History of France
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The History of France has been divided into a series of separate historical articles navigable through the template to the right. The chronological era articles address broad French historical, cultural and sociological developments. The dynasty and regime articles deal with the specific political and governmental regimes in France. The history of other cultural topics such as French art and literature can be found on their own pages. For information on today's France, see France. For other information, go to Portal:France.
Contents |
Historical Overview
Gaul
- Main article: Gaul
- Main article: Roman Gaul
Settled mainly by the Gauls and other Celtic peoples (apart from a shrinking area of Basque population in the southwest and Ligurian population on the southern coast), the area of modern France comprised the bulk of the region of Gaul (Latin: Gallia) under the rule of the Roman Empire from the 1st century BC to the 5th century AD.
France in the Early Middle Ages
- Main article: Franks
In 486, Clovis I, leader of the Salian Franks to the east, conquered the Roman territory between the Loire and the Somme, subsequently uniting most of northern and central France under his rule and adopting in 496 the Roman Catholic form of Christianity (over the Arianism preferred by rival Germanic rulers).
After Clovis's death in 511 his realm underwent repeated division while the Merovingian dynasty eventually lost effective power to their successive Mayor of the Palace, the founders of what was to become the Carolingian dynasty. The assumption of the crown in 751 by Pepin the Short (son of Charles Martel) established Carolingian rule.
The new rulers' power reached its fullest extent under Pepin's son Charlemagne, who in 771 reunited the Frankish domains after a further period of division, subsequently conquering the Lombards under Desiderius in what is now northern Italy (774), incorporating Bavaria (788) into his realm, defeating the Avars of the Danubian plain (796), advancing the frontier with Islamic Spain as south as Barcelona (801), and subjugating Lower Saxony (804) after prolonged campaigning.
In recognition of his successes and his political support for the Papacy, Charlemagne was in 800 crowned Emperor of the Romans, or Roman Emperor in the West, by Pope Leo III: on the death of his son Louis I (emperor 814-840), however, the empire was divided among Louis's three sons (Treaty of Verdun, 843). After a last brief reunification (884-887), the imperial title ceased to be held in the western part which was to form the basis of the future French kingdom.
See also:
France in the Middle Ages
From the ninth to the fifteenth century.
- Main article: France in the Middle Ages
See also:
Early Modern France
From the fifteenth century to 1789.
- Main article: Early Modern France
See also:
- French Renaissance
- Wars of Religion
- Valois Dynasty
- House of Bourbon
- Ancien Régime
- Louis XIV of France
- Age of Enlightenment
France in the Nineteenth Century
From the Revolution to World War I.
- Main article: France in the nineteenth century
See also:
- French Revolution
- Causes of the French Revolution
- Estates-General of 1789
- National Assembly
- Storming of the Bastille
- National Constituent Assembly
- Legislative Assembly
- The Legislative Assembly and the fall of the French monarchy
- National Convention
- Reign of Terror
- Directory
- Consulate
- Glossary
- Timeline
- Wars
- List of people associated with the French Revolution
- List of historians of the French Revolution
- First Empire of Napoleon, Napoleonic Wars, Continental System
- Restoration of Louis XVIII and Charles X
- July Revolution and the July Monarchy of Louis-Philippe (often treated as a continuation of the Restoration)
- French Second Republic
- Second Empire of Napoleon III
- Franco-Prussian War, Paris Commune
- French Third Republic
France In Modern Times
From World War I to today.
- Main article: France in modern times
See also:
- French Third Republic
- Vichy France
- French Fourth Republic
- French Fifth Republic created by Charles de Gaulle
Related articles
- List of French monarchs
- Bourbon Dynasty
- Kings of France family tree
- List of every President of France
- French colonization of the Americas
- Timeline of French history
Further reading
- André Maurois, A History of France
