From the moment the Third Estate withdrew from the Estates-General, the French Revolution began to unfold rapidly. On July 14, an angry mob stormed the Bastille and conquered it. A few days later, the mob marched on the Palace of Versailles and forced the king and his family to return to Paris. They would not see the magnificent palace again for the rest of their lives.
Initially, a constitutional monarchy was declared in France, but as time passed, the extremist voices among the revolutionaries grew stronger, and the king gradually lost his powers. In June 1791, the king and his family attempted to flee Paris towards the Austrian border, with the aim of joining the emperor's army, but the escape failed and they were captured in the town of Varennes. From there, the decline was rapid.
Following military defeats and the threat posed by the armies of Austria, Prussia, and England, a political upheaval occurred, and left-wing factions came to power (first the Girondins, followed by the more extreme Jacobins). The new government abolished the monarchy in September 1792. The royal family was imprisoned in the Temple Fortress in the north. The Mara, and Louis XVI was put on trial for treason later that year. After a heated trial, he was sentenced to death by the point of a vote (with the casting vote being that of his cousin, the Duke of Orléans). Head of a King France He was beheaded in “Revolution Square” (later Concorde Square) in January 1793, and the “Reign of Terror” began.
During this period, which lasted until July 1794, the guillotine worked non-stop, and many famous people lost their heads. The most famous examples are:
- Madame du Barry (From the last love of Louis XV)
- Madame Rolland (one of the leaders of the revolution, who, according to tradition, uttered the immortal sentence before her death: “Oh, freedom, how many crimes are committed in your name!”)
- And of course, Marie Antoinette, who was executed in October 1793.
Ultimately, as the Terror grew, so did the fear of Robespierre, the leader of the regime. In July 1794, in a coup called the “Thermidor Coup,” Robespierre was overthrown and the Reign of Terror came to an end. And what is “Thermidor”? During the Revolution, a new calendar was adopted in France. Thermidor, named after the summer heat (thermos in Greek), was one of the months of the revolutionary calendar.
Between 1795 and 1799, France was ruled by the “Directorate,” a weak and corrupt regime. During this period, the star of one of the greatest leaders in French history began to rise: Napoleon Bonaparte (also known asNapoleon I).
A few words about Napoleon
The revolutionaries were mainly engaged in destruction and less in construction, and therefore, with the exception of a few buildings, there is almost no architectural trace of this period left in Paris. However, Napoleon, who seized power at the end of the revolution, continued the tradition of his predecessors and left a significant mark on Paris.
But before we talk about his contribution to the City of Lights, a few words should be said about him. Napoleon was born in Corsica in 1769, about a year after France acquired the island from Genoa. He studied at the École Militaire in Paris, and his star rose during the revolution, when he succeeded in expelling the English from the city of Toulon.
After the fall of the Reign of Terror, Napoleon began to climb the ranks, winning major victories in Italy (1796-1797), and in 1798 he embarked on a military campaign in Egypt and Israel, but was defeated at Acre and forced to return to Paris. Napoleon realized that the leadership was corrupt and unpopular, and in 1799 he seized power through a military coup.
Initially, he ruled France as one of three consuls, but soon became First Consul, and in 1804 he crowned himself Emperor. Over the next ten years, Napoleon was mainly engaged in wars and achieved a series of brilliant victories, such as the Battle of Austerlitz and the Battle of Jena, which entered the pages of history and gave their names to monuments in Paris.
However, in 1812 Napoleon invaded Russia. His army was no match for the harsh Russian winter and the Russian scorched earth tactics, and the campaign ended in a severe military defeat and disastrous retreat. In 1813-1814, Napoleon's army suffered further defeats at the hands of the anti-Russian coalition.FrenchEventually, the coalition armies captured Paris, and according to legend, invented the “bistro” in the process (to read the story, go to the recommended articles section).
Napoleon was exiled to the island of Elba, but escaped less than a year later and returned to France. He managed to regain control of the country and expel King Louis XVIII, who had just returned to his throne. However, the coalition countries refused to accept his return. After a short reign of the “Hundred Days”, he was finally defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and exiled to the isolated island of Saint Helena, where he died in 18.
Napoleon builds Paris
Although Napoleon was mainly engaged in war during his 15-year reign, he managed to leave behind a magnificent legacy even in the few years of peace. First, we should mention the “Napoleonic Code,” a revolutionary law book, parts of which are still used in France today. Second, we should mention the construction projects he initiated in Paris, some of which have become the city’s defining symbols.
Napoleon's first contribution to Paris was the construction of the Canal Saint-Martin, which shortened the navigation route on the Seine and left us with a romantic corner of beauty. His second contribution was the construction of the western part of the Rue de Rivoli, parallel to theTuileries GardensNearby, he also initiated the construction of The Church of the Magdalene, which was originally intended to serve as a “Hall of Fame” for the French army. And if we are already inFirst Quarter, we must not forget the page inPlace Vendome, originally built from enemy cannons taken as spoils at the Battle of Austerlitz.
And finally, how can we forget the two triumphal arches left behind by Napoleon? The first, lesser-known, stands on the Place de la Carrousel, near theLouvreThe second is of course Arc de Triomphe In the "Ha-Ha-Yedia" (The Star Square), whose construction was only completed in 1836. It still serves as the ending point of the military parade on July 14.
Paris continues to rage: the revolutions of 1830 and 1848
Louis XVIII (18-1814), brother of Louis XVI who ascended to the throne after the fall of Napoleon, was a prudent king who understood that it was not possible to turn back the wheel and completely undo the achievements of the revolution, without risking another rebellion. Therefore, he managed to die a natural death in his bed in 1824, and was the last king to be buried inBasilica of Saint-DenisThe most unique building from its time is the “Chapelle Expiatoire”, which was built on the site of the original burial places of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
His brother, Charles X (10-1824), was not as politically astute. His goal was to return France to the days of the old regime, and he pursued an extremely conservative policy that was widely opposed. When he passed a law restricting freedom of speech in July 1830, riots broke out in Paris that quickly escalated into revolution. Within three days, Charles X was forced to abdicate and flee to England.
The leaders of the revolution chose to enthrone Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans (1830-1848), who was a member of a side branch of the royal house, and the son of the duke who had voted for the execution of Louis XVI. Louis-Philippe, the “citizen king,” was liberal and popular, and loved to stroll through the Tuileries Gardens with an umbrella in his hand and greet passersby. His reign is the setting for many of Honoré de Balzac’s novels, and reading books like “Father Goriot” can teach us a lot about the mindset of the time.
Although Paris continued to grow during Louis-Philippe's reign, with its population exceeding one million, he did not undertake many construction projects. However, important projects were completed during his reign, such as the Arc de Triomphe, and the Egyptian obelisk was erected inPlace de la Concorde.
One of the only buildings that can be clearly attributed to his time is the July Column in the Place de la Bastille, erected in memory of those who died in the July Revolution of 1830, which brought him to power. Another monument that can be attributed to his time is a small and sad chapel near the Porte Maillot, erected in memory of his son, Ferdinand, who was killed nearby in a carriage accident.
Despite his liberal policies, Louis-Philippe was unpopular. The royalists saw him as a usurper who had taken the crown from the eldest branch of the Bourbon dynasty, while the revolutionaries saw him as a representative of the old regime who had stolen their revolution.
Thus, throughout his reign, riots broke out from time to time and many attempts were made to assassinate him. In February 1848, riots broke out again in Paris, barricades were again erected, and Parisians took to the streets. Louis-Philippe understood the seriousness of the situation, fled with his family to England, and the Second Republic was proclaimed in Paris.
The Second Republic suffered from instability from the very beginning. In the presidential elections, Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (nephew of Napoleon I) was surprisingly elected, defeating the poet Alphonse de Lamartine. Most politicians looked down on him and were confident that he could be replaced in the next election.
However, the young Napoleon had other plans. In December 1851, he staged a military coup, imprisoning his political opponents, while others, such as Victor Hugo, fled into exile. After a few days of street fighting, Louis-Napoleon managed to stabilize his rule. A year later, he declared himself Emperor Napoleon III. The Second Empire began.
Chapters from "Once Upon a Time" about the period
The first chapter is, of course, entirely about the French Revolution:
The second chapter deals with the “Spring of Nations,” during which the monarchy was removed from France, this time permanently:
Recommended films about the period
The first recommended film is “Hail to the Queen,” which deals with the early days of the French Revolution as experienced at the royal court in Versailles.
The second film I highly recommend is “The Night at Varennes” (La Nuit de Varennes), which deals with Louis XVI’s escape attempt, and stars the great Marcello Mastroianni in the role of the aging Casanova.
And finally, one cannot talk about the French Revolution without mentioning Charles Dickens' immortal book, "Between Two Cities," which has been adapted for film several times:
Many films have also been made about Napoleon. My favorite series is a 2002 production, starring John Malkovich, Isabella Rossellini, and Gerard Depardieu, among others:
And speaking of Gerard Depardieu, if you want to learn about the Restoration period (1814-1830), I recommend watching “The Count of Monte Cristo,” based on Dumas’ immortal book, starring:
And finally, to learn about the reign of Louis-Philippe, I recommend watching one of the adaptations of Victor Hugo's book, "Les Miserables":
Articles on the site dealing with the period
Sanson the Hero: The Story of the Hangmen of Paris
A journey following the anthem of La Marseillaise
The first women to be awarded the Legion of Honor
The mysterious burial of Louis XVII
How the restaurant, bistro and brasserie were created
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
A Paris itinerary following Victor Hugo
The story behind the painting “The Raft of the Medusa”
A walking tour through the arcades of Paris
The tomb of the last king of France
A walking tour of the ninth and tenth districts
Want to read more about the history of Paris?
You are welcome to go toNext chapter in the Paris history series And learn about other periods in the history of the City of Lights.