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Louis XVI becomes King of France
The grandson of Louis XV was Louis XVI. At the age of 20, he became heir to the throne in 1774 after being made Dauphin in 1765. -
King Louis XVI summons the Estates General
With no knowledge on how to resolve France's deep debt, King Louis XVI summons the Estates General as an attempt for a solution -
The Tennis Court Oath
They moved to an indoor tennis court nearby after being locked out of their usual meeting place at Versailles on June 20 and fearing the king was forcing them to disperse. They swore there to remain united until France had a written constitution in effect. -
Dismissal of Jacques Necker
Necker became well-liked by controlling the economy through moderate tax and lending changes. His main financial initiatives included raising interest rates rather than taxes and using loans to help pay for the French debt. He also supported using loans to pay for French participation in the American Revolution. Louis XVI dismissed him because Necker had made financial and political proposals that seemed to favor the people over the privileged classes. -
Storming of the Bastille
Rising wheat prices, the deployment of foreign troops near Paris, and the king's counterrevolutionary actions, such as Jacques Necker's dismissal, caused the people of Paris to riot and protest. The mob arrived at the Bastille looking for gunpowder for the rifles they acquired from Hotel les Invalides. -
Abolishment of feudalism
The entire feudal system was abolished by the Constituent Assembly on August 4 and August 11, 1789. It did away with the Second Estate's feudal system as well as the First Estate's collection of tithes. Feudalism included a practice known as manorialism, which made peasants dependent on their land and their lord. In order to fund the church, donations were one-tenth of annual output or earnings collected as a tax. -
Women's march on Versailles
Women began protesting to call for better prices because they were often the ones who went to the marketplaces to buy bread for their families. High bread costs, the king's refusal to consent to significant revolutionary reforms, and a royal feast hosted at Versailles were the causes of the march. The March on Versailles eliminated the last remains of King Louis XVI's independence, bringing an end to France's absolute monarchy and establishing a temporary constitutional monarchy. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man
The Declaration of the RIghts of Man was a civil rights document. It was created to end inequality of people with different classes. It emphasizes the "natural and inalienable" rights—freedom, ownership, security, and resistance to injustices and in its 17 articles, supports equality before the law and the justice system, and respects the idea of separation of powers. -
Royal Flight to Varennes
King Louis XVI grew concerned for his family's safety as the French Revolution moved in that way. However, he was scared to do anything that might anger the public. He ultimately made the decision to flee France and take shelter in Austria. The royal family left the Tuileries Palace that evening dressed as slaves and accompanied by their servants in fine clothing. However, the King and his family were identified the following day, captured near Varennes, and taken back to Paris. -
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The French Revoultionary Wars
The other European monarchies regarded the French Revolution as hazardous and did so with both fear and rage. They contrasted the French Republic with Austria, Great Britain, and other monarchies. In the spring of 1792, France declared war on Prussia and Austria after expecting to be attacked. -
Louis XVI execution
Louis XVI was ultimately judged guilty of treason and sentenced to death because he refused to hand over his royal power to the Revolutionary government. He was executed by the guillotine on January 21. The incident took place publicly on 21 January 1793 at the Place de la Révolution in Paris. -
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Reign of Terror
Robespierre was obsessed about eliminating the French revolution's foes. An estimated 500,000 people were detained in the idea of purging the country of Revolutionary opponents; 17,000 were put to death formally, and another 25,000 perished in summary executions—that is, without the benefit of a thorough and fair trial. Hence, there were almost 40,000 fatalities in total. -
Marie Antoinette execution
On October 16, 1793, Marie Antoinette follows her husband, the former King Louis XVI of France, to the guillotine nine months after his execution. -
Robespierre execution
Robespierre's tyranny and the escalation of the "Reign of Terror" made him less and less popular. Robespierre and a number of his followers were arrested at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. The next day Robespierre and his followers were taken to the Place de la Révolution, where they were executed by guillotine before a crowd. -
Napoleon becomes ruler of France
Napoleon declared himself emperor in 1804 following a coup d'état that saw him seize governmental control of France in 1799. Napoleon successfully fought war against numerous groupings of European states and grew his empire through wit, ambition, and expert war tactics.