French Revolution
Ten years that ended a monarchy and remade a nation, 1789–1799.
How a bankrupt kingdom became a republic, the republic turned to terror, and the terror ended with a general in power — told through the people, events and places that made it.
Start here
Article Why did the Revolution happen? Debt, bread, new ideas — and a king who couldn’t decide Read the entry →
The essentials
Figure Louis XVI The king who called a meeting and lost a monarchy Event Storming of the Bastille The afternoon Paris took up arms — and the Revolution became real Place Palace of Versailles Seat of the court until October 1789 Article What was the Terror? How a republic at war made fear an instrument of government
At a glance
See all →- 1789
- 14 Jul Storming of the Bastille
- 1790
- 1791
- 17 Jul Champ de Mars massacre
- 1792
- 10 Aug Storming of the Tuileries
- 21 Sept Abolition of the monarchy
- 11 Dec Trial of Louis XVI
- 1793
- 21 Jan Execution of Louis XVI
- 17 Sept Law of Suspects
- 1794
- 10 Jun Law of 22 Prairial
- 27 Jul Fall of Robespierre
- 1795
- 1796
- 1797
- 1798
- 1799
- 9 Nov Coup of 18 Brumaire
Figures
See all →
Groups
See all →Group Jacobin Club The Paris club at the heart of the radical Revolution Group Girondins The deputies who took France to war and lost Paris to the Mountain Group Committee of Public Safety The twelve who governed the Republic in the year of the Terror House House of Bourbon The family that ruled France for two centuries, lost the throne and won it back
Events
See all →Event Storming of the Bastille The afternoon Paris took up arms — and the Revolution became real Event Champ de Mars massacre The evening the National Guard fired on Parisians petitioning against the king Event Storming of the Tuileries The day Paris overthrew its king Event Abolition of the monarchy The day France stopped being a kingdom
Places
See all →Place Palace of Versailles Seat of the court until October 1789 Place Tuileries Palace The palace where the monarchy was held captive and fell Place Place de la Révolution The square built for a king, where a king lost his head
Paris, Versailles and the road east, 1789–1793 · every place marked OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
Documents
See all →Document Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen Seventeen articles that turned subjects into citizens Document Constitution of 1791 A king under the law, for eleven months Document Brunswick Manifesto The allied threat that turned Paris against its king Document Law of Suspects The law that filled the prisons of the Terror
