Louis XVI was King of France when the monarchy was overthrown. His reign was marked by the outbreak of the French Revolution. In 1774, Louis XVI inherited a kingdom that was in grave difficulty. He was sent to the guillotine and beheaded in 1793, and this marked the end of the French monarchy, and the establishment of the First French Republic.
The First Republic lasted only 12 years, before Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of
France. He was forced to abdicate, and the monarchy was restored with Louis XVIII as king. It survived till 1848, when the Second republic came into existence. The Second republic lasted only four years, before Louis, Napoleon’s nephew, proclaimed himself the Emperor. He was ousted in 1870. This led to the establishment of the Third Republic.