The story of Louis XVII, the son of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, is one of the most tragic episodes of the French Revolution. Known as "The Lost Dauphin," Louis XVII was imprisoned in the Temple, a medieval fortress in Paris, after his father was executed during the Reign of Terror. Louis XVII, whose real name was Louis-Charles, became the nominal king of France after the death of his father in 1793. He was only eight years old when his father was guillotined, and the monarchy was abolished. The revolutionaries, eager to ensure there were no remaining royal heirs, imprisoned Louis in the Temple prison along with his mother, sister, and aunt. His mother, Marie Antoinette, was taken away and executed later that year, leaving the young boy alone in the custody of his revolutionary jailers. His conditions were harsh and cruel—he was placed in solitary confinement, deprived of care and education, and suffered physical and emotional abuse. His health deteriorated rapidly in the prison’s unsanitary conditions, and he was neglected by the guards who had little sympathy for the boy who represented the monarchy. Over the next two years, Louis XVII's condition worsened. Reports indicate that he was kept in a filthy, dark cell, becoming emaciated and sick. Despite attempts by royalists to rescue him, no successful plans were carried out. By 1795, at the age of just ten, he died in the Temple, likely of tuberculosis or another illness brought on by his mistreatment. The mystery surrounding his death and burial fueled numerous rumors and conspiracy theories. Some believed that the boy who died in the Temple was not Louis XVII, and that the real Dauphin had been smuggled out of the prison, living in hiding somewhere in Europe. Many impostors later came forward, claiming to be the lost king, but DNA testing in the 21st century confirmed that the boy who died in the Temple was indeed Louis XVII. His tragic story, filled with suffering, loss, and unanswered questions, symbolizes the immense human cost of the French Revolution and the fall of the monarchy.