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Pre-Revolution
This was a time before The Revolution, where the "Ancien Regime" reigned over the land. There were very few, if any opportunities for the average man to ascend the ranks in society; privelages and social status was defined by birth, and where the King and all of his advisors ruled with actions based on random choice, rather than any defined system. -
The Day of Tiles
To be one of the very first revolts in all of France, "The Day of Tiles" was the day in which soldiers, who (debatably) were sent to disperse parlimentarians in the streets, were ambushed in the streets near Jesuit College in Grenoble. Townsfolk rained down a hailstorm of roof-tiles down upon the armed men, forcing them to flee. -
The Estates General Meeting
Out of desperation, King Louis XVI summoned "The Estates General" for the first time in over 200 years. A meeting with an equal number of representatives of each state, to discuss the interests of each estate. In a last ditch attempt to resolve the financial ruin he'd led his country into, King Louis XVI tried to overhaul the taxation system. He proposed that the Clergy, and Nobility pay taxes as well, regardless of their current exemptions. -
The Tennis Court Oath
With yet another failure on the part of their King, many members of the Third Estate declared themselves as "The National Assembly". They met in a separate part of the castle, led by Robespierre, Mirabeau, and Sieyes, and all participated in "The Tennis Court Oath", the creation of France's first constitution. -
Storming of the Bastille
In the nights prior, rumor had spread that the King's Army was ordered to extinguish the new parliamentarian uprising in Paris. On the morning of July 14th, a mass mob of craftsmen and merchants decided to lay down a pre-emptive strike. They stole roughly 28,000 rifles from the Invalides. Knowing black powder was stored in the Bastille, they launched a full on invasion upon the prison, guarded by approximately 100 men. When they finally gained entry, they slew the guards and freed the prisoners. -
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Viva la Revolution
With the Storming of the Bastille, the revolution was sparked; violently thrust into motion. A new Declaration was made, the King dethroned, war breaking out. And so began the rise of Robespierre. -
The National Guard
A National Guard of over 40,000 men is created, and directed by Layafette. They wore a trio of colors, symbolizing the revolution itself. The White being the nobility, surrounded by the Red and Blue, being the colors of Paris. -
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
This day marks the creation of The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. This text dictated a set of rights of the collective, and the individual, regardless of state or social status. -
King Louis' Notice of Eviction.
The date that King Louis XVI, his wife Marie Antionette, and their children, were forced from their home by approximately 4,000 hungry, angry rioters, Against their will, they resided under revolutionary watch at the Tuileries. -
The Varennes Escape
The night King Louis XVI, his wife, and children attempted escape. They dressed as commoners, and fled for Marie's native soil. However, word spread quickly about the King's escape, and they were swiftly caught, just a few miles short of the German border, in Varennes. The King and his family were marked as traitors upon their return. This begins Danton and Marat's campaign to rid France of the Constitutional Monorchy once and for all. -
The Division of Revolutionary Men
On July 17th, 1791, many people gathered in the Tuileries to support Danton's newly launched campaign. However, the Assembly (especially Robespierre), considered this new campaign as a major detriment to the revolution. Robespierre ordered that the National Guard put an end to the uprising. The Marquis de La Fayette and his men open fired, slaughtering countless people. This day marked a large division in The Assembly, as La Fayette accused Robespierre of organizing the riot, and resigned. -
The War with Austria, and the French Marseillaise
Tensions between France and Austria continued to intensify as the French began to lose ground. It was some time in April of 1792 that Joseph Rouget de Lisle sang the Marseillaise for the first time, in an effort to inspire French troops during the war, which later became the National Anthem of France. Pressure from the military losses in the East forced parliament to make some reforms, most of which the king used the last of his power to veto. -
The Rise of Robes'
Robespierre joins the "Commune de Paris". A powerful revolutionary government formed after the assault on the Bastille. A petition is created as well, one demanding that La Fayette be exiled as a traitor. This pushed Robespierre into a seat of power, as he was now the loudest voice in the revolution. -
The Culling
A group of Parisian rioters called the "Sans Culotte", ally with the newly formed Commune de Paris while wanting to protest against the aristocracy. They stormed the Tuileries, and in one fell swoop, annihilated the Capetian bloodline. -
King Louis' Trial and Sentencing
Three days after the storming of the Tuileries, King Louis XVI was officially arrested, and sent to prison to await trial. The poor King was tried for High Treason, and Crimes Against the State. He was sentenced to the Guillotine, dated for January 1793. -
The French Republic
The date that The Convention merged with the Assembly, thus officially making France a republic. -
King Louis' Execution
The morning that King Louis XVI was publically executed via Guillotine, the French people saluted the beginning of what they thought to be a brighter era. -
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The Reign of Terror
The point in time where the Revolution wavers, and crumbles in on itself. Over the span of which, approximately 40,000 people were needlessly slaughtered under the convictions of Robespierre. -
Civil War
As the war with Austria raged on, tensions rose throughout the countryside as "The Convention", asked for 300,000 men to join the French Army. There were uprisings across the country, especially in Vendee, where the locals fought against the Revolutionary Army. -
Execution of Marie Antoinette
The death of Marie Antoinette, via public execution. Carried out under the idea that she represented the heritage of the King Louis' bloodline, and needed to be slain. -
The French Flag
The famous symbol was made official on Feb 15, 1793. The blue symbolizing the members of the revolustionary group. The white symbolizing the members of the clergy and nobility. And the red symbolizing the bloos that was spilt during the revolution. -
Danton's Execution
Danton was considered to be too uninthusiastic towards the revolution, and was arrested and executed. -
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Napoleon's Conquest
The era of Napoleon's rising in the French Military, and tactical victories all over Europe. All up until his crushing loss in the Battle of the Nile. -
Execution of Maximillien Robespierre
The fateful day where Robespierre is finally accused of running a Dictatorship. He was swiftly arrested and executed, without trial. Bringing indefinitely, an end to the Reign of Terror -
The Defense of Tuileries Palace
Napoleon Bonaparte was given command of an improvised platoon to defend the Tuileries Palace against a royalist uprising, that was to occur two days later. Napoleon ordered for large cannons to hold the line as they would fight back. After around 1400 died, the rest fled in defeat. The victory at the Tuileries earned Napoleon fame, wealth, and a high commanding position in the New Directory. -
The Treaty of Leoben
Napoleon pushed his armies into Austria and forced them into a peaceful negotiation. The Treaty of Leoben was established, giving France power over the majority of Northern Italy. -
The Fall of Venice
France's armies marched further into Italy, forcing their way into Venice. After weeks, of war, Doge Ludovico Manin was pressured into an unconditional surrender. -
The Treaty of Campo Formio
After sending one his generals to lead a "coup d'état" to wipe out royalists who attacked him, and accused him of being a potential dictator, Napoleon continued on to create The Treaty of Campo Formio, in Austria. The treaty sorted out the boundaries and territories between the two countries, and earned Napoleon herohood, when he returned to Paris. -
The Overtaking of Malta
Marching to Egypt to start his campaign, Napoleon and his armies reached Malta. After a very minor resistance, the inhabitants surrendered, rendering Napoleon the victor, with only the loss of three men. The caost would serve as a naval base in the campaign against Egypt later on. -
The Battle of the Pyramids
Several miles away from the Pyramids, Napoleon's armies fought against Mamluke's Egyptian Cavalry. Both armies equalled out to around 25,000. It was Napooleon's tactical genius of battle formation that won them the battle by a landslide. Only 29 French soldiers were killed, opposed to the staggering 2000 deaths in the Egyptian army. -
Battle of the Nile
The Royal British Navy found the French Republican Navy, and captured or destroyed all but 2 ships, shoving a wrench in Napoleon's warplan. -
The Battle of Abukir
The British Navy carried Ottoman armies to the shores of Egypt to bring an end to the French rule. Seid Mustafa, commander in the Ottoman army, formed 2 defensive lines on the beachhead to fortify his invasion. However, Napoleon immediately saw his chance in preemptive strike, and attacjed quickly, breaking through the first line before it's completion. The Ottoman broke formation, and were quickly slaughtered by the French Cavalry. The battle was won swiftly afterwards. -
The Retreat to France
After conquering several coastal towns over the course of over a year, Napoleon realized his army was weak, and dying. On the morning of a British Naval ease, Napoleon took advantage of their leave from the French coastal ports, and set sail for France.
