French Revolution

During the eighteeenth century, the nation France was experiencing social unrest amongst its people especially in the poor and middle class areas. The government had been taxing people for a number of foreign wars and for the Royal Court at Versailles. Exempted from this taxes were the rich people. King Louis XVI was told by the people to change the taxiation system.

The revolution in France began in 1789 with the middle class people forming their own government amd National Assembly and wanted a say in how they country was running. Also at the very same time, there was a riot in Paris where peasants stormed the Bastille, the state prison. In the intervening years, these people gained control over the running of the country and thousands of nobles and also including the King and his wife, Marie Antoinette.

At first, the British government gave their support to the uprising in France but in later years, they feared such a revolution would spread onto the British shores. The fear in Britain was compounded by the revolutionaries declaring "assistance to all people who wish tp recover their liberty". A declaration of war was declared by France on Britain in 1793.

French War (1793-1815)

Image Of Duke Of Wellington It was in 1799, that the war began take a new shape when Napoleon Bonaparte ovethrew the French government and made himself the leader of France. By 1803, he was in control of most of Europe and was planning to invade Britain but abandoned his plan. In 1805, the French fleet and her ally of Spain were destoryed in the Battle of Trafalgar by Lord Nelson. Napoleon decided to put blockades on Britain and destroy their economy.

Britain took the advatage against the French after 1808 with the Peninsula Campagin led by the Duke Of Wellington. Napoleon suffered a feat and had to retreat from Moscow. The Duke Of Welington advanced through Spain and into France.

Napoleon was defeated and surrended in 1814 and was sent into exile to the Island of Elba. Napleon went onto escaped from the island a year later and continued on with his army but he came unstuck when he was defeated at Waterloo. The allied forces were led by the Duke Of Wellington.

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