of the royal Capetian dynasty, one of the ruling houses in Europe. The first Bourbon king ruled Navarre in the 16th century, while further branches ruled Spain, particularly on the thrones of Naples, Sicily and Parma. In France, the Bourbon dynasty ruled from 1589 to 1793 and from 1814 to 1830 during the restoration. Among the most popular were the absolute monarch Louis XIV and the overthrown Louis XVI.
King Henry II of France’s death seemed to secure the Valois line. However, his four sons’ deaths and lack of legitimate heirs left the throne to the best claimant, Henry III of Navarre. Despite the earlier opposition of many French nobles due to his Protestant religion, Henry was crowned Henry IV of France.

He founded the House of Bourbon, which united the thrones of France and Navarre under one monarch. The House of Bourbon ruled France until the chaotic French Revolution replaced it with a short-lived republic. Before the French Revolution, France was ruled by the following Bourbon monarchs:
- Henry IV - Also known as Good King Henry, Henry IV was the first king of France from the House of Bourbon, ruling from 1589 until his assassination in 1610. Although he was raised a Protestant, Henry IV was baptised a Catholic to appease the French people and solidify his accession.
- Louis XIII - Also known as Louis the Just, Louis XIII of France and Louis II of Navarre ruled the French from 1610 until he died in 1643. At age nine, he succeeded his father, Henry IV, as king of France and Navarre. While a minor, his mother, Marie de’ Medici, acted as regent until 1617. Louis XIII’s reign was characterised by his heavy reliance on his ministers and the continued struggles against the Huguenots and the Habsburg dynasty.
- Louis XIV - Also known as Louis the Sun King, Louis XIV ruled as king of France from 1643 until 1715, the longest-reigning sovereign at that time. Between 1643 and 1651, Louis XIV ruled under the regency of his mother, Anne of Austria. Under his rule, France became an exemplary nation-state of the period. While he continued the French colonial expansion, his absolutism ended the Eighty Years’ War.
- Louis XV - Also known as Louis the Beloved, Louis XV succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV as king of France from 1715 until he died in 1774. While a minor, his grand-uncle Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as regent. Louis XV’s rule saw the conclusion of the Seven Years’ War, where New France was ceded to Britain and Spain.
- Louis XVI - The fall of the French monarchy happened when Louis XVI was overthrown during a revolution. Louis XVI was the son of Louis, Dauphin of France and Maria Josepha of Saxony. With ensuing debt and a worsening financial crisis, the monarchy became unpopular, ultimately leading to strong opposition and later the abolition of absolute monarchy.
In 1791, a constitutional monarchy was declared, but the people were continually dissatisfied. By August 1792, Louis XVI was suspended and arrested, and the First French Republic abolished and replaced the monarchy. On 21 January 1793, he was executed by guillotine for high treason. His wife, Marie Antoinette, died of the same fate.

The French Revolution

The French Revolution was a revolutionary event in modern European history. It began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s when Napoleon Bonaparte ascended to power. The event redesigned their political landscape, abolishing an absolute monarch and their feudal system. Despite not achieving all its goals, the French Revolution played a significant part in shaping modern nations through the inherent will of the people.
Due to extravagant spending of the royal court, insufficient revenue and national debt, France experienced a fiscal crisis and was on the brink of bankruptcy. In response, and on the advice of financial advisor Charles Alexandre de Calonne, King Louis XVI called upon the Assembly of Notables.
Despite the gathering, concrete fiscal reforms faced opposition from the French people. Louis XVI summoned the Estates General on 8 August 1788 after the notorious ‘Day of Tiles’.
États Généraux in French, the Estates General was a form of representative assembly similar to a congress or parliament. Members were representatives from all the Three Estates. Unlike Congress or Parliament, the French Estates General had no legislative power and did not meet regularly. Meetings were only held as summoned by the king, mostly during a crisis or war.
Louis XVI issued another edict instructing the election of deputies to the Estates General on 24 January 1789. For the First and Second Estates, deputies were elected through an electoral assembly attended by all clergymen and nobles.
With long lists of grievances, hopes of political reforms and expectations of being outvoted, the Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly on 17 June. It took oath at a tennis court on 20 June 1789 to force Louis XVI into a new constitution.
Following their demands to increase their voice in governance, members of the Third Estate worried that the French army would soon attack them. In hopes of arming themselves, Parisian revolutionaries took over the Hotel des Invalides in Paris, where they seized muskets.
At that time, besides being a prison, the Bastille was a military fortress filled with gunpowder and munitions. On 14 July 1789, the revolutionaries demanded Governor de Launay of Bastille surrender, abandon the gunpowder and free the prisoner. Launay initially refused.
During the negotiations, the crowd became aggressive, the Bastille was surrounded, fighting began, and the French soldiers soon sided with the revolutionaries.
On 27 August 1789, the National Assembly passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens, which became a written document of Rousseau’s philosophy on natural rights – freedom and equality.
By October 1791, the Legislative Assembly replaced France’s National Constituent Assembly. Its members were elected a month before, and they included deputies with records in public service, either at the provincial or municipal level. Many new delegates were members of the Jacobin Club.
However, with Louis XVI’s power, the Legislative Assembly faced challenges and problems. The king appointed ministers based on his alliances and not on merit. Moreover, he used his veto power to block legislation. As a result of numerous royal vetoes, public protests against the monarch became uncontrollable.

Depiction of the execution of Louis XVI

On 19 November 1792, the National Convention issued the Edict of Fraternity, which stated that the French were friends of the people, while all governments were their enemies. The Edict persuaded European people to rise against their respective monarchies and seek freedom to govern.
It also promised material and moral support to those leading the uprisings.
Deposed King Louis XVI was formally placed on trial by the National Convention in December 1792. Louis XVI was read with 33 charges that describe an act of betrayal and failure of leadership. After gaining 693 votes from the National Convention, the king was found guilty and sentenced to execution without any right for an appeal.

Napoleonic France

Following the end of the National Convention, the French Directory was formed under the Constitution of 1795. It lasted until November 1799 with the emergence of Napoleon Bonaparte.
After the fall of the Directory, Napoleon Bonaparte, or Napoleon I, served as the emperor of France between 1804 and 1814 and again in 1815. He was a skilled military and political leader who gained prominence during the French Revolution and the Revolutionary Wars.
During his time as ruler of France, Napoleon Bonaparte introduced various reforms across various aspects of French society. These reforms aimed to centralise administration, standardise and simplify laws, promote meritocracy and modernise the country’s infrastructure.
In 1804, he established a constitutional monarchy with himself as emperor and created the Legion of Honour, a system of awards for military and civilian service.
Overall, Napoleon’s reforms played a significant role in shaping France’s political, legal, economic and cultural landscape during his reign. While some of his policies, such as the Napoleonic Code, were controversial and had long-lasting effects, others, like promoting education and the arts, continue to shape French society today. Perhaps the most notable of his rule were the Napoleonic Wars fought against other European powers.
Some of the key battles of the Napoleonic Wars included the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, where Napoleon defeated the Russian and Austrian armies. From 1808 to 1814, the Peninsula War drained the French, while in 1812, the French campaign in Russia ended in disaster for Napoleon.
Coalitions were formed among European nations, including Austria, Britain, Prussia and Russia, to resist Napoleon’s expansionist policies.
After a series of defeats, Napoleon was forced to abdicate in 1814 and exiled to Elba. However, he returned to power in 1815 during the Hundred Days but was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Waterloo. He was then forced to abdicate again and be exiled to the island of Saint Helena until he died in 1821.