Louis XVIII grants the Charter of 1814

Background. Following the defeat of Napoleon, Louis XVIII was placed in his rightful position as King of France. He refused the proposed Constitution sénatoriale set forth by the provisional government and the Sénat conservateur on 6 April 1814. Instead, he bestowed a different constitutional Charter, viewing it as a document defining the responsibilities of two new Chambers rather than a new fundamental law.

Provisions. The Charter established a bicameral legislature modeled on the British system, consisting of a Chamber of Deputies and a Chamber of Peers. It included progressive provisions such as freedom of religion. The King occupied a central position, retaining royal supremacy while reducing his prerogative substantially. The text concluded with a commitment to legitimism, dating the reign from 1795.

Implementation. Louis XVIII created a drafting committee on 18 May 1814, nominating twenty-two members. The Charter was suspended during the Napoleonic Hundred Days but came back into force after Napoleon's abdication in 1815. Political conventions did not develop fully during the 1814–1830 period due to the narrow franchise, the dominance of the Ultra party, and the King's personal intervention.