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Interesting Questions, Facts and Information
- There are a total of 170 general entries. We are selecting 30 for display.
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 Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information
 French
| The palace of Versailles was built by which French king? | French History
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Louis XIV. Louis XIV built Versailles on the site of a small hunting lodge built by his father. The court was previously in Paris; as a boy, Louis was frightened by an uprising during which an attempt was made to storm the palace. When grown up, Louis wanted to get away from Paris and from potential danger. He thought Versailles was the answer.
| The last of the French kings belonged to which royal house? | French History
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Bourbon. The three French royal houses were Capet, followed by Valois, followed by Bourbon.
| Marie Antoinette, the last French queen of the eighteenth century, was born in which country? | French History
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Austria. Born Archduchess Maria Antonia, Antoinette was one of Empress Maria Theresa's 18 children born in Vienna, Austria.
| Prior to Versailles, the French kings lived in which famous Parisian building? | French History
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Louvre. The Louvre, one of the largest of European palaces, has become the world's largest museum.
| Louis XIV associated himself with which nature sign that became integral to the design of Versailles and has identified Louis ever since? | French History
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the sun. Prevalent in the design of Versailles is the sun, hence Louis XIV's sobriquet 'the Sun King.'
17. The last crowned 'Louis' was Louis XVIII, who reigned from 1814-24.
He was the grandson of Louis XV and a brother of Louis XVI, who was executed in the course of the French Revoultion. The latter's son, who died was (theoretically anyway, king from 1793-95) became Louis XVII upon the death of his father, but was never crowned.
| What royal or as they preferred, imperialist 'line' followed the Bourbons after the French Revolution? | French History
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Bonaparte. The Bourbon kings were followed by Napoleon Bonaparte, who took the crown out of the Pope's hands and crowned himself 'Emperor of the French' in 1804.
Louis XIV. Louis XIV reigned for 72 years. Internationally, the runner up is Britain's Victoria at 63 years.
| During the French revolution the guillotine was located in the Place de la Revolution in Paris. What is the square called now? | French History
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Place de la Concorde. At the time of the revolution, a statue of Louis XV was removed to make room for the guillotine. Now known as the Place de la Concorde, it is the largest square in Paris, and contains a huge Egyptian obelisque.
1789. The revolution began in 1789, when some hungry Parisians stormed the Bastille, and basicallly ended upon the beheading of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette in 1792. Interesting that all of the leaders of the revolution suffered the same fate during the Reign of Terror as those they condemned - the guillotine.
| France had a forerunner of internal strife and disorder about 140 years before 1789, a five year period of uprisings and power politics that caused the royal family to vacate the Louvre for Versailles. What was this period called? | The French Revolution
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La Fronde. Once the young Louis XIV saw the Louvre under attack by the Parisian mob, he vowed to move the court from Paris for two reasons: 1) protection from the mobs and 2) so he could keep an eye on the nobility whose power he was slowly stripping away. Despite mob involvement, the Fronde was primarily a struggle within the aristocracy, a bit like the War of the Roses in late medieval England.
| Marie Antoinette, France's queen, was despised by the mobs and, once Finance Minister Necker was fired (he was very popular with the peasantry because of his attempts to establish fairer taxes) Marie Antoinette was assumed to be responsible, and acquired one of her many nicknames, 'Madame _____ '? | The French Revolution
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Deficit. Marie Antoinette was held responsible for virtually every problem in France; she was even accused of bankrupting the country. Mme Deficit was but one of he many nicknames she bore.
| The 'official' start of the French revolution was not the Parisian mob's march to Versailles to demand bread, but rather the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. What was the Bastille at the time? | The French Revolution
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a little-used prison. A former fortress converted to a prison, the Bastille held only seven prisoners when stormed by the mob. The mob's main intent was not to free the prisoners, but to make a statement (a violent statement to be sure) as to the crown's unpopularity and weakness.
| The revolution gathered momentum after the Basille was taken, and the mob marched to Versailles and forced the Royal Family back to Paris. Where in Paris were they taken? | The French Revolution
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the Tuileries palace. The Tuileries palace was a former royal residence when the monarchy was situated in Paris.
| Upon the completion of a constitution by the Legislative Assembly, Louis XVI became a 'constitutional monarch', no longer ruling by 'divine right'. One of the men elected to the Assembly was called Philippe Egalite. He had a connection to the Royal family. What was his connection to Louis XVI? | The French Revolution
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his cousin. Talk about a turn-coat! Philippe Egalite was the former Duc d'Artois, the King's cousin, who even voted for Louis' death sentence. He hoped his 'new persona' would impress the members of the Legislature, resulting in a position of power for him under the new Republic. It's true that you reap what you sow, 'cause Philippe Egalite (Philip of Fairness or Equality) was ultimately himself beheaded.
| After the deaths of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the violence escalated to the point that the Legislature feared anarchy and tried to stop the now uncontrollable mobs. Thus the Reign of Terror began, opening the door for a former lawyer to rise to power. What was his name? | The French Revolution
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Maximilien de Robespierre. Extremely popular with the 'common man' (meaning the mobs), Robespierre told them just what they wanted to hear, thus centralizing his power and becoming a virtual dictator. He insisted that, thus far, the revolution had been much too easy on those perceived to be enemies of the {Republic;} trips to the guillotine increased sharply, and began to include Robespierre's political enemies. His popularity waned after no improvements to their lot in life were noticed, so the once-adoring mobs sent their former idol to the guillotine after Robespierre made an unsuccessful suicide attempt.
| The preferred method of execution was the guillotine and was once associated with the French nobility. Why? | The French Revolution
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it was considered a dignified, painless way to die. The guillotine was considered a 'dignified and painless' method of execution.
| After Louis XVI was executed, a 'constitutional monarchy' was no longer reasonable (his son, the Dauphin and future Louis XVII was only 10 years old). The Convention (formerly called the Assembly) now voted for a republic to be led by a committe five. This ruling body was known as what? | The French Revolution
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The Directory. Its name resulting from the five 'Directors' who sat on the ruling committee.
| The revolution to all intent and purpose ended when the mobs revolted once again since they deemed the constitution to be a giant step backwards. The new constitution restricted voting to the wealthier classes, for example. Military force was used to quell the rioting; citizens were now the victims of artillery fire if they got out of hand. Who was in charge of the military intervention? | The French Revolution
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Napoleon Bonaparte, a soldier formerly supported by Robespierre. Bonaparte had been unable to secure a command, and was not trusted by the people because he had been supported and backed by Robespierre. He was sucessful, however, in preventing additional rioting and found himself in charge of the entire French army.
He needed money. Louis was a bit of a spendthift. He bankrupted the treasury and wanted to create new taxes to build it up again.
To become something. The Third Estate had the majority of the French pouplation in it (about 97 percent) yet their votes did not count if the First and Second Estates voted against them.
Bastille . The mob thought that there were arms and hundreds of political prisoners inside so they 'Stormed the Bastille'. In reality there were no arms inside and about six prisoners.
A constitutional monarchy.
His fleeing strengthened the loyalties the people had for him. Louis and Marie wrote to her brother, the ruler of Austria, but he refused to give them asylum.
Robespierre. Robespierre let power go to his head and was responsible for the deaths of thousands during 'The Reign of Terror'.
The execution of approximately 17, 000 'enemies of the people'. Children were not even safe at this time if their parents were thought to be enemies of the state. They would be murdered as well.
First Consul. He later became Consul for Life and subsequently Emperor. At first he did not want the people to realize that he wanted sole power in France, so he took his power and these titles gradually.
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