-
King Louis XVI
King Louis is forced to convene this ancient assembly in order to raise taxes, after bad harvests and costly wars. Voters traditionally draft petitions of grievance. -
National Assembly
Revolutionary assembly formed by the representatives of the Third Estate of the Estates-General. Third Estate is considered "The common people". -
Period: to
French Revolution
-
France declares war on Austria and Prussia
The French were worried that Austria would attempt to re-instate King Louis xvi on the throne, and thought they had to start war to make sure that didn't happen. Austria was joined by Prussia. The war was devastating for the French, they had food shortages and poverty ran throughout France. Just when everyone thought Austria and Prussia would win, the French pulled together and has a victory. -
Reign of Terror begins
Initially the Committee of Public Safety was created to preserve the reforms of the French Revolution. Among its twelve members, Robespierre became the dominant member. He explained how terror would lead to the Republic of Virtue in a speech to the National Convention, come to feel that the Terror must be stopped. Danton rose in the Convention calling for an end to the Terror. -
Coronation of Napoleon
Napoleon crowned himself Emperor Napoleon I at Notre Dame de Paris. During the coronation he snatched the crown from the hands of Pope Pius VII and crowned himself. Napoleon turned the armies of the French Empire against every major European power and came to be known as "the scourge of Europe".
