Bastille Falls: French Revolution Begins in Blood
The Bastille held just seven prisoners on July 14, 1789: four forgers, two lunatics, and a dissolute count. The Parisian crowd that stormed it wasn't after prisoners. They wanted the fortress's enormous stockpile of gunpowder and ammunition, which they needed to arm themselves against royal troops gathering outside the city. Governor de Launay initially negotiated, then his garrison opened fire, killing nearly 100 attackers. When the crowd breached the inner courtyard, de Launay was dragged outside and decapitated, his head paraded through the streets on a pike. The Bastille was demolished stone by stone over the following months. The date became France's national holiday.
July 14, 1789
237 years ago
Key Figures & Places
What Else Happened on July 14
The emperor who'd ruled for forty-four years abandoned 1.2 million people in Chang'an with just hours' warning. Xuanzong fled west on July 14th, 756, as An Lush…
King Otto II fled into the sea after the forces of the Emirate of Sicily crushed his imperial army at the Battle of Cape Colonna. This disaster shattered the Ho…
Louis VIII ascended the French throne following the death of Philip II, inheriting a kingdom vastly expanded by his father’s strategic territorial conquests. By…
Jan Zizka was a one-eyed military genius who had never lost a battle when Crusader forces descended on Prague in 1420. Emperor Sigismund had called the crusade …
The Burgundians hand Joan of Arc to Bishop Pierre Cauchon, transferring her from military captors to an ecclesiastical court eager for a conviction. This transa…
English and Dutch forces stormed Cádiz, systematically looting the city and burning the Spanish fleet anchored in the harbor. This humiliation crippled Spain’s …
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.