Louis XVI ruled France when France became an American ally during the Revolutionary War.
France formally allied with the United States in 1778, after the American victory at Saratoga persuaded French leaders that the rebellion had a serious chance of success. The alliance brought military, naval, financial, and diplomatic support to the American cause.
Louis XVI’s government viewed the war as an opportunity to weaken Great Britain, France’s long-standing rival. French assistance was important in the campaign that culminated in the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781.
The alliance was costly for France and worsened its financial problems. Louis XVI was later overthrown and executed during the French Revolution, which began in 1789, several years after the Treaty of Paris ended the American war.