Storming of the Bastille
The Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, is one of the most iconic events of the French Revolution…
The Storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, is one of the most iconic events of the French Revolution and a symbol of the uprising against the monarchy and the oppressive Ancien Régime. This event marked a critical turning point in the revolution, as it demonstrated the power of the people to challenge and overthrow established authority. The fall of the Bastille, a medieval fortress and prison in Paris, became a symbol of the French people’s fight for liberty, equality, and the end of absolute monarchy.
Background Leading to the Storming
Political and Economic Tensions:
By 1789, France was in deep political and economic turmoil. King Louis XVI’s government was heavily in debt, largely due to extravagant spending and costly wars, including French support for the American Revolution (1775–1783). Efforts to reform the tax system, which placed most of the burden on the Third Estate (commoners), had failed, causing widespread discontent.
The Estates-General, a representative assembly, had been convened in May 1789 for the first time since 1614 to address the financial crisis. However, tensions quickly escalated when the Third Estate broke away to form the National Assembly, demanding reforms, including more political power and fair taxation.
Rising Tensions in Paris:
In the summer of 1789, as the National Assembly began to assert its authority, rumors spread that the king was planning to use force to dissolve it. The presence of royal troops around Paris fueled these fears, and the Parisians, already suffering from food shortages and high bread prices, were growing increasingly restless.
On July 11, 1789, King Louis XVI dismissed his finance minister, Jacques Necker, a popular figure who had supported some reforms. This action angered the Parisians, and large crowds gathered to protest in the streets.
Search for Weapons:
Fearing that the king would use military force to suppress the revolution, Parisian revolutionaries began to arm themselves. On July 13, 1789, rioters looted the Hôtel des Invalides, a military hospital, and seized around 28,000 muskets but found little gunpowder or ammunition. They soon turned their attention to the Bastille, which was believed to contain large quantities of gunpowder.
The Bastille: Symbol and Fortress:
The Bastille, originally built in the 14th century as a fortress to defend Paris during the Hundred Years’ War, had been transformed over time into a state prison. By 1789, it was a symbol of royal tyranny and oppression, used to detain political prisoners, critics of the monarchy, and individuals who had been imprisoned without trial under lettres de cachet (royal orders). Though only seven prisoners were held there at the time of the storming, the Bastille represented the monarchy’s arbitrary use of power and the injustice of the old regime.
The Storming of the Bastille
Gathering at the Bastille:
On July 14, 1789, a crowd of around 1,000–2,000 Parisians, including many members of the middle class and workers, gathered outside the Bastille demanding the release of prisoners, the surrender of the fortress, and the gunpowder stored inside.
The fortress was defended by around 82 regular soldiers and 32 Swiss mercenaries under the command of Governor Bernard-René de Launay. Though well-defended, the Bastille was not intended for a major battle, and de Launay faced a difficult choice.
Negotiations and Violence:
At first, there were attempts to negotiate. Representatives from the crowd, including city officials, tried to convince de Launay to hand over the gunpowder peacefully. However, tensions escalated as negotiations dragged on, and the impatient crowd surged forward.
By early afternoon, the situation turned violent as some of the revolutionaries stormed the outer courtyard of the Bastille. De Launay’s soldiers opened fire on the crowd, killing nearly 100 people. The enraged crowd, reinforced by mutinous French soldiers from the royal army, retaliated with cannon fire against the fortress.
Surrender of the Bastille:
After several hours of fighting, and with the situation deteriorating, de Launay realized that his garrison could not hold out. Around 5:00 PM, he ordered a ceasefire and surrendered the Bastille to the revolutionaries.
De Launay and several of his men were captured. As he was being escorted to city hall, de Launay was seized by the mob and brutally killed, his head paraded on a pike through the streets of Paris. Several other officers were also executed by the angry crowd.
Aftermath and Significance
Symbolic Victory:
Although the actual military significance of the storming was limited, the fall of the Bastille had immense symbolic power. It marked the first major victory of the revolutionaries against the monarchy and became a potent symbol of the people’s ability to challenge and overthrow unjust authority.
The storming of the Bastille was celebrated across Paris and soon throughout France. King Louis XVI, upon hearing the news, reportedly asked, “Is it a revolt?” and was famously told, “No, Sire, it is a revolution.”
King’s Response:
Faced with the uprising in Paris and the growing revolutionary fervor, King Louis XVI was forced to back down. On July 15, 1789, he withdrew the royal troops from around Paris and recognized the newly formed National Guard, commanded by Lafayette, who had been a hero of the American Revolution.
The fall of the Bastille also convinced the king to reinstate Jacques Necker, whose dismissal had partly triggered the crisis.
Spread of the Revolution:
The storming of the Bastille sent shockwaves throughout France. It emboldened revolutionaries and helped spread revolutionary sentiment beyond Paris. In the countryside, peasants began attacking manors, burning feudal records, and seizing land from nobles in a period known as the Great Fear (La Grande Peur).
The National Assembly seized the opportunity to push forward with major reforms, and on August 4, 1789, it abolished feudal privileges, marking a significant step toward dismantling the feudal system in France.
Bastille Day:
July 14, Bastille Day, has been celebrated every year since 1790 as a national holiday in France. It symbolizes the unity of the French people and the fight for freedom, and it remains a powerful reminder of the revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
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