Kingdom of France (1791–92)
Constitutional monarchy under Louis XVI
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Through French Revolution and Holy Roman Empire
On 3 September 1791, the National Constituent Assembly forced King Louis XVI to accept the French Constitution of 1791, thus turning the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy.
After the 10 August 1792 Storming of the Tuileries Palace, the Legislative Assembly on 11 August 1792 suspended the constitutional monarchy. The freshly elected National Convention abolished the monarchy on 21 September 1792, thus, ending 203 years of consecutive Bourbon rule over France.
Background
Since 1789, France underwent a revolution in its government and social orders. A National Assembly declared itself into being and promulgated their intention to provide France with a fair and liberal constitution. Louis XVI was forced to move to Paris in October of that year as a result of the march on Versailles, and growing fear for the survival of his reign and the royal family lead in June of 1791 to the failed escape attempt known as the Flight to Varennes. The attempted flight severely damaged any positive public opinion for the monarchy.
Leopold II, the Habsburg emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and brother of Marie Antoinette, the queen of France, in July sent out a diplomatic note asking for support of the other rulers of Europe to rally and demand the French royal family's freedom, and while the response of other powers was weak, it did cause the Holy Roman Empire and Prussia to engage in talks to settle their outstanding disputes. Leopold II in late August then together with Frederick William II of Prussia released the Declaration of Pillnitz. The declaration stated that Prussia and Austria wished to restore Louis XVI to absolute power but would only attempt to do so with the assistance of the other European powers.
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Constitution
Louis XVI was forced to submit to the Constitution of 1791 by the National Assembly in the aftermath of his Flight to Varennes. The Constitution of 1791, which established the Kingdom of the French, was revolutionary in its content. It abolished the nobility of France and declared all men to be equal before the law. Louis XVI had the ability to veto legislation that he did not approve of, as legislation still needed Royal Assent to come into force.
Republic
Louis XVI reluctantly declared war on Austria on 20 April 1792, bowing to the Assembly's wishes. Prussia allied with Austria and therefore France was at war with Prussia as well. The Duke of Brunswick, Commander of the Austrian and Prussian military, issued the Brunswick Manifesto in 1792; it brought about the Storming of the Tuileries on the 10th of August. The manifesto explicitly threatened the people of Paris with dire repercussions if they in any way harmed Louis XVI or his family. The Legislative Assembly was inundated with requests for the monarchy's demise. The President of the National Assembly responded by suspending the monarchy on 11 August, pending the outcome of elections for another assembly. The newly elected National Convention, elected under universal male suffrage, abolished the monarchy on 21 September 1792 and proclaimed a republic. Louis was executed by guillotine on 21 January 1793.