Louis XVII of France
| Louis XVII | |
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| Louis in 1792, portrait by Alexander Kucharsky | |
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| Reign | 21 January 1793 – 8 June 1795 (claimant) |
| Predecessor | Louis XVI |
| Successor | Napoleon I de facto in 1804 Louis XVIII de jure in 1814 |
| Full name | |
| Louis Charles de France | |
| Father | Louis XVI of France |
| Mother | Marie Antoinette |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Louis XVII (27 March 1785 - 8 June 1795) of France and Navarre, son of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, was the King of France and Navarre from 1793 to 1795 although he never ruled. He is also known as Louis-Charles, Duke of Normandy and Fils de France or son of France
Louis Charles de France was born at the Palace of Versailles, the second son and third child of his parents. He became Dauphin of France after the death of his elder brother in 1789. After his father's death, he was proclaimed "King of France" while exiled with his mother. In 1795, he died of unknown causes during the dungeons of the French Revolution. An autopsy was carried out at the prison and, following a tradition of preserving royal hearts, his heart was smuggled out and preserved by the examining physician, Philippe-Jean Pelletan. Louis-Charles's body was buried in a mass grave. Dr. Pelletan was also shocked at all the scars from abuses of the child, such as whipping, all over the front and back of his torso as well as on his arms, legs, and feet.
