World City Guide

History

c. 250BC The Parisii, a Celtic tribe, establish the settlement Lutetia on the Ile de la Cit
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 Franois 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’Orlans 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 Napolon becomes First Consul following a successful coup
1804 Napolon declares himself Emperor
1806 The Emperor commissions the construction of the Arc de Triomphe
1814 After defeating Napolon, Russian forces occupy Paris. Charter of Liberties granted by Louis XVIII
1815 Napolon 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 Orlans
1836 Construction of the Arc de Triomphe is completed
1848 Louis-Philippe overthrown. Second Republic is declared. Louis-Napolon Bonaparte is elected President; most men win the right to vote
1852 Second Empire begins following Louis-Napolon declaring himself Emperor Napolon III
1853 The Prefect of Paris, Baron Haussmann begins an ambitious programme of urban planning and redevelopment
1870 Napolon 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 mtro 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 Compigne
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; Ptain 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 Franois Mitterand becomes President
1989 Completion of the Louvre pyramid and the Opra 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