reference to the
French Revolution (1789-1799) which overthrew
Louis XVI, the royal family and the aristocratic
class and system of privileges they enjoyed. The revolution was in part a protest against
France's
absolute monarchy, entrenched and unproductive nobility and the consequent lack of
freedom for the middle classes. The revolution began after an attempt by
Louis XVI to raise
taxes to
reduce the national
debt. After a rioting
rabble destroyed the royal prison (the
Bastille), the
king and family fled only to be captured,
tried in
court and publicly beheaded. Under the
infamous revolutionary leader Robespierre and other radicals, the
Reign of
Terror (1793-1794) was
initiated, during which 300,000 people were
arrested and 17,000 were beheaded under the
guillotine (many of whom were carried to their
death through the streets in two-wheeled carts called
tumbrels). Later, even, Robespierre was beheaded when a new
ruling body took
control of the revolution. The internal
chaos,
corruption and disorganized
incompetence ended with the ascent of
Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799, the official end of the
French Revolution.
reference to the
French Revolution (1789@1799), which overthrew the
French royal family and aristocratic
class, and the system of privileges they enjoyed. The revolution was in part a protest against
France's
absolute monarchy and unproductive nobility, and the consequent lack of
freedom for the middle classes. It began after an attempt by
King Louis XVI to raise
taxes to
reduce the national
debt. After a rioting mob destroyed the royal prison (the
Bastille), the
king and his family fledTonly to be captured,
tried in
court and publicly beheaded. Under the revolutionaries, the
Reign of
Terror (1793@1794) was
initiated, during which 300,000 "
enemies of the Revolution" were
arrested and 17,000 were beheaded. The Revolution officially came to a
close with the ascent of
Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799.