In a political, impersonal, and defensive biography, Hardman (a
retired lecturer in modern history at the Univ. of Edinburgh)
claims that Louis XVI, reputedly "stupid, lazy, and impassive," was
merely reticent, timid, ill-advised, lonely, and misunderstood -
and could have been called "Louis the Silent." Born into a
sprawling, extravagant, and unpopular monarchy, orphaned at age 11,
Louis - private, shy, immature, and the least favored and least
prepared heir to the throne - ascended to his kingship at age 19,
when his grandfather died. Louis liked woodworking, hunting, and
playing with locks, maps, and his young and frivolous wife, Marie
Antoinette - against whom, according to Hardman, the king spent his
life defending himself. Louis would have been a better king if the
powers of the "absolute" monarchy had really emended beyond merely
waging war and conducting foreign diplomacy, or if he were not by
tradition forced to depend on advisors of unequal ability and with
secret agendas. Louis's own plan would have saved France and, of
course, himself - a plan for a constitutional monarchy like
England's, which was unsuccessfully presented to the Estates
General in 1787. To the general reader, the final pages of
Hardman's book, covering from 1787 to Louis's execution, may be
more absorbing that the early political analyses, although the
material is familiar: the controversy surrounding the Constitution
of 1791; the progressive humiliation of the king as he attempts to
compromise with the inexperienced National Assembly; the
defections; the plots to discredit him; his imprisonments, flights,
scholarly habits, family relations, and religious faith; and the
futile attempts to salvage his dignity. Admirable for its primary
political research - but lacking the warmth, color, and human
dimensions of Carolly Erickson's To the Scaffold (1991), a Marie
Antoinette biography offering a fuller, more balanced, and
sympathetic picture of Louis and his court. (Kirkus Reviews)
The reign of Louis XVI, which ended with the guillotining of Louis
and his queen, Marie Antoinette, in 1793, is a dramatic and crucial
part of French history. John Hardman presents the first complete
and authoritative biography of Louis XVI, a poignant tale that
recounts how the King's stature grew as his power declined.
General
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