How the French Revolution Ignited: Bastille Day Explained

The Bastille prison, though holding only seven inmates, symbolized the absolute monarchy’s oppression and arbitrary power

France faced economic crisis—rising bread prices, heavy taxes—alongside political inequality and fear of suppression of the National Assembly

Thousands of Parisians and defecting guards marched on the Bastille seeking gunpowder and weapons—fearing royal crackdown on the Assembly

After hours of fighting—roughly four hours and around 94 casualties—the insurgents breached the fortress and seized control

Governor Bernard‑René de Launay surrendered but was killed by the crowd; his death became a grim symbol of monarchy’s downfall

The fall of the Bastille energized the National Assembly. King Louis XVI was forced to acknowledge it, marking the revolution’s irreversible march

The event triggered a wave of revolutionary fervour, leading ultimately to the abolition of feudalism and rise of republican France

Every 14 July, France celebrates with military parades and fireworks—marking its transformation from monarchy to republic starting in 1880