King Louis XV - Paris, France
Posted by: 
Metro2
N 48° 51.666 E 002° 20.138
31U E 451271 N 5412227
Louis XV served as King of France for 59 years.
Waymark Code: WMHRNK
Location: Île-de-France, France
Date Posted: 08/09/2013
Views: 10
This 1731 marble sculpture depicts Louis slightly larger than life-sized and with symbols such as the eagle which make clear that the monarch is being portrayed as the God Jupiter. The King is seen as a young man, standing with a robe flowing over his loins. He holds a sceptor in his right hand, resting on his hip. With his left hand, he holds out a scroll...as if offering it to the nearby sculpture of his wife, Queen Maria Leszczynska. The work is by Nicolas Coustou.
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us:
"Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Well beloved (Louis le bien aimé) was a monarch of the House of Bourbon who ruled as King of France and Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity in 1723, his kingdom was ruled by Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, his first cousin twice removed, as Regent of France. Cardinal Fleury was his chief minister from 1726 until the Cardinal's death in 1743, at which time the young king took over sole control of the kingdom.
During his reign, Louis's government returned the Austrian Netherlands, won at the Battle of Fontenoy of 1745, but given back to Austria by the terms of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle of 1748, and ceded most of New France to Great Britain at the conclusion of the Seven Years' War in 1763. His reign also saw the incorporation of the territories of Lorraine and Corsica into the kingdom of France.
Some scholars believe Louis XV's decisions damaged the power of France, weakened the treasury, discredited the absolute monarchy, and may have contributed to the French Revolution, which broke out 15 years after his death. Other scholars argue that this reputation is based on propaganda meant to justify the French Revolution, and, by dismissing the Parlement of Paris and reforming the tax code, Louis set France on a path of stability late in his reign. He was succeeded by his grandson Louis XVI in 1774."