Unit 1: France 1774-1815

Louis XVI

1754-1793. King of France at the time of the French Revolution. His indecisiveness, resistance to reform, and financial mismanagement helped trigger the Revolution. He was eventually deposed, tried for treason, and executed by guillotine in 1793.

Georges-Jacques Danton

1759-1794. A prominent lawyer and revolutionary leader who played a key role in the early stages of the French Republic and the fall of the monarchy. Minister of Justice in 1792. Known for his oratory skills, he initially supported the Reign of Terror but later advocated moderation and was executed by Robespierre.

Camille Desmoulins

1760-1794. Journalist and childhood friend of Robespierre who became a revolutionary agitator. Famous for rallying crowds to storm the Bastille in July 1789. Later criticized the excesses of the Terror and was executed for opposing Robespierre.

Jean-Paul Marat

1743-1793. Physician, radical journalist, and member of the Jacobin faction. He used his newspaper, 'The Friend of the People,' to incite violence against perceived enemies of the Revolution. Assassinated in his bathtub by political opponent Charlotte Corday.

St. Just

1767-1794. Close ally of Robespierre and influential Jacobin leader. Known as the 'Angel of Death' for his uncompromising support of the Reign of Terror and advocacy for radical egalitarianism. Executed with Robespierre during the Thermidorian Reaction.

Robespierre

1758-1794. One of the most influential leaders of the French Revolution. Head of the Jacobins and architect of the Reign of Terror, during which thousands were executed. Eventually lost support and was executed in July 1794.

Frederick William II of Prussia

1744-1797. King of Prussia who, along with the Austrian emperor, issued the Declaration of Pillnitz in 1791 threatening to intervene in France to support King Louis XVI and suppress the Revolution.

Leopold II

1747-1792. Holy Roman Emperor and brother of Marie Antoinette. Co-author of the Declaration of Pillnitz, he sought to preserve monarchical power in Europe and threatened military intervention in revolutionary France.

Napoleon Bonaparte

1769-1821. Corsican-born general who rose through the military ranks during the French Revolution. Overthrew the Directory in 1799, became First Consul, and later Emperor of France. Known for his domestic reforms and military conquests across Europe.

Paul Barras

1755-1829. A leading member of the Directory who played a critical role in supporting Napoleon's rise to power. Known for his political maneuvering and role in the fall of Robespierre.

Emmanuel Sieyès

1748-1836. Clergyman and political theorist who wrote 'What is the Third Estate?' and was instrumental in the ideological foundation of the Revolution. Helped orchestrate Napoleon's coup in 1799.

Pierre Ducos

1761-1816. Politician and Director who collaborated with Sieyès and Barras to support Napoleon's coup d'état that brought down the Directory.

Joseph Fouché

1759-1820. Served as Napoleon's Minister of Police. Notorious for his extensive surveillance network and suppression of dissent. Played a key role in maintaining internal security through censorship and repression.

Pius VII

1742-1823. Pope who signed the Concordat of 1801 with Napoleon, restoring some influence of the Catholic Church in France while allowing the state to retain control over church appointments and finances.

Storming of the Bastille

July 14, 1789. A Parisian mob attacked the Bastille prison, a symbol of royal tyranny. The event marked the beginning of the French Revolution and the fall of absolute monarchy.

Tennis Court Oath

June 20, 1789. Members of the Third Estate, locked out of their meeting hall, vowed not to disband until a new constitution was created. This act challenged the authority of the king and asserted the people's role in governance.

Calling of the Estates General

May 1789. Louis XVI convened the Estates General to address the financial crisis. It was the first such meeting since 1614 and provided a platform for revolutionary ideas.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen

August 1789. A foundational document of the Revolution that proclaimed liberty, equality, and fraternity. It dismantled feudal privileges and laid the groundwork for a constitutional government.

Women's March on Versailles

October 5-6, 1789. Thousands of women marched from Paris to Versailles to demand bread and bring the king to Paris. It demonstrated the power of popular protest and shifted royal influence to the capital.

Flight to Varennes

June 1791. Louis XVI and his family attempted to flee France to rally counter-revolutionary forces but were captured. It undermined the king's credibility and increased republican sentiment.

Formation of the National Assembly

June 17, 1789. The Third Estate declared itself the National Assembly, asserting that it represented the people of France. This marked the Revolution's shift toward popular sovereignty.

Execution of Louis XVI

January 21, 1793. Louis XVI was tried and executed for treason. His death marked the end of monarchy and the rise of the Republic.

Reign of Terror

1793-1794. A period of political purges and mass executions led by Robespierre and the Jacobins. It aimed to eliminate enemies of the Revolution but became synonymous with excessive violence.

Coup of Thermidor

July 27, 1794. Robespierre was overthrown and executed by former allies. This ended the Reign of Terror and shifted power away from radical Jacobins.

Declaration of Pillnitz

August 1791. Austria and Prussia threatened to intervene in support of the French monarchy. This escalated tensions and led to revolutionary wars.

War with Austria and Prussia

1792. France declared war on Austria and later Prussia, fearing a royalist conspiracy. The wars intensified internal instability and radicalized the Revolution.

Establishment of the French Republic

September 1792. The monarchy was abolished and the Republic proclaimed, emphasizing democratic governance and ending centuries of royal rule.

Creation of the Committee of Public Safety

April 1793. Formed to defend the Republic from internal and external threats. It became the executive power during the Terror.

Constitution of 1795

August 1795. Established the Directory as the executive branch and a two-house legislature. It attempted to stabilize France but was plagued by corruption and inefficiency.

Concordat of 1801

July 1801. Agreement between Napoleon and the Pope that reconciled the Catholic Church with the French state. It helped to restore social order and religious peace.

Establishment of the Napoleonic Code

1804. A unified legal code introduced by Napoleon that enshrined revolutionary principles such as equality before the law and the abolition of feudal privileges.

Execution of Robespierre

July 28, 1794. Robespierre was executed following the Coup of Thermidor. It marked the end of radical revolutionary leadership.

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