LOUIS XVI: (1754-1793) King of France and Navarre 1774-1791, King of the French 1791-92. The only Ki...

LOUIS XVI: (1754-1793) King of France and Navarre 1774-1791, King of the French 1791-92. The only Ki...
LOUIS XVI: (1754-1793) King of France and Navarre 1774-1791, King of the French 1791-92. The only King of France to have been executed. Rare D.S., `Louis´, in his hand, a bold good signature example, one page, folio, Paris, 7th February 1792, in French. The attractive partially printed document being a payment order given by the King to his General Treasurer of the Civil List, Sieur Jean-Baptiste Tourteau de Depteuil, related to war expenses, stating in part `Pay to S. Guy, war Commissioner, the sum of four hundred and eighty seven pounds and nine sols, in order to attend the payment of last six months expenses related to the Guard corps of the forest of St. Germain..´ Countersigned at the base by Laporte, who would be guillotined six months later. Folded. Very small overall minor age wear, mostly to edges, with few pinholes, otherwise VG £1200-1800 Arnaud II de Laporte (1737-1792) French Statesman, Minister of the Marine and Intendant of the King´s Civil List or Royal Household. His father Arnaud I de Laporte served also as Intendant under Louis XV and Louis XVI. Laporte, who conferred on a daily basis with the King, proposed several times a plan to escape in an attempt to save his Sovereign´s life. When the Royal family attempted the Flight to Varennes, Laporte was left behind, entrusted by the King to read his letter to the Constituent Assembly. After the Storming of the Tuileries, Laporte was arrested convicted of treason and guillotined the 23rd of August 1792. His severed head was presented to the King, by then imprisoned in the Temple, as a macabre birthday gift. His services and ultimate sacrifice were recalled after the Restoration by the King's younger brother who had been crowned as Louis XVIII, and his son Arnaud III de La Porte was created a Baron in recognition of all this in 1822. The title remains in the family to this day.