This Time Line is dedicated to the House of Bourbon, who have suffered at the hands of republicanists since 1789.
The Preamble to the French Revolution[]
The French Revolution began after King Louis XVI began to tax his way out of the national debt crisis. The people soon rose up against the King during the Estates-General of 1789. The King was soon under attack by the very people he was trying to save from financial ruin.
The King moved wisely and allowed the National Assembly to gather in the Salle des États. He then had his troops burn down the building and kill everyone who survived. The revolutionary ideas were put down in a brutal, but and necessary affair.
The King then had the republicans whom wished for fairer taxes, enlightenment ideas, etc. to gather in the King's Court. The First French Assembly began on August 22. The Assembly aimed to create a fairer government. The result of the assembly was not seen until December 25 when the King and the rest of the assembly signed the Charte des Grands which created the French Assembly and gave French Rights, which were mostly copied from the United States Bill of Rights.
The results of the bill was mostly discontent with those whom wished for a republican government. Thus they began the French Revolution.
The French Revolution[]
The French Revolution began on January 12, 1790 with the Declaration of Sovereignty by the inhabitants of Southern France.
map of the French Revolution
The French Republic was immediately assembled and its constitution formed nearly word for word of the US Constitution.
French Republic was invaded by the Royal French Army on February 3, 1790 and they quickly began to fight the Republicans in a full-fledged civil war.
Royal Coalition[]
King Louis XVI quickly found allies to combat these revolutionaries in Spain, Austria and Portugal. These nations were afraid that the republican's ideas would spread into their own nations and upset their thrones.
The Royal Coalition invaded the fledgling republic with extreme prejudice. The Kingdom of Spain invaded from the south and was quickly in a dire situation due to their armies not being up-to-par with even some of the smallest European nations. Thus the Royal French Army had to, on numerous occasions, stop what they were doing and help their Spanish allies. The French and Spanish though decided to work together so that any offensives that were made would not have to be interrupted by bailing the other out. Soon the Franco-Spanish Army was able to capture Bordeaux and had the republicans in the west on the ropes.
The Austrians and Portuguese arrived in the early summer on May 17, 1790 the Portuguese landed in Corsica and captured the island. They soon were landing Portuguese Marines on nearly all the shores of Southern France and conducting hit-and-run operations destroying many supply posts near the coast. The Austrians landed in Bordeaux and and joined the Franco-Spanish Army to form the Grande Armée de la Coalition. The GAC soon marched into middle-republican territories and captured Montpellier.
The Grande Armée de la Coalition was joined by Portuguese regular on August 12, 1790 after the capture or Marseillaise. They then marched north and began to fight heavier and heavier resistance until they reached Lyons where they were unable to break through. In the far-north of the republic several militia groups invaded the undefended, and demoralised north and were soon at the gates of Lyons to the north surrounding the city.
The Republicans though did not falter they still fought to a bitter stale-mate around the city of Lyon where their forces prepared such a defence that "It looks as though the walls of Jericho have finally been out-matched" said the French Colonel Bonaparte.
Siege of Lyons[]
The Grande Armée de la Coalition ruthlessly attacked Lyons but to no avail. They launched all of their resources at the city but continuously failed to bring the city to its knees. Soon almost one-fourth of the forces had to be drawn away to combat guerrillas fighting in the 'occupied' areas. The Grande Armée de la Coalition was soon broken up into 22 Groupes Armée. The one-fourth that occupied the area was Groupes Armée 1-6, the rest continued to besiege Lyons but the morale was down do to the heavy resistance from those whom they thought they were liberating.
The Groupes Armées continued to fight the republicanists and besiege Lyons for a long time. The Groupes
Groupes Armée 3 advancing on a republicanists city
Armées were soon tiring from the constant rebelliousness and the futility of Lyons that morale was soon lowering at a dramatic rate.
Breakthrough[]
The Siege of Lyons was granted a stunning finale to its long and bloody battle.
The Grande Armée de la Coalition finally destroyed the rebellious republicans when the French artillery finally broke through the defences around Lyons.
As soon as the artillery struck the ammunition storage it set off a chain reaction resulting in the destruction of an almost one-third mile strip. The Grande Armée de la Coalition quickly poured in through the hole in the impenetrable wall of troops around Lyons and began a fierce battle.
The battle was street to street, house to house, room to room fighting. They soon had the entire city in a bloody brawl as Frenchmen killed Frenchmen, brother killed brother. They were, after five days, captured the city and secured the President of the French's surrender of the French Republic in the Peace of Lyons which stated:
- The French Republic and Kingdom of France shall be re-united.
- The King of the French shall be granted absolute authority.
- The French Assembly shall become a political advisory board for the King of the French.
- All republicanists shall be granted amnesty.