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Louis XVI Becomes King
With the death of Louis XIV's grandfather Louis XV, Louis XIV became king. At only 20 years old Louis XIV lacked self-confidence and was immature. Many people thought he was not an able ruler. -
Meeting of the Estates General
The meeting was called by King Louis XIV aiming to solve the monarchy's financial problems. There were 3 estates and they each got only one vote. -
Formation of National Assembly
Members of the Third Estate, were determined to change the system and create a constitution that set out equal rights for all men. It became an assembly not of the Estates but composed of "the People". Formation of the National Assembly inspired Parisians to storm the Bastille few days later. -
The Tennis Court Oath
The third estate realized that they would get outvoted by the first and second estates. The third estate was locked out of their usual meeting hall for the estates and thought that the king was trying to disband them. The third estate went to a nearby tennis court and took an oath that they would never separate until a written constitution was formed. -
The Storming of the Bastille
On this day, an angry crowd of hungry unemployed people took out their frustartion on the Bastille. King Louis XIV withdrew his royal troops from the Bastille. This event started momentum for the Revolution. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man
The Declaration was made to specify the rights of man. The basic principle was that, all men are born and remain free in rights. Also included many of the thoughts of then Enlightenment philosophers. -
Royal Family Attempts to Leave France
The Royal family sneaks out in the night and is on a carriage trying to escape to Austria. But they get easily recognized close to the border of Austria and are escorted back to France where they are put on house arrest. The people of France now see King Louis XIV as a traitor. -
France becomes a Constitutional Monarchy
The National Assembly released the constitution of 1791. This made the king answer to a new legislature. Also, this barred servants from voting. -
Attack on the Tuileries Palace
The Austrian and Prussian army were advancing on French territory. The country was very divided at this point. Then a crowd of about 20,000 people attacked Tuileries Palace, the King and Queen escaped and was protected by the Legislative Assmebly. -
The Execution of King Louis XIV
One day after being convicted of Conspiracy with foreign powers Louis XIV gets executed by the guillotine. There was a narrow majority in his trial for Conspiracy with foreign powers. -
Charlotte Corday Assassinates Marat
Marat had an open door policy, Charlotte was admitted to his room on pretex that she had information on potential traitors. While in his bath, she stabbed him to death. -
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Reign of Terror
Robespierre established himself as leader of the Reign of Terror. Robespierre's idea was to rid France of all its enemies of the Revolution. If you were anit-revolutionary, you were going to be executed on the guillotine. -
Marie Antoinette is Exectued
Nine months after her husband's execution, Marie Antoinette is beheaded. She is accused of theft, treason,. and incest. -
Robespierre is Executed
Robespierre arrested, guillotined without trial. End of the Reign of Terror. It was triggered by a vote of the Committee of Public Safety. -
The Directory is established as France's New Government
Was a group of five men who all had executive power. These men were chosen by the Council of Five Hundred. The directory was later overthrown by Napoleon and his army. -
Signing of the Napoleonic Code
The Napoleonic Code was founded on the premise that, for the first time in history, a purely rational law should be created, free from all past prejudices and deriving its content from “sublimated common sense, its moral justification was to be found not in ancient custom or monarchical paternalism but dictates of reason. -
Coronation of Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte was crowned Emperor of the French on December 2, 1804 at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Napoleon wanted to establish the legitimacy of his regime. He also needed to show – in the wake of plots against his life – that even if he was killed, his dynasty would live on. -
Napoleon is Exiled to Elba
Was exiled under the terms of the Treaty of Fontainebleau. Napoleon would be allowed to rule Elba, which had 12,000 inhabitants. On Elba, Napoleon was under the constant watch of Austrian and French guards. Nonetheless, he was not isolated, he received thousands of letters from all over Europe and read major newspapers that kept him abreast of events throughout the world. -
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Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna, assembly in 1814–15 that reorganized Europe after the Napoleonic Wars. It began in September 1814, five months after Napoleon's first exile and completed its Final Act in June 1815, shortly before the Waterloo campaign and the final defeat of Napoleon. The settlement was the most-comprehensive treaty that Europe had ever seen. -
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100 Days
This was the last campaign of the Napoleonic was. On June 18, the battle of waterloo began. Heavy casualties for both sides, Bonaparte lost: 25,000 dead, 8000 prisoners, and his crown. Then Napoleon was exiled again to St. Helena island.
