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Estates-General
King Louis XVI summoned the Estates-General to help decide on a solution for the government's financial problems. They talked and argued for weeks, but only came to an impass. Many members of the Third Estate formed into a National Assembly, triggering the French Revolution. -
Tennis Court Oath
The Tennis Court Oath was a pledge signed by the majority of the people from the Third Estate that were locked out of a meeting because of the change in loyalties. They made due with an empty tennis court, giving the pledge its name. However, this event was taken seriously and finally displayed opposition towards King Louis XVI and refusal to back down. -
Storming of the Bastille
The Bastille, although barely active due to money conservation by the Second Estate, was widely considered a sign of tyranny. Fear of foreign mercenaries and imminent massacre had rallied the people, giving them reason to take arms. They stormed Hotel des Invalides, seizing around 32,000 muskets, but they had no gunpowder. The day of the storming, there was 30,000 lbs of gunpowder. Negotiations continued for hours, so the angry crowd raided the prison, killing the governor and taking the powder. -
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen
This was a document created after the Storming of the Basille, stating individual and combined rights of man and of the citizen. These rights were valid at all times, no matter what crime or circumstances, and were simple inalienable rights. Despite claiming these the "rights of the citizen"; no rights discussed women or the victims of slavery. This document is similar to our Bill of Rights. -
Women's March on Versailles
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Step Towards Equality
In order to help generate a sense a equality among the different classes of citizens, the National Assembly abolished titles given to high ranking people. They were only to be called by their given names. This helped with many citizens' tolerance and desire for rebellion. -
Legislative Assembly Formed
This assembly was formed in order to help make laws. This was a step towards a republic, but it was only a step. This still did not eliminate the power of the king at the time. -
King Louis XVI's Execution
Many people witnessed the conviction of their former king as he received the death penalty. The revolutionists saw this as the start of a new era. This was a massive shift in the war. -
The Start of "The Terror"
"The Terror" was a long period of violence begun by the two rival political parties, the Girondins and the Jacobins. There were mass executions of "enemies of the revolution" using the guillotine. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were among the unfortunate that were killed. -
The End of "The Terror"
Many of the leaders who had been the cause of the "Reign of Terror" were arrested and subsequently executed, putting an end to this dark time. Robespierre and Saint-Just were the most well-known of those convicted. -
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Executive Directory's Reign
This was the dominating government until Napoleon Bonaparte's rise to power with the Consulate in 1799. The Directory consisted of five men that had complete power over France. They gained much unpopularity among the people, so much that they feared all of their work would be undone once they retired. -
The Count of Monte Begins
Edmond Dantes arrives in Marseilles by the ship Pharaon. He has a talk with Monsieur Morrel about his captain's death from an illness, he is told that he is almost sure to be a captain as well. He then visits his father and his future wife, Mercedes, and also meets her cousin Fernand. He discusses his betrothal feast while Danglars and Fernand plan against him. -
Imprisonment
Dantes is falsely imprisoned in the Chateau d'If for being a Bonapartist traitor. Danglars and Fernand set Dantes up in order to steal his life, but Dantes has an innocent heart, which causes him to not even think he was set up. -
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Dantes Imprisonment in Chateau d'If
During this time he meets a supposedly "mad" priest who mentors him and teaches him a great deal of things ranging from all subjects. He also installs a new emotion in Dantes, vengeance. Dantes swears that he will devote the rest of his life to bringing down those who did the same to him. -
Freedom
Dantes' friend in the dark dungeon, Abbe, dies from an illness that runs in his family. Dantes is told about a massive fortune, which he plans to use to aid him in his revenge. He escapes in the body bag meant to carry Abbe off, and is soon rescued by a smuggling ship. -
Arrival at Paris
After his many interesting encounters from bandits to public executions alongside Albert de Morcerf, he finally arrives in Paris. This is the start of the Count's plan for vengeance on his enemies. -
Mercedes' Plea
As Albert had openly insulted the Count, he started a duel between the love of her life and her only son. The Count was known for his fencing skills, causing Albert to choose pistols instead. But he demonstrated his near godlike accuracy in front of Maximilien. Mercedes also had a feeling that he would win, so she came to him and begged to let her son live. After much arguing, he finally agreed too die instead. Of course she wouldn't let him die either, and forced her son to apologize for it. -
Fernand's Fall
The Count had known the history of his slave's family, and used the information given by her to bring about the downfall of his rival. Fernand had betrayed and slain his benefactor Ali Pasha, Haydee's father, to the Turks. After the betrayal, he sold Ali Pasha's wife and daughter into slavery for a great deal of money. Haydee testified in court, which hurt Fernand, and caused him to confront the Count in person. Here, the Count revealed his true identity to him, causing him to resort to suicide. -
Villefort's Downfall
The Count had long planned Villefort's downfall, and Benedetto was essential to that plan. Since he was the illegitimate son of Villefort and Madame Danglars and a convicted murderer, Edmond gave him the information of his true father to use against him in the upcoming trial for his life. Villefort had told his wife to kill herself due to the poisonings she caused in the house. He came back, but when he arrived it was too late. She fell, as did her son. The Count changed from this. -
Danglar's Loss
Because the only thing Danglars valued in life was money, it was the very thing the Count took from him. Through his bandits, he had Danglars abducted and made him purchase his meals for a hefty price of 100,000 francs. Dantes left him with the realization of his errors and sins along with only 50,000 francs to continue living. Edmond's long quest for vengeance was finally over.
