Explore

• Ancien Régime

  Literally meaning “old regime,” this corpus focuses on the reigns of Louis XV, who reigned until 1774, and Louis XVI, who was executed in the French Revolution in 1793. The Bourbon monarchy enjoyed absolutist control of France during this time.

• Revolution Directory Consulate

  The French Revolution began in 1789 and after much turmoil, assembled a relatively democratic government. In 1795, this was replaced by the Directory government where a five-member committee ruled France. In 1799, the Directory was overthrown in a coup by Napoleon Bonaparte who replaced it with the Consulate.

• Empire

  In 1804 Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of the French. Upon his 1814 defeat and exile, the Bourbon monarchy was restored. Napoleon briefly reclaimed France during a period called the Hundred Days. He was definitively exiled in 1815.

• Bourbon Restoration

  The Bourbon monarchy of ancien régime France was restored after each of Napoleon’s defeats. Louix XVI’s brother, Louis XVIII, ruled until his death in 1824 when his younger brother Charles X took the throne. Charles X was unseated followed his restrictive July Ordinances of 1830.

• July Monarchy

  A competing branch to the Bourbons, the Orléans family took the throne in 1830 when the French named Louis Philippe a Citizen King, King of the French. Louis Philippe ruled until 1848 when he was unseated by political revolution.