The leader of France during the French Revolution was King Louis XVI. He reigned from 1774 until 1792, a period marked by political and social upheaval. Louis XVI's inability to manage France's financial crises and his disconnect with the populace eroded his authority. In 1789, the revolution began, where the Third Estate sought to challenge the privileges of the nobility and clergy. Efforts to suppress the revolution ultimately led to his downfall. In 1792, he was deposed and later executed by guillotine in 1793, symbolizing the revolution's radical transformation of French society and governance.