The storming of the Bastille and the outbreak of the French Revolution
- Date
- 14 July 1789
- Category
- Politics & governance
- Region
- France
- Era
- Early Modern
- Significance
On 14 July 1789 a Parisian crowd seeking arms and gunpowder stormed the Bastille, a royal fortress-prison that symbolised Bourbon absolutism.
The assault followed months of fiscal crisis, the convening of the Estates-General, and the formation of a self-declared National Assembly, and it marked the moment the Revolution became irreversible. The fall of the Bastille demonstrated the political power of the urban crowd—a force that would shape French politics for decades—and triggered a cascade of radical reform. On the night of 4 August the National Constituent Assembly decreed the abolition of feudalism, seigneurial dues, the church tithe, venality of office and fiscal privilege. The Revolution swiftly dismantled the legal foundations of the Old Regime and inaugurated an era of mass political participation. Its upheavals reverberated across Europe and the Atlantic, threatening monarchies, inspiring reformers and revolutionaries, and provoking decades of war.
One piece of history in your inbox, weekly
New empires, events and features as they land — one good email a week. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Empires active in 14 July 1789
- British Empire1583 CE – 1997 CE
- Qing Dynasty1636 CE – 1912 CE
- Russian Empire1721 CE – 1917 CE
- Spanish Empire1492 CE – 1976 CE
- Portuguese Empire1415 CE – 1999 CE
- Mughal Empire1526 CE – 1857 CE
Related politics & governance events
- The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen26 August 1789
- The Reign of TerrorSeptember 1793 – July 1794
- Napoleon's coup of 18 Brumaire ends the Revolution9–10 November 1799 (18–19 Brumaire)
- Montesquieu's The Spirit of the Laws and the separation of powers1748
- The United States Constitution drafted and ratified17 September 1787
- The Declaration of Independence4 July 1776
Further reading
If you read one book
Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution
Sweeping, vivid narrative of the Revolution.
Get it on Amazon →Also worth reading
- The French Revolution: From Enlightenment to Tyranny — Amazon →
The French Revolution: From Enlightenment to Tyranny
Fast-moving popular narrative of how 1789 spiralled from reform to Terror.
Get it on Amazon →
As an Amazon Associate, Human Saga earns from qualifying purchases.