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The Estates-General was convened by King Louis XVI to address France's financial crisis. It eventually led to the formation of the National Assembly and the start of the French Revolution.
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A pivotal event in the French Revolution, when revolutionary crowds stormed the Bastille prison in Paris, symbolizing the end of royal tyranny and sparking widespread revolt.
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A fundamental document of the French Revolution, proclaiming the rights and freedoms of citizens, including liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.
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Written by Olympe de Gouges, this declaration sought to extend the principles of the 1789 declaration to women, advocating for gender equality and women’s rights.
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A period during the French Revolution marked by mass executions, political purges, and a government-led campaign to protect the revolution from its enemies, largely led by Maximilien Robespierre.
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King Louis XVI was executed by guillotine after being found guilty of treason. This event marked the end of the monarchy in France and solidified the revolution.
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The fall of Maximilien Robespierre and the end of the Reign of Terror. Robespierre was arrested and executed, signaling a shift in the revolutionary government towards a more moderate direction.
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A five-member executive body that governed France after the fall of Robespierre. The period was marked by political instability, corruption, and military conflict.
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After the Coup of Brumaire, Napoleon became First Consul of France, effectively holding dictatorial power. It marked the end of the French Revolution and the beginning of Napoleon’s rule.
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Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in a coup, overthrowing the French Directory and establishing the Consulate, marking the beginning of his rise to dictatorship.
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The period when Napoleon declared himself Emperor of France and expanded his empire across Europe, leading to significant military and political changes.
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One of Napoleon's most significant victories, where his forces decisively defeated the Russian and Austrian armies, cementing his dominance over Europe for a time.
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After his abdication following his defeat in the War of the Sixth Coalition, Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba, off the coast of Italy.
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European powers met to redraw the continent’s political map after Napoleon’s defeat, aiming to restore monarchies and balance power.
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Restored Bourbon monarch after Napoleon; ruled with a constitutional charter granting limited freedoms.
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After his defeat at Waterloo, Napoleon was exiled to the remote island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean, where he spent the final years of his life.
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The decisive battle where Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated by the British and Prussian forces, leading to his final abdication and end of the Napoleonic Wars. -
Napoleon died in exile on St. Helena, likely from stomach cancer. His death marked the end of an era in European history. -
Conservative successor of Louis XVIII; overthrown in the July Revolution due to his absolutist policies.
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Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire after a long war, supported by Britain, France, and Russia. -
Belgium broke away from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands due to cultural and political differences. -
A German customs union that promoted economic unity and helped pave the way for political unification.
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Known as the “Citizen King,” he came to power after the July Revolution but was later deposed during the 1848 uprisings.
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A wave of liberal and nationalist revolutions swept through Europe, challenging conservative regimes. -
Established after the 1848 revolution; it introduced universal male suffrage but was short-lived.
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Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon I, became Emperor and led major modernization efforts, but fell after the Franco-Prussian War.
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A two-year period of liberal rule in Spain marked by progressive reforms and political instability.
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Fought during the Second Italian War of Independence; Franco-Sardinian victory over Austria aided Italian unification. -
A major step in Italian unification, led by Giuseppe Garibaldi and his "Redshirts." -
Proclaimed the first king of a united Italy, symbolizing the success of the Risorgimento. -
Prussia and Austria defeated Denmark and took control of Schleswig and Holstein. -
Also called the Seven Weeks' War; Prussia defeated Austria, leading to the exclusion of Austria from German affairs. -
Prussia defeated France, leading to German unification and the fall of Napoleon III.
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Proclaimed German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, marking the birth of the German Empire.