In the late 18th 

century France was on the brink of bankruptcy due to its

involvement in the American Revolution and King Louis XVI’s extravagant
spending.

This led to a people’s revolt against the inequalities of French society, the
corruption of royal officials, and despair owing to widespread economic
hardship. This period was known as the French Revolution.

French Revolution: A brief timeline

The first date to be marked with is the 20 June 1789: Collapse of Estates-
General

The Estates-General (France’s equivalent to the British Parliament) collapses

when members of the Third Estate – which represents ‘the people’ – form their
own National Assembly, to campaign for constitutional reform. This is a bold
challenge to the King’s authority.

14 July 1789: Storming of Bastille

Rebels storm the prison fortress of the Bastille, a symbol of royal authority.
Paris falls from the King’s control. Today this date is celebrated as Bastille
Day in France.

22 September 1792: French Republic established

The French Revolution takes a radical turn when revolutionaries arrest the King. The
following month, on 22 September 1792, the National Convention is established. This
proclaimed the abolition of the monarchy and established the French Republic. The
King is tried and, on 21 January 1793, he is executed as a traitor.

June 1793: Reign of Terror begins

Following the King’s execution, France goes to war with various European
powers. This signals the most violent phase of the French Revolution and the
start of the bloody Reign of Terror (la Terreur), a year-long period in which
suspected enemies of the revolution are killed in their thousands.

1795: The Directory takes power

A new regime – the Directory – takes power in France in 1795. The internal
political situation remains unstable, but is silenced by the army, now led by a
young general Napoleon Bonaparte.
9 November 1799: Napoleonic era begins
The Directory’s four years in power are a failure, with them ceding much power to the
military to maintain order. On 9 November 1799, Bonaparte stages a coup d’état,
abolishing the Directory and appointing himself France’s ‘first consul’. This marks
the end of the French Revolution and the start of the Napoleonic era.
In 1800, at the Battle of Marengo, Napoleon defeated the Austrians, thus
establishing France’s power over continental Europe. His sole opponent was
Britain.
The Peace of Amiens was signed in 1802, marking the end of the French
Revolutionary War.
But by May 1803 the treaty had collapsed because Britain refused to evacuate
Malta and Napoleon failed to guarantee Dutch independence. Britain again
declared war on France, later followed by Austria and Russia.

After 1808, there was popular resistance to the French occupation of Portugal
and Spain. British forces under the Duke of Wellington began to make headway
on the Iberian peninsula. Napoleon overstretched his Empire with the 1812
Russian campaign, losing over 500,000 men. Defeated in 1813, he abdicated in
1814 and was exiled to Elba.

In February 1815, Napoleon escaped from Elba for a final 'Hundred Days' of
power. He took over the government in Paris on 20 March and prepared for war
once more. His renewed attempt to dominate Europe failed, however, and he
finally surrendered to the British after the French defeat at Waterloo on 18 June
1815.

This time he was exiled 5000 miles from Europe, on the island of St Helena,
where he lived until his death on 5 May 1821. An autopsy was carried out on 6
May; a preliminary cast for a death mask was taken on 7 May; and on 9 May the
Emperor was buried, in the presence of French and English witnesses.