History of France

Before Christianity came to France the country was inhabited by the Celtic Gauls, but in the fifth century a race called the Franks invaded. All through the Middle Ages wars raged; the Crusades, the Wars of Religion (1562-98) the Hundred Years War and many others. There were also several warring dynasties, the most famous of these being the Capetians. An absolute monarchy was eventually established by Cardinal Richelieu.

Louis XIV known as the Sun King created the first French centralized state. He ruled for many years (72) coming to the throne in 1643. The country was bankrupted by the aristocracy who involved France in the Seven Years War (1756-63) and also the American War of Independence.

During the reign of Louis XVI the population had endured all they could at the hands of the aristocrats and attacked the Bastille in Paris. This action brought about the beginning of the French Revolution in1779. The Jacobins, a radical group persecuted the monarchy, and executed them all at the guillotine. This important historical event did not last long in comparison to many others, (just two years), and it was only a short time after this that the Jacobin leaders were also executed.

By the early nineteenth century France was in control of much of Europe. Napoleon Bonaparte had emerged from all the previous turmoil has an ambitious leader and had quickly strengthened all the military forces. He led a disastrous crusade into Russia which soon led to his downfall and eventual exile. He returned briefly as Emperor before being soundly defeated at the Battle of Waterloo by the English. He is, however, still much revered by French people for being responsible for the many legal and civil changes that took place in their country.

In 1870 the Third Republic came into being and was one of the only things of note achieved by a really rather ineffectual government. The First World War (1914-18) had a disastrous effect on the country. Millions of lives were lost and the economy was destroyed. World War Two followed in 1939 and wreaked further havoc. The country was invaded by the German armies. In 1944 General Charles De Gaulle (who had been in exile) returned to lead France. His second term of office began in 1958 and he eventually became one of France’s most popular statesmen. It was during this time that the country relinquished most of its connections with the colonies.

Charles de Gaulle resigned in 1968. In May of that year the country was brought to a virtual standstill by many strikes and student protests; as a result the Higher Education System was reformed with the government’s agreement.

Francois Mitterand, a member of the Socialist party was soon to become one of the country’s most long lasting statesmen (from 1981 to 1995). Under his leadership France held its position as one of the most important countries in the world. His successor was Jacques Chirac. During his time in office the country faced many domestic issues including more strikes due to the welfare system, and unrest in the anti-immigration party Front National. In 1997 he quite unexpectedly lost an election to Lionel Jospin the leader of an alliance party.