What was the role of your ancestors in the great History?

Have you ever wondered what roles your ancestors played in French history?

Key dates and historical events in France

These key dates, starting from the modern era (the era from which it is easier to find genealogical information), will help you understand your ancestors' place at the heart of French history.

These dates are sourced from the website Histourismo:

Modern Era:

• 1515: Victory of Francis I at Marignan

• 1572: Massacre of Protestants by Catholics during the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre

• 1610: Assassination of Henri IV by Ravaillac

• 1661: Beginning of the long reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King

• July 14, 1789: Storming of the Bastille by French revolutionaries

Contemporary History:

• 804: Coronation of Napoleon Bonaparte as Emperor

• 1815: Defeat at Waterloo

• 1848: Proclamation of the Second Republic

• 1870-1871: Franco-Prussian War

• 1871: Paris Commune uprising

• 1898: J'accuse... by Émile Zola during the Dreyfus Affair

•  1905: Separation of Church and State

• 1914-1918: World War I

• November 11, 1918: Armistice marking the end of World War I

• 1936: Left-wing coalition with the Popular Front

• 1939-1945: World War II

• June 18, 1940: General de Gaulle's appeal

• May 8, 1945: Germany's surrender

• 1954-1962: Algerian War

• 1958: Beginning of the Fifth Republic

• 1975: Law on abortion by Simone Veil

• 1981: Abolition of the death penalty with François Mitterrand

The importance of local events

Local events, often linked to national events, also shaped the territory and the lives of your ancestors.

This is the case for:

• 1534: In the Loire Valley, pamphlets against the mass are posted by Protestants. The Affair of the Placards marks the beginning of repression against Protestantism.

• 1618-1648: Thirty Years' War, Alsace loses half of its population and falls into French hands (Treaty of Munster).

• 1675: The Revolt of the Red Bonnets in Brittany, following the tax on stamped paper.

• 1701-1714: War of the Spanish Succession with the Battle of Denain (in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais).

• 1792: War of the Revolution, sieges by Austrians at Lille, Dunkirk, and Valenciennes.

• 1793-1796: The Vendée War or civil war between Republicans and Royalists (with flare-ups in 1799, 1815, and 1832)

• 1848: During the Revolution of 1848, Provence reveals itself to be republican and anti-Bonapartist. Demonstrations erupt after the coup d'état of December 2, 1851. Many go into exile in Algeria.

Sites for creating timelines

By creating the timeline of your ancestors' lives and incorporating major historical events, you can more easily immerse yourself in their daily lives and understand the role they may have played in their time.

• Chronological timeline

• Preceden (English website)

• Timeline (English website)

• Time Toast (English website)

• Tiki Toki (English website)

🌳 Follow the traces of your ancestors at the heart of the great History by signing up for free on Geneafinder