French Revolution
Strengthening the Crown
• Cardinal Richelieu- advisor to French
monarch
– Goal: strengthen the monarchy
• Louis XIV: inherited throne at 4 yrs. Old
– Reign 1643-1715
– “Sun King”, “Most Christian King”, divine right
– Palace of Versailles
– Revoke Edict of Nantes
Strengthening the Crown
• Louis XIV
– Appoints Jean Baptiste Colbert as economic
advisor
• Mercantilism= need for empire
• Increase empire= more resources= more wealth
– Numerous wars= debt
French Revolution
• Economic problems:
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War debts
Poor taxation policies
Poor harvests
Lavish lifestyle of monarchy
• 1789- Louis XVI summoned Estates General
– governing body with members from each estate
– Had not met in 175 years (absolutism)
French Revolution
• Conflict between the estates at the
meeting
• June 17, 1789- Third Estate declares
themselves the National Assembly
• July 14, 1789- storming of Bastille
• August, 1789- Declaration of Rights of
Man
French Revolution
• National Assembly governed France on behalf of
the 3rd Estate from 1791-1792
• 1791- new Constitution ratified
– Created Constitutional Monarchy; King retains
executive power
• Austrians and Prussians invade France to
restore absolute monarchy
– Marie Antionette was sister of Austrian Emperor
– Unsuccessful
French Revolution
• Continued unrest= another new
Constitution
– Established the First French Republic
• 1793: imprisonment of royal family and
behead king and queen
French Revolution
• Reign of Terror:
– Constitution once again thrown out
– Committee of Public Safety created to
facilitate the revolution
• Led by Maximilien Robespierre and Jacobins
– Thousands beheaded
– Eventually, Robespierre too was beheaded
• 1795: yet another government established,
called the Directory
Rise of Napoleon
• Directory created strong military
– Napoleon Bonaparte popular military man
• 24 at the time
– 1799: overthrows Directory and declares
himself First Consul
Napoleon
• Popular ruler
– Many domestic reforms
– Napoleonic Codes (1804)- implemented some
Enlightenment ideas and equality for men
• Begins to build a French empire in Europe
– Conquers Austria, Prussia, Spain, Portugal,
and parts of Italy
– 1804- crowns himself emperor
Napoleon
• 1810: empire at its height
• 1812: attacks Russia= mistake
• Conquered areas use this as opportunity
to defeat and overthrow Napoleon
– Exiled
– But, disagreements about how to restore
order
Napoleon
• 1813- Napoleon returns, tries to regain
power
• Defeated at Waterloo and permanently
exiled to St. Helena, later dies there.
• Other nations meet to restore balance of
power
Congress of Vienna
• 1815: Congress of Vienna
– French territory return to pre-Napoleonic
borders
– Returned rulers of areas conquered by
Napoleon
– French monarchy restored, but with
Constitutional limits
France….
Continued
• 1830: another republic created, lasts until
Revolutions of 1848
• 1852: Louis Napoleon established a second
French empire
• 1870: Louis-Napoleon overthrown and yet
another republic created
• How is all that for confusing????? This is just
one example of how confusing European politics
can be.