1789–1791

The French Revolution

The French Revolution was a social and political event that questioned the privileges of the clergy and the nobility and with them, the system of absolute monarchy. Inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was published, proclaiming equality for all citizens before the law, fundamental freedoms and the sovereignty of the Nation. This period was fraught with both internal and external tension that encouraged the rapid rise of radical political agendas, including the Reign of Terror in 1793. Outside France, revolutionary ideas were also spreading in several European countries.