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City Guide - Paris - History | ||
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History c. 250BC The Parisii, a Celtic tribe, establish the settlement Lutetia on the Ile de la Cité 52BC The Romans conquer Lutetia and a thriving town grows up on the site of today's Left Bank AD212 Lutetia is renamed Paris 508 Paris is made the capital by the Frankish king Clovis 800 Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne moves his capital from Paris to Aix-la-Chapelle 845-885 Vikings raid Paris 987 Hugues Capet, the Count of Paris, becomes the first king of France 1163 Bishop Sully of Paris begins the construction of Notre Dame 1190-1202 A new city wall is built by Philippe-Auguste 1215 A papal charter confirms the University of Paris 1253 The Sorbonne is established by Louis IV 1364 Charles V builds the Bastille. The royal court moves to the Louvre 1420-36 The English rule Paris; the English king, Henry VI is crowned King of France 1528 The rebuilding of the Louvre begins under the aegis of François I 23 Aug 1572 St Bartholomew's Day massacre of Protestants 1593 Henri IV's conversion to Catholicism ends the Wars of Religion 1610-43 Reign of Louis XIII; Cardinal Richelieu is the power behind the throne 1661 The personal rule of the 'Sun King' Louis XIV begins 1682 Royal Court is transferred to Versailles by Louis XIV 1700 War of the Spanish Succession 1715 Philippe d'Orléans becomes regent on the death of Louis XIV 14 Jul 1789 The Bastille falls to the mob; Louis XVI is forced to leave Versailles for Paris (in Oct) 22 Sep 1792 Declaration of the Republic 1793 The Louvre museum opens. Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette are executed 1794 Start of the Terror; the Jacobins are overthrown (Jul) Nov 1799 Napoléon becomes First Consul following a successful coup 1804 Napoléon declares himself Emperor 1806 The Emperor commissions the construction of the Arc de Triomphe 1814 After defeating Napoléon, Russian forces occupy Paris. Charter of Liberties granted by Louis XVIII 1815 Napoléon re-establishes power - the 'Hundred Days'. Following his defeat at Waterloo, accession of Louis XVIII heralds the Bourbon restoration 1830 Charles X is overthrown; the 'July Monarchy' under Louis-Philippe of Orléans 1836 Construction of the Arc de Triomphe is completed 1848 Louis-Philippe overthrown. Second Republic is declared. Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte is elected President; most men win the right to vote 1852 Second Empire begins following Louis-Napoléon declaring himself Emperor Napoléon III 1853 The Prefect of Paris, Baron Haussmann begins an ambitious programme of urban planning and redevelopment 1870 Napoléon abdicates following Prussian victory at Sedan Jan 1871 France loses Alsace-Lorraine following Franco-Prussian War, and is made to pay a massive indemnity. Communards take Paris 1889 Moulin Rouge opens. Paris Exhibition opens on eve of Revolution, showcasing the Eiffel Tower 1894-1900 The Dreyfus Affair 1900 Opening of first métro line and the Paris World Exhibition 1914 Battle of the Marne forces back German troops from Paris 11 Nov 1918 Signing of the Armistice in Compiègne 1919 Versailles peace conference 1934 Fascist demonstrations 1936-37 Popular Front government gives workers the right to form unions, take paid holiday and work 40-hour weeks 1940 German occupation of Paris; Pétain dissolves the Third Republic and takes power 1941-2 Thousands of Parisian Jews are deported 25 August 1944 Liberation of Paris 1946 Fourth Republic augurs women's right to vote 1955-56 Demonstrations in Paris over Algeria 1958 Fifth Republic and De Gaulle presidency 1959 The EEC (European Economic Community) is established with France a founder member May 1968 Student uprisings and workers' strikes 1969 De Gaulle resigns, Pompidou is made the new President following De Gaulle's resignation 1977 Centre Pompidou opens. Jacques Chirac elected Mayor 1981 François Mitterand becomes President 1989 Completion of the Louvre pyramid and the Opéra Bastille commemorates the 200th Anniversary of the Revolution 1995 Jacques Chirac becomes President 1997 Election of Lionel Jospin's Socialist government 1998 French football team wins the World Cup in Paris |