French Revolution Overthrows the Monarchy
In 1789, the French Revolution radically transformed France and influenced the world, marking the end of the Modern Age and the beginning of the Contemporary Age. Dissatisfied with the absolutist monarchy of Louis XVI, the population, driven by Enlightenment ideas, revolted against social inequality, the privileges of the nobility and the economic crisis.
The revolt began with the Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, a symbol of royal oppression. The National Assembly subsequently abolished feudal privileges and approved the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, defending liberty, equality and fraternity. In 1793, the monarchy was abolished and Louis XVI was guillotined, beginning the Reign of Terror, marked by mass executions led by Robespierre.
The Revolution resulted in the rise of the republican regime and the decline of absolutism, influencing democratic movements throughout the world. Amid political chaos, Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in 1799, consolidating changes and spreading revolutionary ideals across Europe. The French Revolution shaped modern society and redefined the principles of Western politics.
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