Who was the king of France at the start of the revolution, characterized as weak and indecisive?

• A. Louis XV
• B. Louis XVI
• C. Louis XIV
• D. Henry IV

Answer: (B)

Leadership during a crisis is what shapes how a revolution unfolds. Louis XVI, who became king in 1774, faced a booming financial crisis, bread shortages, and widespread discontent with the ancien régime. He is described as weak and indecisive because he hesitated to push through decisive reforms, changed ministers without stable policy, and failed to convincingly confront the growing demands of the Estates-General and the French people. This hesitation undermined confidence in the monarchy and helped fuel the momentum of revolution that began in 1789. The other rulers listed—Louis XV, Louis XIV, and Henry IV—reigned in earlier periods and did not preside over the events that sparked the Revolution. So the king associated with those traits at the start of the revolution is Louis XVI.