Part I: The Late 18th Century
The Death of Louis XV
Nine years after Louis, Dauphin of France, survived through his illness, his father- Louis XV of France, peacefully passed away in the middle of the night. The death of Louis XV paved the way for a new era in France. Some would say that Louis XV was a great leader that brought stability to France. Indeed, during his reign, no foreign army was ever able to cross into France. However, most people would argue that it was because of his actions that France had slowly begun to become less and less important on a global scale. The disastrous loss of the French colonies in the Seven Years' War not only humiliated France on the world stage, but also weakened France internally. The French treasury was at it's lowest point in years.
On the 16th of May, in 1774, Louis, the beloved Dauphin of France, was crowned king. He was named Louis XVI, and thus began his eventful reign. His wife, Marie Josepha, became Queen of France with Louis's ascension to the throne. The people all across the country had begun to celebrate and party, reminiscent of what had happened nine years ago. People across France began to shout, "Le roi est mort, vive le roi!" (The king is dead, long live the king!).
Under Louis XVI, France slowly but surely began its recovery from the financial ruin that plagued France since the end of the Seven Years' War. Though the nation was still in deep debt, the stability of the country ensured that more money was being brought in passing day.
The American Revolutionary War: Part I: 1775-1780
For almost two years France slowly recovered from its decline. A calm period of time, during which Louis XVI became popular with the people of France. He was a religious and well-educated man, with a rather keen sense of morality. Faithful to his wife (and likewise, his wife was faithful to him), he was seen by many people as the ideal Catholic king.
In 1775, war broke out on the other side of the ocean. The high taxation and unfair treatment given to the Thirteen Colonies led them to unite and rebel against the British. Immediately, several prominent French figures took an interest into the war, but they said nothing, preferring to first watch the war. The Battles of Lexington and Concord, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the capture of Fort Ticonderoga; the show put on by the brave Americans was rather admirable. By this point, France had been secretly shipping weapons, ammunition and other supplies over to the rebel colonies. Louis XVI, however, was very hesitant about joining the war. Though the debt had substantially decreased, France still had a lot of debt to pay off.
For five years, the American rebels braved the storm, fighting a great number of battles against the British Empire. From 1775-1780, the war colonists kept on fighting. Various attempts by the British government to make peace and compromise with the colonies failed. In the meantime, Benjamin Franklin, a prominent American figure, had begun to gain popularity and favor from the French people. Many French people- nobles and peasants alike- wanted France to go to war with Great Britain and help the colonies. Despite this, however, Louis XVI still decided to play things a bit more cautiously, for the time being.
The Battles of Saratoga, in 1777, proved that with enough supplies, the Americans had a realistic shot at victory against the British. However, as the war dragged on, the Americans began to gradually lose to the British. Just supplies weren't enough for the Americans to keep the war going in their favor. Short on men and short on morale, the colonists lost a series of battles in 1789, crippling the Continental Army. The Thirteen Colonies, or the United States of America, were on the verge of total defeat by the British. The Americans were desperate now.
However, on January the 3rd, King Louis XVI saw an opportunity and took it. France formally declared war on Great Britain that day, and the news quickly reached the Americans several weeks later. The morale of the Americans instantly burst up, and the war effort was renewed. The United States of America was formally recognized by France, and newer, larger shipments of supplies were sent across the Atlantic. Soon, on January 11th, Spain followed their French allies and declared war on Great Britain, also recognizing the USA. After that, the Dutch Republic also declared war on the British on January 27.
Suddenly, the situation seemed to reverse itself. The British panicked, and Parliament renewed its attempts to compromise with the colonies. The Americans, now emboldened by their powerful new allies, vigorously refused to meet with the British representatives. Soon, the French and the Spanish would make Great Britain pay for the Seven Years' War.
