The French Revolution: Difference between revisions

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** Another variant, apparently popular among hardline royalists and later ultraconservatives, involved the Revolution being an anti-Christian conspiracy to destroy the "proper order" of the ''Ancien Regime'' and bring about the End Times. Coincidentally, the same theory is more or less used for other events and trends, ranging from the [[American Revolution]] to Vatican II.
** Another variant, apparently popular among hardline royalists and later ultraconservatives, involved the Revolution being an anti-Christian conspiracy to destroy the "proper order" of the ''Ancien Regime'' and bring about the End Times. Coincidentally, the same theory is more or less used for other events and trends, ranging from the [[American Revolution]] to Vatican II.
* [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]]: The Battle of Valmy. With a [[Ragtag Bunch of Misfits|Ragtag Army of Misfits]], too. Ask Goethe, he was there. They ''did'' bring a poet.
* [[Crowning Moment of Awesome]]: The Battle of Valmy. With a [[Ragtag Bunch of Misfits|Ragtag Army of Misfits]], too. Ask Goethe, he was there. They ''did'' bring a poet.
** More generally, the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolutionary_War French Revolutionary Wars] stand as a Crowning Moment for France as a whole. The brand new republic is in chaos, its treasury is empty, and it's surrounded by hostile powers who want to destroy it. What does it do? Get some help from Poland, Denmark and Norway, and proceed to kick the asses of Germany, Britain, Spain, Russia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, Turkey ''and'' Italy, expanding its territory in the process. This was also where [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] earned the reputation that would eventually lead him to found the French Empire.
** More generally, the [[wikipedia:French Revolutionary War|French Revolutionary Wars]] stand as a Crowning Moment for France as a whole. The brand new republic is in chaos, its treasury is empty, and it's surrounded by hostile powers who want to destroy it. What does it do? Get some help from Poland, Denmark and Norway, and proceed to kick the asses of Germany, Britain, Spain, Russia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria, Turkey ''and'' Italy, expanding its territory in the process. This was also where [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] earned the reputation that would eventually lead him to found the French Empire.
* [[Decapitation Presentation]]: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hinrichtung_Ludwig_des_XVI.png Look!]
* [[Decapitation Presentation]]: [[wikipedia:File:Hinrichtung Ludwig des XVI.png|Look!]]
* [[Decided By One Vote]]: Louis XVI's [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution#Execution_of_Louis_XVI execution]. Sort of.
* [[Decided By One Vote]]: Louis XVI's [[wikipedia:French Revolution#Execution of Louis XVI|execution]]. Sort of.
* [[Disproportionate Retribution]]: During the Terror, you could be convicted as a counter-revolutionary on the slimmest evidence, leading to people being executed for some pretty ridiculous things.
* [[Disproportionate Retribution]]: During the Terror, you could be convicted as a counter-revolutionary on the slimmest evidence, leading to people being executed for some pretty ridiculous things.
** One could actually be executed for not being enthusiastic enough, let alone against the Revolution.
** One could actually be executed for not being enthusiastic enough, let alone against the Revolution.
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* [[Self-Made Man]]: Arguably, [[Napoleon Bonaparte]]. The Revolution had given him an opportunity to rise up the ranks to become the legendary general-turned-Emperor known to history. Especially through a mix of ability (merit replacing social standing in the military) and connections with some of the Revolution's leaders.
* [[Self-Made Man]]: Arguably, [[Napoleon Bonaparte]]. The Revolution had given him an opportunity to rise up the ranks to become the legendary general-turned-Emperor known to history. Especially through a mix of ability (merit replacing social standing in the military) and connections with some of the Revolution's leaders.
* [[Wooden Ships and Iron Men]]: The Revolution helped create this trope - the Ancien Regime had sometimes managed to defeat Britain at sea (most notably during [[The American Revolution]]) but the loss of France's best naval officers (as they were aristocrats) left Britain facing a weakened opponent and led to the string of victories that created Britain's naval mythos.
* [[Wooden Ships and Iron Men]]: The Revolution helped create this trope - the Ancien Regime had sometimes managed to defeat Britain at sea (most notably during [[The American Revolution]]) but the loss of France's best naval officers (as they were aristocrats) left Britain facing a weakened opponent and led to the string of victories that created Britain's naval mythos.
* [[Wouldn't Hit a Girl]]: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Women%27s_March_on_Versailles How the king was forced back to Paris from Versailles].
* [[Wouldn't Hit a Girl]]: [[wikipedia:The Womenchr(27)s March on Versailles|How the king was forced back to Paris from Versailles]].
** Also [[Amazon Brigade]]: the Revolutionary Republican Women [[Blonde Republican Sex Kitten|(NOT to be confused with...)]].
** Also [[Amazon Brigade]]: the Revolutionary Republican Women [[Blonde Republican Sex Kitten|(NOT to be confused with...)]].
* [[Upperclass Twit]]: Whatever else you think about Marie and Louis, it's pretty obvious they had no clue what they were doing. The other French aristocrats weren't much more efficient, and [[Aristocrats Are Evil|most higher clergy and nobles constantly blocked any economic reforms that would help the country]] ([[Money, Dear Boy|since said reforms would also require them to give up some of their cash and nobility privileges]]). Others (usually poorer ones) supported them, some because they sincerely believed the country needed change. Others opposed reforms just because they hated Calonne.
* [[Upperclass Twit]]: Whatever else you think about Marie and Louis, it's pretty obvious they had no clue what they were doing. The other French aristocrats weren't much more efficient, and [[Aristocrats Are Evil|most higher clergy and nobles constantly blocked any economic reforms that would help the country]] ([[Money, Dear Boy|since said reforms would also require them to give up some of their cash and nobility privileges]]). Others (usually poorer ones) supported them, some because they sincerely believed the country needed change. Others opposed reforms just because they hated Calonne.
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