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Oct 14, 1066
Battle of Hastings
Battle between the French and English armies that was termed as the “last successful invasion of the British Isles”. The events of this battle are depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. -
Dec 21, 1297
Saint Louis (Louis IX)
Pope Boniface VIII made Louis IX a saint. He is the only French king to become a saint. He’s also worshipped in the Church of England. -
May 30, 1412
Joan of Arc
She was born sometime during this year. She was a French peasant girl that claimed to hear the voices of saints pushing her to aid Dauphin claim the French throne. She was captured and executed as a heretic by the English. -
Oct 25, 1415
Battle of Agincourt
This was an important battle between the French and the English that took place in the Hundred Years’ War. The English were victorious. -
Aug 23, 1572
St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre
This was an assassination series against the Huguenots during the French Wars of Religion. The Huguenots were French Calvinists (Protestants). -
Edict of Nantes
The Edict gave more rights to Huguenots in a land that was primarily Catholic. This allowed for a separation of civil and religious unity in France as well as some degree of religious tolerance. -
French Revolution
This was a period of mass revolts by the peasantry of France due to the terrible times France was experiencing. Many French monarchs were executed with the use of the guillotine during this time. -
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the deal in which Napoleon Bonaparte sold France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in exchange for about 60 million Francs to the United States. This allowed the United States to gain the vital port of New Orleans. This doubled the size of the United States at the time as well. -
The French Prime Minister Resigns
Dominique de Villepin, the French Prime Minister, resigned on this day. He is now pursuing the presidential position of the French government. He is against Nicolas Sarkozy in the next election and is a member of the “République solidaire” political party. -
Hugh Capet
Hugh Capet rose to power as the first king of the Franks during the Capetian dynasty. He is also known as “Hugh the Great”.
