French Revolution

Started in May 1789 and went on until 1799. Slogan: egalité, liberté, fraternité.

The absolutist system under King Louis XVI collapsed under enormous pressure from liberal political groups and citizens on the streets. It started with the refusal of the Parlément to be dissolved. On 14 July in 1789 the Bastille was stormed and in October the same year the Monarch and the Royal Family were taken to Paris. The legislative Assembly continued to sit. The Republic was proclaimed in September 1792 and the King was brought to trial as traitor from December 1792. He was executed on 21 January 1793. The French Republic declared war on Britain in January 1793.

Sources

• Cody, David. "French Revolution". The Victorian Web, content created 1987, last modified 25 October 2010, http://www.victorianweb.org/history/hist7.html.