July 14, 1789:
- Following a series of political, economic, and social tensions in France, a large group of Parisians, including members of the Third Estate, artisans, and sympathizers, gathered outside the Bastille prison in search of gunpowder and weapons.
Storming of the Bastille:
- The crowd attempted to negotiate with the governor of the Bastille, Bernard de Launay, to release the prisoners and surrender the fortress. However, Launay refused their demands and ordered his men to fire upon the crowd.
- In response, the enraged mob stormed the Bastille, overwhelming its defenses. After several hours of fighting, Launay surrendered, and the Bastille was taken.
Conquest of the Bastille:
- During the conquest, seven prisoners were freed from the Bastille, and two guards were killed in the fighting. The release of the prisoners, among them the Marquis de Sade, became a symbol of the triumph of the people's power.
Significance:
- The fall of the Bastille symbolized the beginning of the French Revolution. It inspired and bolstered the revolutionaries' spirits and demonstrated that the old regime could be defeated by the power of the people.
- The Bastille became a symbol of the absolute monarchy and the privileges of the aristocracy, and its fall represented the end of these oppressive systems.
- The event played a crucial role in uniting various revolutionary groups and marked a turning point in the revolutionary movement, leading to further uprisings and eventually to the establishment of a republic in France.