Introduction
The French Revolution was one of the most significant upheavals in history, transforming France and influencing the trajectory of Europe and beyond. From the storming of the Bastille to the rise of Napoleon, this course explores the key events, ideologies, and wars that defined this revolutionary era. Delve into the causes, consequences, and lasting legacy of the Revolution and its military campaigns.
1. Prelude to Revolution
- Social and Economic Structure of Ancien Régime France
- The Enlightenment and Revolutionary Ideas
- Financial Crisis and the Calling of the - Estates-General
2. The Fall of the Monarchy
- The Tennis Court Oath
- The Storming of the Bastille
- The Abolition of Feudalism and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
- The Women’s March to Versailles
3. Radicalisation of the Revolution
- The Formation of the National Assembly
- The Flight to Varennes
- The Rise of the Jacobins and Girondins
- The War of the First Coalition
4. The Revolution at War
- The Levée en Masse and Citizen Armies
- Key Battles & Campaigns
- The Reign of Terror
- The Trial & Execution of King Louis XVI
5. The Directory
- The Fall of Robespierre and the Thermidorian Reaction
- The Constitution of 1795
- Early Life of Napoleon Bonaparte
6. The Rise of Napoleon
- Siege of Toulon
- 13 Vendémiaire (“Whiff of Grapeshot”)
- The Italian Campaigns
- The Egypt Campaign
7. First Consul
- The Coup of 18 Brumaire
- The Establishment of the Consulate
- Talleyrand, Fouché and the Marshals of France
8. The War of the Second Coalition
- Key Figures and Opponents: Austria, Britain, Prussia
- Campaigns
- Treaty of Amiens (1802)
9. Emperor
- The Revolution ends as Napoleon is crowned Emperor
- The War of the Third Coalition- Trafalgar & Austerlitz
10. The Napoleonic Wars
- An overview of the key events and campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars
- Elba, The Hundred Days, Waterloo and St Helena
