Charles Philippe the Comte d'Artois later Charles X of France

Charles Philippe was born in 1757 as the youngest son of the Dauphin Louis.  His was a traumatic childhood as both his eldest brother Louis Duke of Burgundy and his father would die relatively young as would his mother.  In 1773 Charles married Marie Thérèse of Savoy.  In 1774 Louis XV died of smallpox leaving Charles’ brother Louis-Auguste to become King of France.  In 1775 his wife would give birth to a son which merely highlighted the lack of heir from Marie Antoinette and the King.  This was an area the pamphleteers of Paris were quick to exploit and many outlandish theories circulated about the King and Queen’s problems.   When Marie Antoinette did give birth to a child in 1778 some looked towards the young Charles as the father.  This was not helped by their apparent closeness.  Something which also added to the pamphlet makers sordid copy.  He was also ridiculed for his massive spending and his brother the King was forced to right off his large debts.

Charles was not blind to the problems of France and realised that something must be done to increase the government's revenue.  Upon the calling of the Estates General however he was opposed to reforming the social privileges of church or nobles he also strongly opposed increasing the voting power of the Third Estate.  Thus it was that he contrived with others to remove Jacques Necker as Finance Minister.  His success was short lived as this created the tension which would lead to the storming of the Bastille in 1789.  Charles left France with his family three days later.

Charles refuge in Savoy through to Trier saw him grow increasingly disturbed at news from Paris.  He decided he would lead an army to restore the power of the monarchy in France.  In Koblenz alongside the Count of Provence he declared his intentions and called on the sovereigns of Europe to support him in his efforts to crush the Revolution.  On 25 August, the rulers of the Holy Roman Empire and Prussia issued the Declaration of Pillnitz.  Charles could only watch as emigrants were declared traitors and their land was confiscated by the National Assembly.  He would also be impotent as the monarchy was abolished as his brother and sister in law were executed.  By 1795 Louis’s son has also died.

He would spend the French Revolutionary Wars and the subsequent wars against Napoleon in London living on a generous pension from the British monarchy.  His elder brother would eventually join him in London.  In 1814 as British forces pushed into the South of France Charles joined them.  When the allies occupied Paris Charles held the throne until his more decrepit brother could reach the capital.

Whilst in Paris Charles would move in fiercely pro royalists known as ultras.  He would criticise his brother’s adoption of a liberal constitution and his perceived mercy towards perceived revolutionaries.  His worst fears seemed to be confirmed when his own son the Duke of Berry was assassinated on the 14th of February 1820.  When Louis XVIII died Charles would ascend to the throne.

Charles was quick to establish his vision of France.  His coronation in Reims was at the traditional site for French Kings.  It was from this point he sought to reintroduce the Ancien Regime.  He passed laws to give nobles compensation for property they lost during the Revolution.  He also passed laws to reinforce the church and stamp out what he saw as blasphemy. However during a review of the National Guard openly hostile shouts were heard against the King.  Concerned at their loyalty he disbanded the Guard however they were allowed to return to their homes carrying their weapons with them.  From this point he struggled to maintain a legitimate government and prime minister.

When the King went to war with Algeria he convened the Chambers but was greeted with a massive hostile response from the deputies.  The deputies demanded a bill requiring the King to ask their permission for any laws.  The King promptly disbanded the Chambers and called an election.  When the election did not turn out as Charles wished he suspended the constitution, shackled the press and called for new elections.

When news reached Paris as to what the King intended crowds took to the streets.  The night was relatively calm and the next day soldiers shut down “dissident” newspapers.  When stones were thrown at the soldiers they shot at the crowd.  This set off a wave of violence and soldiers started to defect to the revolutionaries.  The King panicking remembering perhaps what had happened to his brother abdicated in favour of his ten year old grandson Henry.  It was left to Charles’ cousin Louis Philippe to oversee this process.  Instead Louis Philippe declared himself King.

Charles went into exile in first England then at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh. He would spend his later years in Prague and finally in Görz where he died of cholera in 1836.

In the Journal de Versailles reports on the Comte D’Artois (the King’s brother and future Charles X) going into exile.  Taken from from Madame De Laballe by Georges Bertin, Godfrey A. S. Wieners,  New York (1901) p170

Madame la Comtesse d'Artois with a suite of about thirty has left to join her husband at Turin. She announces her return for next spring, but it is not supposed that it will take place so soon. All the silverware, the horses, and the carriages of the prince have been sold and converted into money. He wishes also to dispose of the superb library which he bought from Monsieur de Paulmy for six hundred thousand livres. We do not know how France will regard this prince who converts into money and carries into a strange country, not only his revenues, which are, in part, the sweat of the people, but the stocks he possesses in the kingdom.  It is reported that Bagatelle is for sale. They add that the officers of the prince were merely thanked, and received no kind of remuneration. This is not the way to preserve people's good opinion or to repair mistakes.

Madam Campan discusses the Comte d’Artois.  Taken from Memoirs of the Court of Marie Antoinette, Queen of France, Complete Madame Jeanne-Louise-Henriette Campan, Echo Library, Teddington (2007) p78

The Comte d’Artoisi had an agreeable countenance, was well made, skillful in bodily exercises, lively impetuous, fond of pleasure, and very particular in his dress.  Some happy observations made by him were repeated with approval, and gave a favourable idea of his heart.  The Parisians liked the open and frank character of this Prince, which they considered national, and showed real affection for him.