King Louis Philippe
          Born in 1773, Louis Philippe was the duc d'Orléans until he became the king of France in 1830. Before his rise to power, joined the army of the French Revolution but deserted, and was exiled from France for 20 years before he was reconciled with the Bourbon Monarchs. He regained his wealth, and sensing the discontent of the bourgeoisie, participated in the Revolution of 1830 and was made king of France. His rule, known as the July Monarchy, was focused around his conservative attitude. He gained much personal power for himself by appointing weak ministers until he helped François Guizot come to power. Philippe let Guizot establish a stable government and handle the concerns of the working class. Guizot established social workshops for the lower class, but after their failure he attempted to remove them, agitating the lower class and causing them to revolt. Philippe was also significant because promoted Anglo-French relations and colonialism, conquering Algeria and cooperating in the independence of Belgium in 1831. His Quadruple Alliance was broken in 1846 by Spanish marriages violating the French and British agreements. He became unpopular and was abdicated during the Revolution of 1848, after which he fled to England and died in 1850.
Home