Louis XVI (23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793.

The first part of his reign is marked by his attempts to reform the kingdom in accordance with the Enlightenment ideals. However, Louis XVI failed to impose his will, as his reforms stumbled on the hostility of the nobles.

Louis XVI actively supported the Americans, who were seeking their independence from Great Britain, which was realised in the 1783 Treaty of Paris.