French Revolution: Storming of the Bastille

Historical Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.5.2.04: French Writing and Culture: Eighteenth-Century and the Enlightenment, 1700-1800.
Vol. editors: Edward Forman (University of Bristol), Jenny Mander (University of Cambridge), Síofra Pierse (University College Dublin), Tim Unwin (University of Bristol), David Williams (University of Sheffield)

Domains

Civil Wars, Revolutions and Insurrections

Dates

Date of occurrence 1789-07-14

Places

France (Location)

Some 7 members of the Garde Bourgeoise, comprising mainly skilled artisans and tradesmen from the neighbouring Faubourg St-Antoine seize arms from the Hotel des Invalides and storm the Bastille, a notorious prison in which many intellectuals and political subversives (including Voltaire and Diderot) had been imprisoned, but which at the time only contained 6 prisoners. On the 15th July the Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the American war, is named commander of the Paris National Guard to defend the revolution. For two years Lafayette will lead an effective reform campaign which will also restrict political rights to property owners.

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97 words

Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "French Revolution: Storming of the Bastille". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 December 2007 [https://staging.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=4231, accessed 23 November 2024.]

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French Revolution: Storming of the Bastille

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