On the Perilous Crown

Munro Price’s The Perilous Crown: France Between Revolutions, 1814-1848 is an interesting look at the Restoration and July Monarchy in that the author uses Louis-Philippe, duc d’Orléans (and later King of the French) as the subject of this book. However, this is not a biography, as stated by historians like Sylvia Neeley. Instead, it is a close look at the French monarchy in the post-Napoleonic period. While there are details about Louis-Philippe’s personal life, this book is far more concerned with the role of the monarchy in its relationship to the rest of government.

Indeed, Price traces the role of the king from his position as a “limited monarch” to a more traditional constitutional monarchy with parliamentary structures. Important to this argument is Price’s claim that the July Revolution is best seen “not as a definitive rupture, but as part of a much more organic process, the development of constitutional monarchy in France” (190). This connects closely with an earlier argument made by Price, that the 1827 upheavals against Charles X represented a fundamentally change in the deep structures of the French government—politics are now controlled by the voters, no matter how small the electorate is (122). By the end of the book, Price argues that the July Monarchy did the most to “end the Revolution” and steer the French government to evolutionary changes. Although this failed in 1848, it did have long-term effects.

Significantly, much of this book dwells on the role of Louis-Philippe’s sister, Adélaïde. By examining correspondence between Louis-Philippe, Adélaïde, and Marie-Amélie (Louis-Philippe’s wife), Price concludes that Adélaïde had a far more influential role in the policy of Louis-Philippe than previously thought. While she was caricatured throughout the July Monarchy for pulling the strings of the monarchy, few historians have taken the time to examine her role, and Price’s book fills an important gap here. While he does credit her with helping Louis-Philippe rise to power and navigate the difficulties of reigning (and governing), he does give too much weight to her role. Near the end of the book, he spends a significant amount of time dwelling on the question if the Revolution of 1848 would have turned out differently if Adélaïde lived two more months to experience it. Rather than see her as a person with agency, she appears more as a good-luck charm in Price’s analysis.

Many historians remain unconvinced that the Orléans family, and particularly Louis-Philippe, should be viewed as such benevolent characters. These historians make an excellent point, as Price does everything he can to downplay the flaws of Louis-Philippe, making the narrative one-sided. Moreover, he does not give any attention to outside factors, creating very much a “great man” history. He places the fall of the monarchy on small weaknesses in Louis-Philippe’s ability rather than criticism of liberalism, economic disenfranchisement, etc.

Despite these flaws, The Perilous Crown is a convincing book and a sympathetic look at Louis-Philippe and his family. Price’s work is heavily sourced and creative in looking particularly closely at correspondence between members of the Orléans family, Sébastiani, Talleyrand, as well as numerous diary entries. His use of direct quotes flows well with the narrative, and this book is accessible to the general public. Anyone who is curious about this oft-dismissed period of French history will find this book interesting and provocative.