Table of Contents:
THE ROMANS 203 BC.
THE GERMANS 400 AD.
THE MOORS 711 AD.
CHARLEMAGNE, 768 AD.
THE BRITISH 920 AD.
JOAN OF ARC 1428 AD.
HOUSE OF BOURBON 1572 AD.
THE LAST KING 1774 AD.
NAPOLEON, 1793 AD.
REPUBLICS & EMPIRES 1816 AD.
TODAY’S REPUBLIC, 1959 AD.
French history, (Signs of man in the area we know today as France), date back to around 50,000 BC. However, it appears many of them were passing through and not settling. Currently, the remains of the oldest village in France date back only to 4650 BC.
Also, there are remains of huts from farmers and herders dating back to 4500 to 3500 BC (Chasséen Culture).
The Seine-Oise-Marne culture (3100 – 2000 BC) is the last of the Neolithic (stone age) cultures in this area. They did leave some tombs and wall art (No Monet). However, they were still hunting with arrowheads and stone axes.
After the beginning of the Bronze age, (1800 BC) we start to see signs of more inhabitants arriving. Specifically, on the banks of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.
The Greeks establish their first colony in this region at Antibes circa 680 B.C. Marseille will follow 80 years later. However, they stay close to the coast.
Celts from present-day Switzerland appear in Champagne around 450 BC. They expand as far as the Garonne River in SW France and northern Spain. They claim this area as part of their region of Gaul. From here, until the first century BC, the Celtic Tribes were the masters of Gaul. It includes all of France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and most of Switzerland. Also parts of Northern Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands. But still, there’s not much French history to tell.
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The Romans.
The Romans began invading Gaul around 203 BC. They started with Northern Italy. Moving west, they were ruling the area of Southern France by 123 BC.
To the north, the Germanic tribes of the Cimbri and Teutons are invading and overthrowing the Celts. Twenty years later, the Romans overthrow them. From 58 to 51 BC, Julius Caesar defeats the last tribe and claims all of Gaul.
As we know from history, Caesar is into dividing things. Gaul is no exception. Into three parts, he creates:
- Gallia Celtica – the former home to the Celts, is the area of Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, and the west bank of the Rhine in Germany.
- Gallia Belgica – Basically Belgium the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
- And Gallia Aquitania – A portion of Central and western France, it is the smallest of the three parts. A census in 27 BC defines Aquitania by language, race, and community. The lands east to the Loire Valley become part of Aquitania because of this. Also, it becomes an Imperial province.
For the next 400 or so years, Gallia Aquitania remains under Roman rule. In 293 AD it splits into Aquitania Prima and Secunda for more natural governing. Surprisingly, it remains a separate province with its language and laws. It flourishes during this time.
The Germans.
By 400 AD., there are six major Germanic tribes. (Many Germanic tribes were initially Scandinavian).
- Visigoths are one of two groups that emerged when the Goths (N Germany, Poland, parts of Russia) began to separate. They migrate to the western Roman territories (Spain and Portugal).
- Ostrogoths are the Goths in the southern regions of Italy, Southern Austria, and today’s Croatia.
- Vandals are in N Africa and are a mighty sea power. (They are not going to play a significant part in French History).
- Burgundians are in the eastern Germanic area, in what today is Poland.
- Lombards, are in Northern Austria and Slovakia.
- Franks are Germanic tribes in the middle and lower Rhine area.
In the early fifth century AD, they began invading the Roman provinces. The provinces are weak at this time due to the Roman Empire having two capitals (Rome and Constantinople). While they were infighting, the outer areas were falling.
By 476 AD, all of Aquitania is under the Visigoth rule. The rest of today’s France is under the Franks.
Merovingian Dynasty.
In 507 AD the Franks, following Clovis I, defeat the Visigoths. Now they have all of “France” and a good chunk of Spain.
Clovis I unites all the Frankish tribes under one ruler, himself. In other words, he is the king of the Kingdom of Franks. Also, in 508, he receives his baptism into Catholicism.
In 511 AD upon the death of Clovis I, his four sons inherit the kingdom. Immediately, they break it up into four territories.
- Austrasia is now the Netherlands, Austria, and northern Germany.
- Orleans which is the northern and central parts of France.
- Soissons, a large part consisting of southern and western France.
- Neustria is everything left in the northwest.
Interesting to point out, with each death, the lands split up more. Then through treaties, marriages, and conquest, they go back together. (You are going to see this A LOT in French history). The descendants of Clovis I, the Merovingian Dynasty, will rule until 754 AD.
At the same time, the cat is watching the bird-cage. Pepin of Herstal becomes Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace. He uses this role to peel power away from the king slowly. His son Charles Martel is his successor and continues the shift in power.
The Moors.
The Moors are a nomadic people living in North Africa. Because of this, in 711 AD., they cross the Strait of Gibraltar taking their Islamic culture and religion with them. They seize Hispania and begin to spread north. By 720 AD., they are crossing the Pyrenees Mountains and threatening to take over the Franks.
Lead by Charles Martel, the Franks stop the Arab invasion and push them back over the Pyrenees. However, the Moors will remain in Spain until 1492. Not playing a big part of French History, but they will raise their head from time to time.
Charles splits Francia between his sons, Pepin and Carloman, at his death in 741 AD. This division is the beginning of the Carolingians.
The Carolingians Dynasty.
Pepin (the Short) takes over as Mayor of the Palace and rules over the western half of Francia. Carloman takes the east. Both strive to protect the Kingdom and reform the Frankish church. In 747 AD, Carloman retires to religious life, and Pepin becomes the sole ruler.
In 752, at the request of the Carolingian family, the Pope deposes the last Merovingian king. I don’t have to tell you who becomes the new king, do I?
King Pepin begins an ambitious program to strengthen the kingdom. They reform the legislation, so the Mayor of the Palace no longer has as much power. Then he continues to support the reforms of Boniface. Moreover, Pepin secures the Pope’s position by defending him from the Lombards in Italy. Also, he acquires land for the Papal States.
Pepin dies in 768, and his sons take over. Their names are Carloman and Charlemagne.
Carloman dies of mysterious causes three years later. Funny how French history seems to have A LOT of mysterious deaths… His brother becomes the sole ruler.
Good Time Charlie.
Charlemagne defeats the Lombards, removing their power. He goes against the Saxons, offering them salvation if they convert to Christianity or death. He also leads attacks against the Muslims in Spain.
In 799 AD., people attack Pope Leo III. Feeling the Romans are treating him poorly, he makes a friendship with Charlemagne. The following year he crowns Charlemagne the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. This coronation was a jab at the Romans in Italy and a snub to the Empress in Constantinople.
With Charlemagne ruling over much of mainland Europe, it brought back peace and stability. He also began reforms for education and culture within the church.
Like father, like son.
In 813 AD., he makes his only surviving legitimate son, Louis the Pious, a co-emperor. In January of 814, Charlemagne dies.
Following in Charlemagne’s footsteps is not easy. The tribes at the edges of the Francia Kingdom would not have thought about attacking during Charlemagne’s rule. But now they are starting to pick away at the edges.
The most destructive attack of Charlemagne’s empire comes from within. Louis, wanting to guarantee the succession to his sons, makes them governors. Also, in 817 he makes his son Lothair co-emperor. And the other two sons, Pepin I and Louis, he makes kings that will report to the Emperor. The plotting and undermining began almost immediately.
Also, in 820, Louis remarries and by 823 has a new son, Charles. If there is not enough kingdom for three sons, now with four sons there is outright civil war.
In 833 AD., with the backing of the Pope, Lothair leads his troops against those of his father. Louis loses. Lothair humiliates him. Supporters of Louis’s rise up against Lothair and he runs. Louis is back on the throne the next year. French history seems to have A LOT of family problems.
History repeats itself.
Not learning, Louis again divides up the kingdom amongst his sons. In 837 he crowns Charles King of Burgundy and gives him some of Louis’s land. When his son Pepin I dies the next year, Louis declares Charles the king of that kingdom. At the same time, the locals elect Pepin’s son. And we have the third civil war. (839 AD).
This time Lothair sides with his dad (if dad will rethink the inheritance). Emperor Louis is victorious over his son Louis and grandson Pepin II. He gives both of them Bavaria. The rest of the kingdom he separates into the West and East. Lothair, for his support, chooses east. Charles inherits the western section.
The following year Emperor Louis the Pious dies. The sons are soon in a civil war which will last three years. The result, in 843 AD.,
- Lothair has the Kingdom of Italy and Middle Francia, (Lorraine, Alsace, Burgundy, Provence).
- Louis the German gets the Kingdom of Bavaria plus East Francia (what will become the Kingdom of Germany).
- Charles the Bald has the Kingdom of Aquitaine and West Francia (most of France minus what Lothair got).
Lothair dies in 855 AD dividing his land between his three sons. Provence and Lower Burgundy go to his son Charles. Upper Burgundy goes to Lothair II.
And History repeats.
Charles dies of epilepsy in 863 AD. No heir, so the land splits between his brothers. Lothair II dies in 869 AD., without an heir. His brother Louis is the rightful heir but is busy with the war. His Uncles Louis the German and Charles the Bald sweep in and take his inheritance.
Louis the German dies in 876 AD., and Charles the Bald a year later. Charles’s oldest son, Louis the Stammerer takes over. He expires two years later, and the land splits between his two sons, Louis III, and Carloman II.
Louis III dies three years later from a riding accident.
Carloman II rules for two years before dying in 884 AD. His only living male relative is Charles the Fat, youngest son of Louis the German.
This death brought all of the Carolingian Empire back together. In 887 Charles is out after his nephew leads a coup. (Did I mention anything about family feuds in French history?) He dies a few weeks later ending the all-powerful Empire. It fragments into different kingdoms with kings the local nobles elect.
The Robertian Dynasty.
Starting around 800 AD., this family is part of the nobles of Francia. Several of them would serve as lords to the Carolingian kings.
In 888 AD, the kingdom splits. The western Francia nobles chose Odo, the son of Robert the Strong, for their king. He is currently the Count of Paris and a war hero against the Vikings in Paris.
Charles III the Simple becomes king by an archbishop in 893, while Odo is still ruling. With Odo’s death in 896, Charles is the sole ruler. The Carolingians are back in power.
Charles’s place in history is for giving the Danish Viking chieftain a gift of land to keep the peace. In 911 AD., he breaks off a part of Flanders and gives it to the Viking north man (Normandy).
They continue to protect Francia from OTHER Vikings, but they also begin collecting real estate. They start with Brittany to the west, which until this time has remained independent of Francia.
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Some British Blood.
Another move by Charles that will come to play later is him marrying the King of Wessex’s (England) daughter. She bears him an heir, Louis IV. Now there’s British blood for the bloodbaths. French history seems to have A LOT of bloodsheds.
Odo’s brother Robert I contests Charles legitimacy. Charles attacks Roberts’s forces. Robert I dies, but his armies are victorious. Charles dies in prison. His wife and baby flee to England. Rudolph, Robert’s son-in-law, takes control of Francia.
As we have seen, the life expectancy in that role is not a long one. Rudolph dies in battle the next year without an heir. Hugh the White, brother of Robert I, expects to be king. But the rightful heir Louis the IV, (in England), makes a claim. He has the backing of Saxony and Burgundy, and in 936 AD he takes the Duchy of Reims.
Hugh, the Black of Burgundy, aligns with Hugh the White and wins back the Duchy of Reims from Louis. The Duchy splits between the Hughs. Charles goes into exile in England.
For the next 50 years, land grabs and marriages dilute the kingdoms. Because of this, the monarchy has very little power. In fact, in 987 they pass over the next-in-line of the Carolingian House. Instead, they choose a member of the House of Paris. The Capetians come to power.
Capetian Dynasty.
The crowning of Hugh Capet is the beginning of a new Dynasty.
They are descendants (splinters) of the Carolingian and Robertian Dynasties but have a different approach to ruling. The male-line of descendants will rule for the next 350 years. They slowly build the weak monarchy into one of the most powerful in Europe. Instead of undermining their family members, they ruin other kingdoms growing their power all over Europe. That IS different.
House of Valois.
Charles IV of the Capetian Dynasty dies in 1328 AD., without an heir. Philip, Count of Valois, Joan of Navarre, and Edward III of England are all candidates. They are all related to the Capetian Dynasty. However, due to the Salic law, Joan being a female is not eligible. Also, Edward is ineligible being a male descendant through the distaff line.
Edward did not take it lying down and claims the throne for England. By 1337 the Plantagenets of England and the Valois of France, are in a Hundred Years War for the throne of France. (Where in French history did I read something similar to this?)
In reality, it is three different wars, the Edwardian War (1337–1360) that ends in a truce. Nine years of semi-peace. The Caroline War (1369–1389), which ends in a ceasefire that holds for 26 years. And the Lancastrian War (1415–1453).
That Girl.
By 1428, the French were not doing well, and England was laying siege to Orleans. In 1429, Charles VII, still uncrowned, sends Joan of Arc into the fray. In less than two weeks she turns the tide and hands France a victory. It is the turning point and the beginning of the English retreat from France. By July of that year, Charles VII is the King of France. A year later, the Burgundians capture Joan and give her to the British as a prize. They have a bonfire in her honor.
Charles, not happy with that, turns his attention on the Burgundians. Burgundy finally falls to France in 1435 ending England’s dominance in France.
By 1453 AD., England is short on finances and soldiers and loses the last battle of the war. What starts as a rivalry between two dynasties, ends with the groundwork for standing armies and French nationalism.
This piece goes here; this piece goes.
1482 – The Duchy of Burgundy splits up. France is keeping the western part, Austria picks up Flanders and Holland.
1488 – The Duchy of Brittany falls to the Kingdom of France.
1559 – The ending of the Italian War between England, Spain, and France. The new boundaries are not too different from the French borders between Spain and Italy today. Henry II dies soon after the treaty. His wife, Catherine de’ Medici, makes sure her sons, Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry III, retain the title of King (Head) of France. Yes, she is from THAT Medici family from Florence. She controls the neck that turns the head. In 1564 she began the building of the Palace of Tuileries.
1562 – Without the Spanish or British to attack, The French turn on themselves. And so begins the first of eight French Wars of Religion between the Catholics and Protestants.
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Make Mine Bourbon.
Around 1572, Henry IV becomes King of Navarre. He also marries Marguerite de Valois, daughter of Henry II of France and Catherine de’ Medici. He is the first member of the House of Bourbon to be a monarch. This royal house is a branch of the Capetian dynasty and dates back to 1272.
1589 – Henry III of France, the last French monarch of the House of Valois, dies without an heir. Henry IV becomes the King of France due to his bloodline. In 1593, he switched from Calvinism to Catholicism to appease the Pope’s and the League of Catholics. Also, he fights to keep the Calvinists, Huguenots, and Catholics at peace. With his assassination in 1610 his nine y.o., son Louis XIII takes over, sorta.
1617 – Due to his age, his mother Marie de Medici (yes, THAT Medici family) runs the show. French history has A LOT of Italian connections…) She pushes for suppression of the Protestants. Also favorable foreign policy with the Spanish and Habsburg (Austria) governments. Reaching age, Louis XIII overturns this, exiles his mother, and appoints Cardinal Richelieu as the bishop.
Having favor with the church, and the king’s ear, Richelieu can strip the power from the nobles. This move makes the king more powerful. (towards a central government.) Also, he removes the Huguenots of their power and political rights. He gets King Louis XIII to colonize the Americas through a peaceful coexistence with the natives and colonists. Aligning with Protestant powers, he angered the church but was able to help France overthrow the dominating Hapsburg Empire.
The Sun King.
1643 – Louis XIV becomes king and continues building a central state government. He appeases the nobility by inviting them to spend large amounts of time at his Palace of Versailles. Hosting was a way to oversee them and control them. During his 72+ year reign, France was the leading power in Europe. In French history, where many kings only reign for 1-2 years, this was a record.
He expands the French reach in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. In 1673 Jolliet and Marquette discover the Mississippi River. In 1682, Lasalle followed it to the Gulf of Mexico and claimed the basin area in Louis’s name, Louisiane.
1715 – Louis XV becomes king on his father’s death. At this time, most of the fighting is over lands outside of France and outside of Europe.
1770 – A marriage made in the drawing-room. Marie Antoinette is the daughter of Empress Maria Theresa and Francis I, the King of the Holy Roman Empire. She marries Louis-Auguste, heir apparent to the French Throne.
The Last King in French History.
1774 – Louis XVI becomes king and attempts to reform France by abolishing serfdom and increase tolerance towards non-Catholics. The nobility successfully opposes this. He also supports the North American colonists in their attempt to seek independence from Great Britain.
This war puts a severe debt on France, which creates discontent in the lower and middle classes. Several years of small harvests have created a shortage. The people form a general assembly against the king.
The public also comes to dislike Marie Antoinette. They claim she spends recklessly, is promiscuous, and secretly supports the enemies of France, specifically her native Austria.
They also view the Catholic clergy living the high life at the people’s expense.
The Cake begins to crumble.
In July of 1789, the people storm the Bastille prison in Paris. They have had enough of the monarchy’s abuse of power. It is the beginning of the French Revolution. In 1791, the assembly wrote the French Constitution of 1791. It lasts less than a year.
They capture Louis and Marie attempting to flee France. They go under house arrest in the Tuileries Palace.
In August 1792, Louis went to jail. In September, France declares itself a Republic.
By December, Louis is in court for high treason. In January of 1793, he is guilty.
By a majority of one vote, they sentence him to execution. On Jan 21, he loses his head in what today is the Place de la Concorde.
The Reign of Terror.
Maximilien Robespierre creates and makes himself head of the Committee of Public Safety. His role is to solve the problems of food shortages, riots, and military defeats. Instead, he begins executing the nobles at an alarming rate. These include Marie Antoinette.
Luckily, this was a brief time in French history. After a year of this, the people demand a change and execute Robespierre. The country is in turmoil; the army is weak. Is there no one who can help them?
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The Guy with the Napoleon Complex.
1793 – Napoleone di Buonaparte, rapidly rises through the ranks of the military and is made a general at the age of 24. He suppresses a revolt against the government in 1794.
For this, he receives command of the Army of Italy. This French army on the Italian border was perhaps the worst of any military. Without supplies and pay, there was minimal discipline or motivation. In a short time, he reverses this. They then begin a military campaign against the Austrians winning almost every battle. Motivation is back.
In ten years through military wins and some political maneuvering, he becomes the first Emperor of the French. The following year, (1805), he dissolves the Holy Roman Empire with impressive wins over the Russian and Austrian Empires.
The next three years see him defeating just about everyone else in Europe. This list includes Spain, where he makes his brother the king. Spain and Portugal, with British support, revolt against him. The Peninsula War goes on for six years, during which time Russia was often trading with “the enemy.”
In 1812, to punish Russia, Napoleon attacks Russia again. Although he destroys several cities, his Grande Armee is now weak and running low on supplies, funding, and moral.
Why is everyone ganging up on the little guy?
A coalition (the sixth to go against Napoleon) made up of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain, and some German states finally defeat the French and exile Napoleon to the Island of Elba in 1814. They restore the Bourbon Dynasty to power.
Waterloo. I’m finally facing my Waterloo.
1815 – Napoleon escapes Elba and retakes control of France. The seventh Coalition meets him near Waterloo (present-day Belgium) in June of 1815. Four days later, he abdicates. This time they exile him much further away to St Helena, 1200 miles off the SW coast of Africa. “Waterloo, couldn’t escape if I wanted to…”
Louis XVIII (House of Bourbon) returns to the throne again, but France is a very different place. WHAT? No absolute ruling? There is now a constitution and former Bonapartists in the mix. So he is a king, but not in the way they have been throughout French history. He died in 1824, and the crown passes to his brother Charles.
Everything Old is New Again. Almost.
Charles is not a fan of the “new” France. Therefore, he immediately does anything he can to return it to the Ancien Régime. (the old way.) He finds defeat at almost every turn, and soon public opinion turns against him. By 1830, he abdicates and names his nine y.o. Grandson Henry, Duke of Bordeaux as his successor. Eleven days later, the Chamber of Deputies announces Louis Philippe, Charle’s cousin, the King of the French.
Under his rule, the conditions of the working class deteriorated. The economic inequality between the levels leads to the 1848 Revolutions. (The Les Miserables one) And Louis abdicates. Do you hear the people sing?
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The French Second Republic.
Facing the choice of another monarch or a new republic, the people choose a democratic government. They write a new constitution, but a poor one. There is nothing but confusion, and in 1852, the president of the new Republic declares himself emperor. He is Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon I.
Second French Empire.
The first years see censorship and repressive measures against his opponents. They end up in jail, penal colonies, or go into exile. Once his enemies are out-of-the-way, he proceeds to reconstruct the major cities of France. He modernizes the French banking and railway systems. Also, he makes the French merchant marine one of the largest in the world. He negotiates free trade agreements with other countries.
In 1870 with little preparation and no allies, France enters the Franco-Prussian war against the mighty Otto von Bismarck. The war is over in less than a year with the defeat of France and Napoleon a captive. He dies in jail a year later.
Seize them.
Back in Paris, the radical socialist Paris Commune group takes control of the city in March of 1871. They use their revolutionary army the National Guard for their muscle. At the same time, the regular French army surrounds the city, and the Siege of Paris begins. Yes, A LOT of that in French history as well.
In May, the French army breaches the walls. The National Guard is no match.
By May 23, the military takes the Montmartre butte. In revolt, the National Guardsmen set fire to public buildings that represent the government. In particular, the Tuileries Palace, home to most of Frances’s monarchs. They set the Louvre on fire, but museum staff keeps it from spreading. The Hotel de Ville (City Hall) Palais de Justice, theaters, and even the Church of Saint-Eustache go up in smoke. By May 28th, the last of the National Guard are under arrest. They are in power for just over three months. As French history goes, that’s a longer reign than some kings.
The French Third Republic.
The Second Republic collapses. I know, let’s try a republic. From 1870 to 1875 they attempt different governments. The French Constitutional Laws of 1875 finally clarify the Third Republic. It includes a president, Senate, and Chamber of Deputies. Also, this republican form of government puts an end to hopes of reestablishing a Monarchy. Did I mention there are SEVERAL republics and empires in French History?
This republic does well. The rebuilding of Paris begins. By 1889, they host a World’s Fair on the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille. Indeed, the centerpiece of the Exposition Universelle is a tower serving as the entrance arch to the fair. Mr. Eiffel’s tower is the world’s tallest structure. It remains so until 1930 when the Chrysler Building in New York surpasses it by 60 feet.
The French Third Republic lasts until 1940. The parliament gives control over to the French State (Vichy Regime) after the signing of the Armistice with Adolf Hitler.
In short, World War II is NOT a happy time for French history. They are under German occupation for most of the war.
1944 – After the liberation of Paris in August, they set up a provisional government.
The French Fourth Republic.
In 1946, they write-up yet another constitution. It does not learn much from the problems of the third one. The Fourth Republic is unstable and only lasts until 1958. During those 12 years, they will see 21 administrations.
In 1958 when the colony of Algiers begins to decolonize, the people and the military give up on the government. In short, they believe the government will sacrifice French honor for a quick settlement.
The French Fifth Republic.
The demands of the military are a new national government under General Charles De Gaulle. De Gaulle is a national hero, advocate for active military and nationalism. Also, he believes France should keep Algiers. In May 1958, the last parliament of the Fourth Republic voted to dissolve the republic. Also, they draw up a new constitution and make De Gaulle the Prime minister.
This constitution replaces the former parliamentary republic with a dual-executive system. With the president as the head of state and the Prime Minister as the head of the government. Also, the electoral college elects De Gaulle as the first president of the Fifth Republic. He begins in January of 1959.
In 1962, De Gaulle proposed the people elect the president, and this passes. French history takes its significant last step from Absolute power.
French History – Side Note.
There were also the Crusades in there somewhere. The Objectives of the first crusade (1095 AD) was to release the Holy Land from the Saracens. By the last campaign (number 9 for those keeping score), they were pretty much land grabs.
By the time the Byzantine Empire falls (1453 AD), the crusades are another chapter in French history books.