We call it Bastille Day. To the people of France it is National Day, a commemoration of the storming of the 14th century fort and political prison by a Paris mob. The event was one of many in the early days of the revolution and not particularly significant in that it yielded only a handful of prisoners and a few cannons. Still, it was of great symbolic value in efforts to overthrow the monarchy. Three years later the monarchy was indeed terminated with the execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antionette.
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| La Prise de la Bastille Jean-Pierre Houel (1735-1813) |
What followed the revolution was eight decades of political and social unrest as France and Europe as a whole struggled with the concept of nationalism. Essentially Europe would not experience relative peace and stability until 1870 and the beginning of the Belle Epoch which would last until the advent of the World War I in 1914. For more information about the event, the revolution it spawned, and its significance in national and world politics, visit this brief and well-done post by The Ohio State University.
For an expression of the patriotism July 14 represents to the people of France there is but one song and image, the French national anthem, La Marseillaise:
Tremblez, tyrans et vous, perfides, l'opprobre de tous les partis!
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