Hunting was the greatest pastime of French kings for centuries; over the years, entire journals were dedicated to the exploits of certain royal hunters. Amongst the more famous ones is that of Louis XVI whose hunting from his ascension in 1774 until 1787 were extremely well-documented. Truly, Louis XVI had been documenting his hunts since 1766 but it was not until his personal reign began that we get an idea of the man behind the pages.
The ill-fated king has received spectacular criticism over the contents of his journal. Particularly, the use of the word "rien" - "nothing" - for the day which marked the Storming of the Bastille, has often been used to indicate how disinterested the king was. However, that is hardly an accurate interpretation. Journals of the kind were solely dedicated to hunting, especially the amount of prey killed by the hunters. Typically, days of "nothing" merely indicated that he had spent the day working. No other political event of the time featured extensively in the king's journal which beggars the question: why should this?
If anything, the March on Versailles in October 1789 distinctly was referred to as it directly interrupted a hunt in progress. The king was at Châtillon where his hunting party had just killed several animals when the king noted "interrupted due to events". At the time, the march by the women of Paris was yet another demonstration of public displeasure. Even during Louis XIV's time, occasional riots were not unheard of and there was no reason for anyone to think that this was the beginning of a revolution. While it easy to judge the king in hindsight, neither he nor his minister could possibly have known that this was just the beginning of the end.
The few non-hunting related events which seeped into the king's journal often gives a clear insight into the king's personal life. For instance, the brief illness and death of his youngest daughter, Sophie, is mentioned in a single line. Other deaths were equally recorded which in itself shows that the king was truly affected by these losses - the brevity of the logs should not be confused with indifference as the king was notoriously reserved about his personal feelings.
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| Louis XVI on horseback |
That being said, the king's hunting journal gives a valuable insight into a pastime which had truly assumed immense proportions. The king's civilian household had an entire department dedicated to the king's hunting: la Vénerie. This department catered to every perceivable type of hunting. Of course, stag hunting was a favourite with the French kings but they were far from the sole prey. Wolfs and boars were likewise popular; the Grand Dauphin was particularly fond of wolf hunting which was often used as a public means of pest control. On numerous occasions, the king received petitions from besieged villages which then made for a perfect excursion for the Grand Dauphin and his wolf-hunting company.
The kings of France certainly had several pristine hunting grounds. The massive park of Versailles provided plenty of game but faded when compared to the forests of Rambouillet, Fontainebleau and Compiègne. Particularly Fontainebleau was the "hunting-palace" of France; the court's annual removal there every autumn provided the perfect backdrop for autumnal hunting.
Throughout these estates, small pavilions were erected solely to accommodate the hunt. These were sparsely furnished and often consisted of a single room. They served as rendezvous points for the hunt and potential refuges in the case of sudden downpours.
Louis XVI preferred stag hunting or hunting from horseback. During his time - and his grandfather's before him - the scale of killing had reached positively barbaric proportions. Oddly, some of the years have specifically detailed the number of stags shot. Several thousand animals were killed in the royal hunts; the king's journal meticulously recording each year's total tally:
1774: 6.757 animals
1775: 8.424 animals
1776: 10.285 animals
1777: 13.675 animals
1778: 18.141 animals (133 deer)
1779: 18.033 animals (152 deer)
1780: 20.534 animals (128 deer)
1781: 20.291 animals
1782: 13.155 animals (121 deer)
1783: 11.151 animals (161 deer)
1784: 8.676 animals (122 deer)
1785: 13.039 animals (150 deer)
1786: 17.675 animals (158 deer)
1787: 9.965 animals (149 deer)
In total, this period of 13 years saw the killing of 189.251 animals. To a hunter, the journal was a truly a labour of love. Everything was detailed with care including the environments (the forests, the fields, the lakes), the number of attendants. Besides the numerous hunters on horseback, the hunts were often followed by ladies in carriages which only further added to the numbers. The whole tableau was made even more picturesque by the fact that the king's specially chosen hunters were entitled to wear the blue justaucorps which signified their good standing. For instance, the image below clearly show the difference between the king and his entourage and the hopeful hangers-on.
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| Louis XVI (holding a leash) |
It should be said that the numbers above do not reflect the king's prey tally alone; that would be almost impossible. The royal hunting party often counted several hundred people which accounts for the disturbingly large numbers involved. As it happens, the dauphin Louis Auguste were able to indulge his fondness for hunting far more often than the king Louis XVI.
For instance, in 1772 the young dauphin hunted up to five times per week whereas the royal hunts during Louis XVI were typically twice a week. But why did Louis XVI enjoy hunting so much? Historians have often depicted the king as a clumsy, oafish man. That appear to be the king's image from a purely court-minded side. Louis XVI was a tall man and not particularly graceful. However, his strength made him a solid rider and he was a remarkably good rifleman, while perhaps not endearing him to a dance partner. The solitude could also be a factor which appealed to the king. Despite being the centre of a several hundred huntsmen, the king had the luxury of surrounding himself specifically with chosen courtiers. When hunting, no one was asking for favours, presenting petitions or glaring at him. Perhaps he saw it as a welcome break from his rigid schedule.
It should probably not be disregarded either that it was immensely socially acceptable. The king's passion for locksmithing was seen as somewhat demeaning but hunting - that was the hobby of kings. So, Louis could enjoy himself without fear of social sneers or pressure.
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| Detail of Louis XVI (horseback) with a pack of hunting dogs |
The king's "rien" has also been the subject of another suspicion: did the king suffer from depression? Whereas Louis XV was well-known to struggle with melancholia throughout his entire life, Louis XVI might have inherited his grandfather propensity for depressive episodes. For instance, it has been pointed out by Jean-Dominique Bourzat that the king's journal often contained the word "rien" for entire weeks, even months, despite also containing brief references to hunting. Bourzat suggest that the "nothing" does not necessarily refer to a lack of hunting but a more general "nothing to report". If the theory that Louis XVI did suffer from depressive episodes, then these periods might reflect such dips in his mental health.
Bourzat's theory is not unlikely. Louis XVI was well-known to truly care for the people of France but simply lacked any idea as to how to fix the numerous and considerable social issues of the day. Fully realising the enormity of the responsibility of his position, the king was intelligent enough to also realise that he could do little about it. His numerous attempts at forcing reforms were met with immense opposition from one side or another which eventually left him looking either weak or powerless. In turn, his natural lack of confidence led him to doubt to his abilities, only furthering the issues - that is where hunting served as a respite.
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