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Palace of Versailles built
The Palace of Versaille was built 12 miles from France. It was the family home of King Louis -
When King Louis moved the capital
In 1661, King Louis started increasing Versailles into his private palace. Upon its crowning glory in 1682, Louis moved in and modified the capital from Paris to Versailles to get away from the turmoil Paris became a problem. -
When King Louis XVI married Marie Antoinette
In Versailles, Louis marries Marie Antoinette, the daughter of Archduke Maria Theresia, and Francis I, Holy Roman Emperor. France wanted her marriage to strengthen its alliance with her longtime enemy, Austria. -
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French Revolution
The French Revolution was a period of major social upheaval that began in 1787 and ended in 1799. It sought to completely change the relationship between the rulers and those they governed and to redefine the nature of political power. -
Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath was a commitment, taken by delegates at the Estates-General at Versailles. It has become one of the most iconic scenes of the French Revolution. -
Bastille is Stormed
The Storming of the Bastille was an event that occurred in Paris, France, on the afternoon of 14 July 1789, when revolutionaries stormed and seized control of the medieval armory, fortress, and political prison known as the Bastille. At the time, the Bastille represented royal authority in the centre of Paris. -
The Declaration of Rights of Man
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, set by France's National Constituent Assembly in 1789, is a human civil rights document from the French Revolution. -
Womens March
The Women's March on Versailles was one of the earliest and most significant events of the French Revolution. Because these events ended the king's independence and signified the change of power and reforms about to overtake France. -
King Louis XVI executed
The execution of Louis XVI was a major event during the French Revolution. It took place publicly on 21 January 1793 at the Place de la Révolution in Paris. He was executed via guillotine. -
The Reign of Terror
Terrorism, also known as terrorism, was an era of state-approved violence and the mass death penalty during the French Revolution. Between September 5, 1793, and July 27, 1794, the French Revolutionary Government ordered the arrest and execution of thousands of people. -
Napoleon launches a Coup d’Etat on the weak & corrupt Directory
Coup d'état that overthrew the system of government under the Directory in France and substituted the Consulate, making way for the despotism of Napoleon Bonaparte. The event is often viewed as the effective end of the French Revolution. -
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Napoleon as Emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) is considered to be one of history's greatest military leaders. He rose to prominence during the French Revolution (1787–99) and served as emperor of France from 1804 to 1814. -
Creation of the Napoleonic Code
Enacted on March 21, 1804, the resulting Civil Code of France marked the first major revision and reorganization of laws since the Roman era. The Civil Code (renamed the Code Napoleon in 1807) addressed mainly matters relating to property and families. -
Napoleon crowns himself emperor
On May 18, 1804, Napoleon proclaimed himself emperor, and made Josephine Empress. His coronation ceremony took place on December 2, 1804, in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris, with incredible splendor and at considerable expense. -
Defeat in Russian Campaign
In 1811, Tsar Alexander I, supposedly allied with Napoleon, refused to be part of the continental blockade of British goods any longer. On June 24, 1812, ignoring the advice of his closest advisors, Napoleon invaded Russia. -
Napoleon Exiled
Exiled to the island of Elba, he escaped to France in early 1815 and raised a new Grand Army that enjoyed temporary success before its crushing defeat at Waterloo against an allied force under Wellington on June 18, 1815. Napoleon was subsequently exiled to the island of Saint Helena off the coast of Africa. -
Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon rose through the ranks of the French army during the French Revolution, seized control of the French government in 1799, and became emperor in 1804. The Battle of Waterloo, in which Napoleon's forces were defeated by the British and Prussians, marked the end of his reign and of France's domination in Europe.