Background July Monarchy

louis-philippe i, king of french. king depicted @ entrance of gallerie des batailles had furnished in château de versailles.



liberty leading people (1830) eugène delacroix commemorates july revolution of 1830. child 2 pistols right of liberty (who holds tricolor flag) victor hugo s inspiration gavroche in les misérables.

following ouster of napoléon bonaparte in 1814, allies restored bourbon dynasty french throne. ensuing period, bourbon restoration, characterized conservative reaction , re-establishment of roman catholic church power in french politics. relatively liberal comte de provence, brother of deposed-and-executed louis xvi, ruled louis xviii 1814–1824 , succeeded more conservative younger brother, former comte d artois, ruling charles x 1824.

despite return of house of bourbon power, france changed era of ancien régime. egalitarianism , liberalism of revolutionaries remained important force , autocracy , hierarchy of earlier era not restored. economic changes, had been underway long before revolution, had progressed further during years of turmoil , firmly entrenched 1815. these changes had seen power shift noble landowners urban merchants. administrative reforms of napoleon, such napoleonic code , efficient bureaucracy, remained in place. these changes produced unified central government fiscally sound , had control on areas of french life, sharp difference complicated mix of feudal , absolutist traditions , institutions of pre-revolutionary bourbons.

louis xviii, part, accepted had changed. however, pushed on right ultra-royalists, led comte de villèle, condemned doctrinaires attempt reconcile revolution monarchy through constitutional monarchy. instead, chambre introuvable, elected in 1815, first banished conventionnels had voted louis xvi s death , passed similar reactionary laws. louis xviii forced dissolve chamber, dominated ultras, in 1816, fearing popular uprising. liberals governed until 1820 assassination of duc de berry, nephew of king , known supporter of ultras, brought villèle s ultras power (vote of anti-sacrilege act in 1825, , of loi sur le milliard des émigrés, act on émigrés billions). brother charles x, however, took far more conservative approach. attempted compensate aristocrats had lost in revolution, curbed freedom of press, , reasserted power of church. in 1830 discontent caused these changes , charles authoritarian nomination of ultra prince de polignac minister culminated in uprising in streets of paris, known 1830 july revolution. charles forced flee , louis-philippe d orléans, member of orléans branch of family, , son of philippe Égalité had voted death of cousin louis xvi, ascended throne. louis-philippe ruled, not king of france king of french (an evocative difference contemporaries).