French Revolution: Timeline, Causes & Dates | HISTORY
On July 14, 1789, a group of Parisian revolutionaries seized the Bastille prison in a dramatic act of protest against King Louis XVI. The ...
stormed the Bastille
Though enthusiastic about the recent breakdown of royal power, Parisians grew panicked as rumors of an impending military coup began to circulate. A popular insurgency culminated on July 14 when rioters <anchor>stormed the Bastille</anchor> fortress in an attempt to secure gunpowder and weapons; many consider this event, now commemorated in France as a national holiday, as the start of the French Revolution.
French revolutionaries storm the Bastille | July 14, 1789 | HISTORY
French revolutionaries storm the Bastille \| July 14, 1789 \| HISTORY

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4. French revolutionaries storm the Bastille

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# French revolutionaries storm the Bastille

This Day in History: 07/14/1789 - French Storm Bastille

Parisian revolutionaries and mutinous troops storm and dismantle the [Bastille](http://www.history.com/topics/bastille-day), a royal fortress and prison that had come to symbolize the tyranny of the Bourbon monarchs, on July 14, 1789. This dramatic action signaled the beginning of the [French Revolution](/topics/french-revolution), a decade of political turmoil and terror in which [King Louis XVI](http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/king-louis-xvi-executed) was overthrown and tens of thousands of people, including the king and his wife [Marie Antoinette](/topics/marie-antoinette), were executed.

By the summer of 1789, France was moving quickly toward revolution. Bernard-René Jordan de Launay, the military governor of the Bastille, feared that his fortress would be a target for the revolutionaries and so requested reinforcements. On July 12, royal authorities transferred 250 barrels of gunpowder to the Bastille, and Launay brought his men into the massive fortress and raised its two drawbridges.

Bastille Day

At dawn on July 14, a great crowd armed with muskets, swords, and various makeshift weapons began to gather around the Bastille. Launay’s men were able to hold the mob back, but as more and more Parisians were converging on the Bastille, Launay raised a white flag of surrender over the fortress. Launay and his men were taken into custody, the Bastille’s gunpowder and cannons were seized, and the seven prisoners were freed. Upon arriving at the Hotel de Ville, where Launay was to be arrested and tried by a revolutionary council, he was instead pulled away by a mob and murdered.

[The capture of the Bastille](https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/france-facts/symbols-of-the-republic/article/the-14th-of-july-bastille-day#sommaire_1) symbolized the end of the _ancien regime_ and provided the French revolutionary cause with an irresistible momentum. In 1792, the monarchy was abolished and Louis and his wife Marie-Antoinette were [sent to the guillotine](https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/marie-antoinette-is-beheaded) for treason in 1793.

![](https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2017/06/the-conquerors-of-the-bastille-before-the-hotel-de-ville-in-1789.jpg?width=768)

[![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)](/news/bread-french-revolution-marie-antoinette)

[**How Bread Shortages Helped Ignite the French Revolution** \
When Parisians stormed the Bastille in 1789 they weren't only looking for arms, they were on the hunt for more grain—to make bread.\
\
Read more](/news/bread-french-revolution-marie-antoinette)

[![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)](/topics/european-history/bastille-day)

[**Bastille Day** \
The Bastille Built in the 1300s during the Hundred Years’ War against the English, the Bastille was designed to protect the eastern entrance to the city of Paris. The formidable stone building’s massive defenses included 100‑foot‑high walls and a wide moat, plus more than 80 regular soldiers and 30 Swiss mercenaries standing guard. As a \[…\]\
\
Read more](/topics/european-history/bastille-day)

[![](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)](/news/notre-dame-fire-french-revolution)

[**The Notre‑Dame Cathedral Was Nearly Destroyed By French Revolutionary Mobs** \
In the 1790s, anti‑Christian forces all but tore down one of France’s most powerful symbols—but it survived and returned to glory.\
\
Read more](/news/notre-dame-fire-french-revolution)

By: [History.com Editors](/author/history)

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## Citation Information

Article TitleFrench revolutionaries storm the Bastille

Author[History.com Editors](/author/history)

Website NameHISTORY

URL[https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/french-revolutionaries-storm-bastille](https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/french-revolutionaries-storm-bastille)

Date AccessedSeptember 13, 2024

PublisherA&E Television Networks

Last UpdatedJuly 10, 2024

Original Published DateNovember 24, 2009

## Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, [click here](mailto:support@history.zendesk.com?subject=Fact%20Check%20-%20French%20revolutionaries%20storm%20the%20Bastille&body=%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%0AReferring%20URL%3A%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.history.com%2Fthis-day-in-history%2Ffrench-revolutionaries-storm-bastille%0A%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94%E2%80%94) to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.

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