Image: Figures from history of France as Bourbon Dynasty, republic and empire.

Historical Figures of France

From Ancient Regime to Empire

Through the fortuitous death of his brothers-in-law, Henry Bourbon inherited the throne and founded the Bourbon dynasty. This family dominated French history for more than 250 years. 

The greatest Bourbon ruler, Louis XIV, was the personification of royal grandeur, whereas his descendants became the symbols of all that was corrupt and parasitical in the monarchy. King Louis XVI and his queen Marie Antoinette paid with their heads, as did thousands of French aristocracy! 

The rule of the Ancien Regime ended in the tumultuous French Revolution of Maximilien Robespierre and the guillotine. Napoleon Bonaparte led the young French Republic to a French Empire only to be defeated, opening the door to the  Bourbon restoration of Louis XVIII and Charles X. 

Anne of Austria
Portrait of Guillotine (fixture) aka. "The National Razor" from Historical Figures of France Guillotine – fixture
Portrait of Norman Knight aka. "Chevalier normand" from Historical Figures of France Norman Knight
Portrait of Gilles de Retz aka. Gilles de Montmorency-Laval from Historical Figures of France Gilles de Retz
Portrait of John Calvin John Calvin
Portrait of Catherine de Medici aka. Queen Consort of France from Historical Figures of France Catherine de Medici – v2
Portrait of Marguerite de Valois aka. Margaret of France from Historical Figures of France Marguerite de Valois
Portrait of Marie de Medici aka. Maria of Tuscanny from Historical Figures of France Marie de Medici
Portrait of Henry IV aka. Henry IV of France, Bon Roi Henri from Historical Figures of France Henry IV
Portrait of Cardinal Richelieu aka. Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal-duc de Richelieu et de Fronsac, "The Red Eminence" from Historical Figures of France Cardinal Richelieu
Portrait of Fr. Joseph Francois du Tremblay aka. "The Grey Eminence" from Historical Figures of France Fr. Joseph Francois du Tremblay
Portrait of Louis XIII aka. Louis XIII of France, "Louis The Just" from Historical Figures of France Louis XIII
Portrait of Gaston d' Orleans aka. Gaston of France from Historical Figures of France Gaston d' Orleans
Louise de la Valliere
Portrait of Louis XIV (equestrian) aka. Louis XIV of France, "The Sun King" from Historical Figures of France Louis XIV – equestrian
Portrait of Philippe 1, Duke d'Orleans (v1) aka. "Monsieur" from Historical Figures of France Philippe 1, Duke d'Orleans – v1
Portrait of French Peasant Family aka. "Français Famille rurale" from Historical Figures of France French Peasant Family
Portrait of Madame de Montespan aka. Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan from Historical Figures of France Madame de Montespan
Portrait of Louis XIV 1685 aka. "Louis Quatorze" from Historical Figures of France Louis XIV 1685
Ninon de l’Enclos
Portrait of Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon aka. Madame Scarron from Historical Figures of France Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon
Portrait of Louis XIV (robes of state) aka. Louis XIV of France, "Le Roi Soleil' from Historical Figures of France Louis XIV – robes of state
Portrait of Philippe II Duke of Orleans, Regent Philippe II Duke of Orleans, Regent
"Portrait of Louis XV 1745 aka. Louis XV of France, “Beloved to him” from Historical Figures of France" Louis XV 1745
Portrait of Madame de Pompadour (reclined) aka. "Reinette" from Historical Figures of France Madame de Pompadour
Portrait of Archduchess Maria Antonia aka. "l'autrichienne" from Historical Figures of France Archduchess Maria Antonia
Portrait of Countess Du Barry aka. Jeanne Bécu from Historical Figures of France Countess Du Barry
Portrait of Louis XV 1774 aka. "After me, the deluge" from Historical Figures of France Louis XV 1774
Portrait of Marquis de Lafayette aka. Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier from Historical Figures of France Marquis de Lafayette
Portrait of Benjamin Franklin aka. "The First American" from US Patriots and Founders Benjamin Franklin
Portrait of Empress Maria Theresa aka. "The Enlightened Despot" from Historical Figures of France Empress Maria Theresa
Portrait of Frederick II aka. "Friedrich der Große" from Historical Figures of France Frederick II
Portrait of Louis XVI 1778 aka. "Louis The Martyr King" from Historical Figures of France Louis XVI 1778
Portrait of Princess de Lamballe Princess de Lamballe
Portrait of Marie Antoinette (at court) aka. "Madame Deficit" from Historical Figures of France Marie Antoinette – at court
Portrait of Marie Antoinette (at Trianon) Marie Antoinette – at Trianon
Portrait of Count Alessandro Cagliostro aka. Joseph Balsamo from Historical Figures of France Count Alessandro Cagliostro
Portrait of Cardinal Louis de Rohan Cardinal Louis de Rohan
Portrait of Count Hans Axel von Fersen aka. Hans Axel Count von Fersen the Younger from Historical Figures of France Count Hans Axel von Fersen
Portrait of Countess Jeanne de la Motte aka. Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy from Historical Figures of France Countess de la Motte
Portrait of Countess de la Motte (necklace) aka. Jeanne de Valois from Historical Figures of France Countess de la Motte (necklace)
Portrait of Marie Antoinette (children) Marie Antoinette - children
Portrait of Duchess Yolande de Polignac aka. Yolande Martine Gabrielle de Polastron from Historical Figures of France Duchess Yolande de Polignac
Portrait of Louis XVI 1780 (seated) aka. "Louis the Last" from Historical Figures of France Louis XVI 1780 – seated
Portrait of Marie Antoinette (widow) aka. Widow Capet from Historical Figures of France Marie Antoinette – widow
Portrait of Executioner Henry Sanson Executioner Henry Sanson
Portrait of Marie Antoinette (at guillotine) Marie Antoinette – at guillotine
DuBarry at Guillotine
"Portrait of Louis XVII Dauphin (seated) aka. Louis-Charles Prince Royal of France from Historical Figures of France" Louis XVII Dauphin – seated
Portrait of Maximilien Robespierre Maximilien Robespierre
Bishop (generic)
Portrait of Josephine Bonaparte aka. Joséphine de Beauharnais from Historical Figures of France Josephine Bonaparte
Portrait of Empress Marie Louise Bonaparte aka. Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma from Historical Figures of France Empress Marie Louise Bonaparte
Portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte aka. "The Little Corporal" from Historical Figures of France Napoleon Bonaparte
Portrait of Louis XVIII aka. "Louis the Unavoidable" from Historical Figures of France Louis XVIII
Portrait of Charles X aka. Charles X of France, Charles Count of Artois from Historical Figures of France Charles X
Previous Group
Historical Figures of England
Next Group
Historical Figures of Russia