Page 148 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

146  FR ANCE AND THE L OW C OUNTRIES

The Capetian dynasty gradually pieced undermined the authority of the Church
France together over the Middle Ages, and the state, nowhere more than in
a period of economic prosperity and France itself. The Revolution of 1789
cultural vitality. The Black Death and the ended the absolute monarchy and
Hundred Years’ War brought setbacks, introduced major social and institutional
and French power was seriously reforms, many of which were
threatened by the dukes of endorsed by Napoleon, whose
Burgundy and the English crown. empire dominated Europe at
In the Renaissance period, the start of the 19th century.
François I (reigned 1515–47) Yet the Revolution also
dreamt of making France a major inaugurated the instability
power, but was thwarted by the that has remained a hallmark
Habsburg Emperor Charles V. The of French politics: since 1789,
Reformation then plunged the France has seen three forms of
country into religious conflict. monarchy, two empires, and
However, the 17th century saw Napoleon, the brilliant five republics.
France, under Louis XIV, rise general who rose to be Throughout the political
Emperor of France
to dominate Europe militarily turmoil of the 19th century,
and intellectually. France remained a leading
In the Age of Enlightenment, French source of literary and artistic movements.
culture and institutions were the envy of In painting, the French Impressionists
Europe. The ideas of Voltaire and Rousseau were the inspiration for the development of
modern art, and would-be painters began
KEY DATES IN FRENCH HISTORY to flock to Paris instead of Rome. France also
1200–700 BC Arrival of the Celts during the Bronze retained its position as the arbiter of taste
and Iron Ages in fashion, food, wine, and good manners.
51 BC Romans complete conquest of Gaul Rivalry with Germany dominated French
AD 481 Frankish leader Clovis becomes first politics for most of the late 19th and early
Merovingian king 20th centuries. The population losses in
800 Coronation of Charlemagne, greatest of the World War I were traumatic for France,
Carolingians, as Holy Roman Emperor
1180–1223 Reign of Philip Augustus while during 1940–44 the country was
occupied by Germany. Yet since 1955, the
1337–1453 Hundred Years’ War with England
1562–93 Wars of Religion two countries have proved the backbone
1660–1715 Reign of Louis XIV of the developing European Union.
1789 French Revolution Modern Politics
1804 Napoleon crowned emperor
1815 Defeat of Napoleon: monarchy restored For much of the 20th century, domestic
politics was marked by confrontations
1848 Revolution; short-lived Second Republic
1852–70 Second Empire under Napoleon III
1919 Treaty of Versailles after World War I
1940 Germans overrun France
1958 Fifth Republic with president Charles de Gaulle
1968 Student uprising and de Gaulle’s downfall
1994 Channel Tunnel opens
2002 Euro replaces Franc as legal tender
2010 Henry IV’s skull found; burial ceremony at
Basilica St. Denis in 2011
2012 New TGV line extends to Barcelona, Spain
The student uprising of May 1968, which challenged all the old
assumptions of the French ruling elite

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