Le siège de la Bastille

The storming of the Bastille

The French Revolution of 1789 was a period of profound political and social upheaval in France. It began with the meeting of the Estates-General in May 1789 and quickly escalated into a popular uprising against the monarchy, leading to the eventual abolition of the French monarchy and the rise of the first French republic. The revolution was driven by a combination of factors, including widespread social inequality, economic hardship, political corruption and a desire for individual liberties and political representation. The revolutionaries demanded equality, liberty and brotherhood as the core principles of the new order. The storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789 showed their defiance of royal authority and marked a turning point in the revolution. The revolutionaries, organised in various political factions, embarked on a series of radical reforms, including the Declaration of Human and Citizen Rights and the abolition of feudalism. However, the revolution also spurred internal conflicts and power struggles among the different factions. The radical phase of the revolution, known as the Reign of Terror, led by the Committee of Public Safety and Maximilien de Robespierre, resulted in a wave of executions and repression. The conflicts ended in 1799 with the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, who seized power through a coup and established himself as First Consul.