July 15, 2024 • 13 mins
Bastille Day: The Dawn of French Liberty
On the morning of July 14, 1789, Paris awoke to the rumblings of revolution. The air was thick with tension, the streets alive with whispers of change. For years, the people of France had suffered under the weight of an oppressive monarchy, a system of privilege that favored the few at the expense of the many. Now, as the sun rose over the ancient city, casting long shadows across its narrow streets and grand boulevards, the citizens of Paris were ready to seize their destiny. The Bastille, a medieval fortress turned prison, loomed over the eastern edge of the city. Its thick stone walls and imposing towers had long stood as a symbol of royal authority and arbitrary power. Within its depths lay not only a handful of prisoners but also a cache of weapons and gunpowder – precious resources in a city teetering on the brink of insurrection. As dawn broke, small groups of Parisians began to gather in the streets. Men and women from all walks of life – artisans, shopkeepers, laborers, and even some members of the bourgeoisie – came together, united in their desire for change. The spark of revolution had been lit in the days prior, with news of King Louis XVI's dismissal of his popular finance minister, Jacques Necker, spreading like wildfire through the city. The dismissal of Necker was seen as a direct attack on the reforms that many hoped would alleviate the crushing poverty and inequality that plagued France. It was the latest in a long series of missteps by a monarchy increasingly out of touch with the needs and aspirations of its people. As word spread of Necker's dismissal, so too did rumors of an impending military crackdown on the restive populace. In the Palais-Royal, that great crucible of revolutionary fervor, a young lawyer named Camille Desmoulins leapt onto a table, pistol in hand, and called the people to arms. "To arms, citizens!" he cried, his voice carrying across the crowded garden. "The moment of crisis has arrived. Necker has been dismissed. This dismissal is the tocsin of a Saint Bartholomew for patriots!" Desmoulins' impassioned plea struck a chord with the gathered crowd. The memory of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, a bloody episode from France's religious wars, hung heavy in the air. Many feared that a similar fate awaited those who dared to challenge the authority of the crown. As the morning wore on, the crowds swelled. What had begun as small gatherings soon coalesced into a vast throng, tens of thousands strong, moving with purpose through the streets of Paris. They raided the Hôtel des Invalides, seizing muskets and cannons from its armory. But it was gunpowder they needed most, and for that, they turned their eyes to the Bastille. Bernard-René de Launay, the governor of the Bastille, watched with growing alarm as the crowd gathered outside the fortress walls. De Launay was no stranger to unrest – he had been appointed to his post in part because of his experience in crowd control. But nothing in his long career had prepared him for the sea of humanity that now surged against the Bastille's gates. At first, de Launay attempted to negotiate. He invited representatives of the crowd into the fortress to verify that there were indeed no political prisoners being held within its walls. But the people were past the point of negotiation. They demanded the surrender of the fortress and the release of its gunpowder stores. As tensions mounted, shots rang out. It remains unclear to this day who fired first, but the consequences were immediate and bloody. The crowd, enraged by what they saw as a betrayal, surged forward with renewed determination. The siege of the Bastille had begun in earnest. For hours, the battle raged. The defenders of the Bastille, a mix of French and Swiss guards, fought valiantly against the overwhelming numbers of the attackers. Musket fire crackled across the July sky, while makeshift battering rams pounded against the fortress gates. As the day wore on, the tide of battle began to turn. The arrival of deserters from the French Guard, bringing with them much-needed military expertise and additional firepower, tipped the scales in favor of the revolutionaries. By mid-afternoon, it was clear that the Bastille could not hold. De Launay, realizing the hopelessness of his position, ordered his men to cease fire. He attempted to negotiate a surrender, but in the chaos of the moment, his intentions were misunderstood. As he emerged from the fortress, he was seized by the crowd. In the melee that followed, de Launay was brutally killed, his head mounted on a pike and paraded through the streets of Paris. The fall of the Bastille sent shockwaves through France and beyond. In the smoldering ruins of the once-mighty fortress, the revolutionaries found not the hundreds of political prisoners they had imagined, but only seven inmates – four forgers, two lunatics, and one dissolute aristocrat imprisoned at the request of his family
On the morning of July 14, 1789, Paris awoke to the rumblings of revolution. The air was thick with tension, the streets alive with whispers of change. For years, the people of France had suffered under the weight of an oppressive monarchy, a system of privilege that favored the few at the expense of the many. Now, as the sun rose over the ancient city, casting long shadows across its narrow streets and grand boulevards, the citizens of Paris were ready to seize their destiny. The Bastille, a medieval fortress turned prison, loomed over the eastern edge of the city. Its thick stone walls and imposing towers had long stood as a symbol of royal authority and arbitrary power. Within its depths lay not only a handful of prisoners but also a cache of weapons and gunpowder – precious resources in a city teetering on the brink of insurrection. As dawn broke, small groups of Parisians began to gather in the streets. Men and women from all walks of life – artisans, shopkeepers, laborers, and even some members of the bourgeoisie – came together, united in their desire for change. The spark of revolution had been lit in the days prior, with news of King Louis XVI's dismissal of his popular finance minister, Jacques Necker, spreading like wildfire through the city. The dismissal of Necker was seen as a direct attack on the reforms that many hoped would alleviate the crushing poverty and inequality that plagued France. It was the latest in a long series of missteps by a monarchy increasingly out of touch with the needs and aspirations of its people. As word spread of Necker's dismissal, so too did rumors of an impending military crackdown on the restive populace. In the Palais-Royal, that great crucible of revolutionary fervor, a young lawyer named Camille Desmoulins leapt onto a table, pistol in hand, and called the people to arms. "To arms, citizens!" he cried, his voice carrying across the crowded garden. "The moment of crisis has arrived. Necker has been dismissed. This dismissal is the tocsin of a Saint Bartholomew for patriots!" Desmoulins' impassioned plea struck a chord with the gathered crowd. The memory of the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, a bloody episode from France's religious wars, hung heavy in the air. Many feared that a similar fate awaited those who dared to challenge the authority of the crown. As the morning wore on, the crowds swelled. What had begun as small gatherings soon coalesced into a vast throng, tens of thousands strong, moving with purpose through the streets of Paris. They raided the Hôtel des Invalides, seizing muskets and cannons from its armory. But it was gunpowder they needed most, and for that, they turned their eyes to the Bastille. Bernard-René de Launay, the governor of the Bastille, watched with growing alarm as the crowd gathered outside the fortress walls. De Launay was no stranger to unrest – he had been appointed to his post in part because of his experience in crowd control. But nothing in his long career had prepared him for the sea of humanity that now surged against the Bastille's gates. At first, de Launay attempted to negotiate. He invited representatives of the crowd into the fortress to verify that there were indeed no political prisoners being held within its walls. But the people were past the point of negotiation. They demanded the surrender of the fortress and the release of its gunpowder stores. As tensions mounted, shots rang out. It remains unclear to this day who fired first, but the consequences were immediate and bloody. The crowd, enraged by what they saw as a betrayal, surged forward with renewed determination. The siege of the Bastille had begun in earnest. For hours, the battle raged. The defenders of the Bastille, a mix of French and Swiss guards, fought valiantly against the overwhelming numbers of the attackers. Musket fire crackled across the July sky, while makeshift battering rams pounded against the fortress gates. As the day wore on, the tide of battle began to turn. The arrival of deserters from the French Guard, bringing with them much-needed military expertise and additional firepower, tipped the scales in favor of the revolutionaries. By mid-afternoon, it was clear that the Bastille could not hold. De Launay, realizing the hopelessness of his position, ordered his men to cease fire. He attempted to negotiate a surrender, but in the chaos of the moment, his intentions were misunderstood. As he emerged from the fortress, he was seized by the crowd. In the melee that followed, de Launay was brutally killed, his head mounted on a pike and paraded through the streets of Paris. The fall of the Bastille sent shockwaves through France and beyond. In the smoldering ruins of the once-mighty fortress, the revolutionaries found not the hundreds of political prisoners they had imagined, but only seven inmates – four forgers, two lunatics, and one dissolute aristocrat imprisoned at the request of his family
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Bastille Day, the Dawn of Frenchliberty. On the morning of July fourteenth,
seventeen eighty nine, Paris awoke tothe rumblings of revolution. The air
was thick with tension, the streetsalive with whispers of change. For years,
the people of France had suffered underthe weight of an oppressive monarchy,
a system of privilege that favored thefew at the expense of the many.
(00:22):
Now, as the sun rose overthe ancient city, casting long shadows across
its narrow streets and grand boulevards,the citizens of Paris were ready to seize
their destiny. The Bastille, amedieval fortress turned prison, loomed over the
eastern edge of the city. Itsthick stone walls and imposing towers had long
stood as a symbol of royal authorityand arbitrary power. Within its depths lay
(00:45):
not only a handful of prisoners,but also a cache of weapons and gunpowder,
precious resources in a city teetering onthe brink of insurrection. As dawn
broke, small groups of Parisians beganto gather in the streets, men and
women from from all walks of life, Artisans, shopkeepers, laborers and even
some members of the bourgeoisie came together, united in their desire for change.
(01:10):
The spark of revolution had been litin the days prior, with news of
King Louis sixteen thinks dismissal of hispopular finance minister Jacques Nequier, spreading like
wildfire through the city, and thedismissal of Necker was seen as a direct
attack on the reforms that many hopedwould alleviate the crushing poverty and inequality that
plagued France. It was the latestin a long series of missteps by a
(01:32):
monarchy increasingly out of touch with theneeds and aspirations of its people. As
words spread of Necker's dismissal, sotoo did rumors of an impending military crackdown
on the rest of populace. Inthe Palais Royal, that great crucible of
revolutionary fervor, a young lawyer namedCamille des Moulin leaped onto a table,
pistol in hand, and called thepeople to arms. To arms, citizens,
(01:56):
he cried, his voice carrying acrossthe crowded garden. The moment of
Christ Jesus has arrived. Necker hasbeen dismissed. This dismissal is the tocsin
of a Saint Bartholomew. For patriots, Demelen's impassioned plea struck a chord with
the gathered crowd. The memory ofthe Saint Bartholomew's Day massacre, a bloody
episode from France's religious wars, hungheavy in the air. Many feared that
(02:19):
a similar fate awaited those who daredto challenge the authority of the crown.
As the morning wore on, thecrowd swelled. What had begun as small
gatherings soon coalesced into a vast throng, tens of thousands strong. Moving with
purpose through the streets of Paris,they raided the Hotel des Envalide, seizing
muskets and cannons from its armory.But it was gunpowder they needed most,
(02:43):
and for that they turned their eyesto the Bastille. Bernard Reinet Delaunay,
the governor of the bastille, watchedwith growing alarm as the crowd gathered outside
the fortress walls. Delaunay was nostranger to unrest. He had been appointed
to his post in part because ofhis experience in but nothing in his long
career had prepared him for the seaof humanity that now surged against the Bastille's
(03:07):
gates. At first, Delauney attemptedto negotiate. He invited representatives of the
crowd into the fortress to verify thatthere were indeed no political prisoners being held
within its walls. But the peoplewere past the point of negotiation. They
demanded the surrender of the fortress andthe release of its gunpowder stores. As
tensions mounted, shots rang out.It remains unclear to this day who fired
(03:29):
first, but the consequences were immediateand bloody. The crowd, enraged by
what they saw as a betrayal,surged forward with renewed determination. The siege
of the Bastille had begun in earnest. For hours, the battle raged.
The defenders of the Bastille, amix of French and Swiss guards, fought
valiantly against the overwhelming numbers of theattackers. Musket Fire crackled across the July
(03:52):
sky, while makeshift battering rams poundedagainst the fortress gates. As the day
wore on, the tide of battlebegan to the arrival of deserters from the
French Guard, bringing with them muchneeded military expertise and additional fire power tipped
the scales in favor of the revolutionaries. By mid afternoon, it was clear
that the Bastille could not hold Delaonnay, realizing the hopelessness of his position,
(04:16):
ordered his men to cease fire.He attempted to negotiate a surrender, but
in the chaos of the moment,his intentions were misunderstood. As he emerged
from the fortress, he was seizedby the crowd. In the melee that
followed, Delaunay was brutally killed,his head mounted on a pike and paraded
through the streets of Paris. Thefall of the Bastille sent shockwaves through France
(04:38):
and beyond. In the smoldering ruinsof the once mighty fortress, the revolutionaries
found not the hundreds of political prisonersthey had imagined, but only seven inmates,
four forgers, two lunatics, andone dissolute aristocrat, imprisoned at the
request of his family. Yet thesymbolic power of the Bastille's fall far outweighed
(04:59):
its practical significance. News of theevents spread rapidly across France, carried by
writers and messengers to every corner ofthe nation. In Versailles, the opulent
palace that had long served as theseat of absolute monarchy. King Louis sixteenth
was awakened in the night with wordof the Bastille's fall. Is it a
revolt, the king asked sleepily.No, sire, replied the Duke de
(05:21):
la Rochefucot Leoncour. It is arevolution. The Duke's words would prove prophetic.
The fall of the Bastille marked notjust the end of a day of
violence in Paris, but the beginningof a new era in French and indeed
world history. It was a watershedmoment, a point of no return in
the long struggle between the old orderof absolute monarchy and the new ideals of
(05:44):
liberty, equality and fraternity. Inthe days that followed, the revolution gathered
momentum. The National Assembly, whichhad been formed in the weeks prior to
July fourteenth, seized the initiative.They began the monumental task of drafting a
new constitution for France, one thatwould enshrine the rights of man and citizen.
The impact of the Bastille's fall reverberatedfar beyond the borders of France.
(06:10):
Across Europe, monarchs watched with growingalarm As news of the events in Paris
spread, many feared that the revolutionaryfervor would spread to their own realms,
toppling thrones that had stood for centuries. In England, the young poet William
Wordsworth captured the excitement of the momentin his poem the Prelude bliss Was it
in that dawn to be alive?But to be young was very heaven?
(06:33):
Wordsworth's words encapsulated the sense of possibilityand hoped that the French Revolution inspired in
its early days. For many,it seemed that a new world was being
born, one in which the oldhierarchies and injustices would be swept away,
replaced by a society founded on reasonand the innate rites of man. Yet,
(06:54):
even as the revolutionaries celebrated their victory, darker currents were stirring beneath the
surface of fro French society. Thefall of the Bastille had unleashed forces that
would prove difficult, if not impossible, to control. The violence that had
marked the storming of the fortress wasbut a preview of the bloodshed to come.
In the countryside, news of theBastille's fall sparked a wave of peasant
(07:15):
uprisings known as the Great Fear.Fueled by rumors of aristocratic plots and foreign
invasions, peasants across France took uparms, attacking manor houses and destroying the
records of their feudal obligations. TheNational Assembly, faced with this rising tide
of rural violence, took decisive action. On August fourth, seventeen eighty nine.
(07:36):
In a night long session that wouldgo down in history, the representatives
of the nobility and clergy voluntarily renouncedtheir ancient privileges. It was a moment
of high drama and noble sentiment,but it also marked the beginning of the
end for the old feudal order inFrance. As summer gave way to autumn,
the revolution continued to unfold at adizzying pace. In October, a
(07:59):
mob of Parisatian women, angered bythe high price and scarcity of bread,
marched on Versailles. They forced theroyal family to return with them to Paris,
effectively making the king a prisoner ofthe revolution. The following year,
on July fourteenth, seventeen ninety,a grand festival was held on the Champ
de Mars to commemorate the fall ofthe Bastille. The Fete de la Feracion,
(08:20):
as it was known, was intendedto celebrate the unity of the French
nation and the new constitutional monarchy.King Louis sixteenth took an oath to uphold
the constitution, and for a briefmoment it seemed that France might find a
peaceful path forward, balancing the traditionsof monarchy with the new ideals of the
revolution. But the unity celebrated atthe Fete de la Feracion would prove short
(08:43):
lived. The revolution, set inmotion by the fall of the Bastille,
continued to radicalize. The King,never fully reconciled to his diminished role,
attempted to flee the country in Juneseventeen ninety one. He was caught at
Varennes and brought back to Paris indisgrace, his flight seen as proof of
it treachery to the revolutionary cause.As the revolution progressed, the memory of
(09:05):
July fourteenth seventeen eighty nine took onan almost mythic quality. The Bastille,
once a symbol of royal oppression,became, in its absence, a powerful
emblem of revolutionary achievement. Its stonescarted away and sold as souvenirs were transformed
into tangible relics of the birth ofFrench liberty. At the site where the
Bastille had stood did not remain emptyfor long. In its place rose a
(09:26):
column dedicated to liberty, topped witha statue of a winged figure, the
Genie de la liberte. This column, which still stands today, serves as
a constant reminder of the events ofJuly fourteenth and the ideals that inspired them.
As the years passed, July fourteenthbecame enshrined as a national holiday in
France. The first official celebration ofBastille Day, as it came to be
(09:48):
known internationally, took place on Julyfourteenth, eighteen eighty. By this time,
France had weathered not only the tumultuousyears of the Revolution and the Napoleonic
era, but also the restoration ofthe monarchy and the establishment of the Third
Republic. The decision to make Julyfourteenth a national holiday was not without controversy.
(10:09):
Some argued that it glorified a dayof violence and mob rule. Others
pointed out that the Fete de laFederacion of seventeen ninety, with its message
of national unity, might be amore appropriate event to commemorate. In the
end, the law establishing the holidaydeliberately left it vague, referring simply to
the fourteen Juillet without specifying which year'sevents were being celebrated. Today, Bastille
(10:31):
Day remains the national day of France, celebrated with military parades, fireworks and
public festivities. The largest and mostfamous of these celebrations takes place in Paris,
where a military parade marches down theChamps Lyizie, echoing the path taken
by the revolutionaries over two centuries ago. Yet, even as the French celebrate,
(10:52):
the complexities and contradictions of the revolutionsparked by the fall of the Bastille
continue to resonate. The tension betweenliberty and order, between radical change and
respect for tradition that mark the revolutionaryera still shapes political discourse in France and
beyond. The legacy of July fourteenth, seventeen eighty nine is not a simple
one. It is a legacy ofhope and violence, of high ideals and
(11:15):
brutal realities. It reminds us ofthe power of popular movements to reshape the
world, but also of the dangersinherent in unleashing forces that may prove impossible
to control. As we look backon that fateful day in Paris, we
are reminded of the words of Alexisde Tauqueville that keen observer of democracy in
America and France. Writing decades afterthe revolution, Taluqville noted in a revolution,
(11:39):
as in a novel, the mostdifficult part to invent is the end.
The end of the story, begunon July fourteenth, seventeen eighty nine,
is still being written each Bastille Day. As the tricolor flag flies over
Paris and La marseillees rings out acrossthe nation, the French people, and
indeed people around the world, areinvited to reflect on the meaning of liberty,
(12:00):
equality and fraternity in their own time. The fall of the Bastille marked
the beginning of a new chapter inhuman history, one in which the divine
right of kings would give way tothe sovereignty of the people. It was
a moment when the world glimpsed thepossibility of a society founded on reason and
rights rather than tradition and privilege.Yet the story of Bastille Day is also
(12:22):
a cautionary tale, a reminder thatrevolutions, once begun, often take on
a life of their own. Thehigh ideals of seventeen eighty nine would in
the years that followed, be testedby the terror, by war, and
by the rise of Napoleon. Thepath from the Bastille to true democracy would
prove long and winding, marked bysetbacks and reversals. As we contemplate the
(12:46):
events of July fourteenth, seventeen eightynine, we are reminded of the power
of symbols and the enduring impact ofmoments that capture the imagination of a people.
The Bastille, transformed from a prisoninto an emblem of liberation, stands
as a testament to the way inwhich history is not just lived, but
constantly reimagined and reinterpreted. And inthe end, Bastille Day is more than
(13:09):
just a celebration of a single dayin French history. It is a celebration
of the human spirit's eternal quest forfreedom and justice. It is a day
to remember that the work of buildinga just society is never finished, that
each generation must take up anew thechallenge of defending and expanding the rights won
by those who came before. Asthe sun sets on another July fourteenth,
casting its golden light across the Cityof Light. We are reminded of the
(13:33):
words of Victor Hugo. There isone thing stronger than all the armies in
the world, and that is anidea whose time has come. On that
summer day in seventeen eighty nine,the idea of liberty proved stronger than the
walls of the Bastille. It isan idea that continues to inspire and challenge
us to this day. Inette,thanks for listening and remembered alike and share
(13:54):
wherever you get your podcasts.
Bastille Day, the Dawn of Frenchliberty. On the morning of July fourteenth,
seventeen eighty nine, Paris awoke tothe rumblings of revolution. The air
was thick with tension, the streetsalive with whispers of change. For years,
the people of France had suffered underthe weight of an oppressive monarchy,
a system of privilege that favored thefew at the expense of the many.
(00:22):
Now, as the sun rose overthe ancient city, casting long shadows across
its narrow streets and grand boulevards,the citizens of Paris were ready to seize
their destiny. The Bastille, amedieval fortress turned prison, loomed over the
eastern edge of the city. Itsthick stone walls and imposing towers had long
stood as a symbol of royal authorityand arbitrary power. Within its depths lay
(00:45):
not only a handful of prisoners,but also a cache of weapons and gunpowder,
precious resources in a city teetering onthe brink of insurrection. As dawn
broke, small groups of Parisians beganto gather in the streets, men and
women from from all walks of life, Artisans, shopkeepers, laborers and even
some members of the bourgeoisie came together, united in their desire for change.
(01:10):
The spark of revolution had been litin the days prior, with news of
King Louis sixteen thinks dismissal of hispopular finance minister Jacques Nequier, spreading like
wildfire through the city, and thedismissal of Necker was seen as a direct
attack on the reforms that many hopedwould alleviate the crushing poverty and inequality that
plagued France. It was the latestin a long series of missteps by a
(01:32):
monarchy increasingly out of touch with theneeds and aspirations of its people. As
words spread of Necker's dismissal, sotoo did rumors of an impending military crackdown
on the rest of populace. Inthe Palais Royal, that great crucible of
revolutionary fervor, a young lawyer namedCamille des Moulin leaped onto a table,
pistol in hand, and called thepeople to arms. To arms, citizens,
(01:56):
he cried, his voice carrying acrossthe crowded garden. The moment of
Christ Jesus has arrived. Necker hasbeen dismissed. This dismissal is the tocsin
of a Saint Bartholomew. For patriots, Demelen's impassioned plea struck a chord with
the gathered crowd. The memory ofthe Saint Bartholomew's Day massacre, a bloody
episode from France's religious wars, hungheavy in the air. Many feared that
(02:19):
a similar fate awaited those who daredto challenge the authority of the crown.
As the morning wore on, thecrowd swelled. What had begun as small
gatherings soon coalesced into a vast throng, tens of thousands strong. Moving with
purpose through the streets of Paris,they raided the Hotel des Envalide, seizing
muskets and cannons from its armory.But it was gunpowder they needed most,
(02:43):
and for that they turned their eyesto the Bastille. Bernard Reinet Delaunay,
the governor of the bastille, watchedwith growing alarm as the crowd gathered outside
the fortress walls. Delaunay was nostranger to unrest. He had been appointed
to his post in part because ofhis experience in but nothing in his long
career had prepared him for the seaof humanity that now surged against the Bastille's
(03:07):
gates. At first, Delauney attemptedto negotiate. He invited representatives of the
crowd into the fortress to verify thatthere were indeed no political prisoners being held
within its walls. But the peoplewere past the point of negotiation. They
demanded the surrender of the fortress andthe release of its gunpowder stores. As
tensions mounted, shots rang out.It remains unclear to this day who fired
(03:29):
first, but the consequences were immediateand bloody. The crowd, enraged by
what they saw as a betrayal,surged forward with renewed determination. The siege
of the Bastille had begun in earnest. For hours, the battle raged.
The defenders of the Bastille, amix of French and Swiss guards, fought
valiantly against the overwhelming numbers of theattackers. Musket Fire crackled across the July
(03:52):
sky, while makeshift battering rams poundedagainst the fortress gates. As the day
wore on, the tide of battlebegan to the arrival of deserters from the
French Guard, bringing with them muchneeded military expertise and additional fire power tipped
the scales in favor of the revolutionaries. By mid afternoon, it was clear
that the Bastille could not hold Delaonnay, realizing the hopelessness of his position,
(04:16):
ordered his men to cease fire.He attempted to negotiate a surrender, but
in the chaos of the moment,his intentions were misunderstood. As he emerged
from the fortress, he was seizedby the crowd. In the melee that
followed, Delaunay was brutally killed,his head mounted on a pike and paraded
through the streets of Paris. Thefall of the Bastille sent shockwaves through France
(04:38):
and beyond. In the smoldering ruinsof the once mighty fortress, the revolutionaries
found not the hundreds of political prisonersthey had imagined, but only seven inmates,
four forgers, two lunatics, andone dissolute aristocrat, imprisoned at the
request of his family. Yet thesymbolic power of the Bastille's fall far outweighed
(04:59):
its practical significance. News of theevents spread rapidly across France, carried by
writers and messengers to every corner ofthe nation. In Versailles, the opulent
palace that had long served as theseat of absolute monarchy. King Louis sixteenth
was awakened in the night with wordof the Bastille's fall. Is it a
revolt, the king asked sleepily.No, sire, replied the Duke de
(05:21):
la Rochefucot Leoncour. It is arevolution. The Duke's words would prove prophetic.
The fall of the Bastille marked notjust the end of a day of
violence in Paris, but the beginningof a new era in French and indeed
world history. It was a watershedmoment, a point of no return in
the long struggle between the old orderof absolute monarchy and the new ideals of
(05:44):
liberty, equality and fraternity. Inthe days that followed, the revolution gathered
momentum. The National Assembly, whichhad been formed in the weeks prior to
July fourteenth, seized the initiative.They began the monumental task of drafting a
new constitution for France, one thatwould enshrine the rights of man and citizen.
The impact of the Bastille's fall reverberatedfar beyond the borders of France.
(06:10):
Across Europe, monarchs watched with growingalarm As news of the events in Paris
spread, many feared that the revolutionaryfervor would spread to their own realms,
toppling thrones that had stood for centuries. In England, the young poet William
Wordsworth captured the excitement of the momentin his poem the Prelude bliss Was it
in that dawn to be alive?But to be young was very heaven?
(06:33):
Wordsworth's words encapsulated the sense of possibilityand hoped that the French Revolution inspired in
its early days. For many,it seemed that a new world was being
born, one in which the oldhierarchies and injustices would be swept away,
replaced by a society founded on reasonand the innate rites of man. Yet,
(06:54):
even as the revolutionaries celebrated their victory, darker currents were stirring beneath the
surface of fro French society. Thefall of the Bastille had unleashed forces that
would prove difficult, if not impossible, to control. The violence that had
marked the storming of the fortress wasbut a preview of the bloodshed to come.
In the countryside, news of theBastille's fall sparked a wave of peasant
(07:15):
uprisings known as the Great Fear.Fueled by rumors of aristocratic plots and foreign
invasions, peasants across France took uparms, attacking manor houses and destroying the
records of their feudal obligations. TheNational Assembly, faced with this rising tide
of rural violence, took decisive action. On August fourth, seventeen eighty nine.
(07:36):
In a night long session that wouldgo down in history, the representatives
of the nobility and clergy voluntarily renouncedtheir ancient privileges. It was a moment
of high drama and noble sentiment,but it also marked the beginning of the
end for the old feudal order inFrance. As summer gave way to autumn,
the revolution continued to unfold at adizzying pace. In October, a
(07:59):
mob of Parisatian women, angered bythe high price and scarcity of bread,
marched on Versailles. They forced theroyal family to return with them to Paris,
effectively making the king a prisoner ofthe revolution. The following year,
on July fourteenth, seventeen ninety,a grand festival was held on the Champ
de Mars to commemorate the fall ofthe Bastille. The Fete de la Feracion,
(08:20):
as it was known, was intendedto celebrate the unity of the French
nation and the new constitutional monarchy.King Louis sixteenth took an oath to uphold
the constitution, and for a briefmoment it seemed that France might find a
peaceful path forward, balancing the traditionsof monarchy with the new ideals of the
revolution. But the unity celebrated atthe Fete de la Feracion would prove short
(08:43):
lived. The revolution, set inmotion by the fall of the Bastille,
continued to radicalize. The King,never fully reconciled to his diminished role,
attempted to flee the country in Juneseventeen ninety one. He was caught at
Varennes and brought back to Paris indisgrace, his flight seen as proof of
it treachery to the revolutionary cause.As the revolution progressed, the memory of
(09:05):
July fourteenth seventeen eighty nine took onan almost mythic quality. The Bastille,
once a symbol of royal oppression,became, in its absence, a powerful
emblem of revolutionary achievement. Its stonescarted away and sold as souvenirs were transformed
into tangible relics of the birth ofFrench liberty. At the site where the
Bastille had stood did not remain emptyfor long. In its place rose a
(09:26):
column dedicated to liberty, topped witha statue of a winged figure, the
Genie de la liberte. This column, which still stands today, serves as
a constant reminder of the events ofJuly fourteenth and the ideals that inspired them.
As the years passed, July fourteenthbecame enshrined as a national holiday in
France. The first official celebration ofBastille Day, as it came to be
(09:48):
known internationally, took place on Julyfourteenth, eighteen eighty. By this time,
France had weathered not only the tumultuousyears of the Revolution and the Napoleonic
era, but also the restoration ofthe monarchy and the establishment of the Third
Republic. The decision to make Julyfourteenth a national holiday was not without controversy.
(10:09):
Some argued that it glorified a dayof violence and mob rule. Others
pointed out that the Fete de laFederacion of seventeen ninety, with its message
of national unity, might be amore appropriate event to commemorate. In the
end, the law establishing the holidaydeliberately left it vague, referring simply to
the fourteen Juillet without specifying which year'sevents were being celebrated. Today, Bastille
(10:31):
Day remains the national day of France, celebrated with military parades, fireworks and
public festivities. The largest and mostfamous of these celebrations takes place in Paris,
where a military parade marches down theChamps Lyizie, echoing the path taken
by the revolutionaries over two centuries ago. Yet, even as the French celebrate,
(10:52):
the complexities and contradictions of the revolutionsparked by the fall of the Bastille
continue to resonate. The tension betweenliberty and order, between radical change and
respect for tradition that mark the revolutionaryera still shapes political discourse in France and
beyond. The legacy of July fourteenth, seventeen eighty nine is not a simple
one. It is a legacy ofhope and violence, of high ideals and
(11:15):
brutal realities. It reminds us ofthe power of popular movements to reshape the
world, but also of the dangersinherent in unleashing forces that may prove impossible
to control. As we look backon that fateful day in Paris, we
are reminded of the words of Alexisde Tauqueville that keen observer of democracy in
America and France. Writing decades afterthe revolution, Taluqville noted in a revolution,
(11:39):
as in a novel, the mostdifficult part to invent is the end.
The end of the story, begunon July fourteenth, seventeen eighty nine,
is still being written each Bastille Day. As the tricolor flag flies over
Paris and La marseillees rings out acrossthe nation, the French people, and
indeed people around the world, areinvited to reflect on the meaning of liberty,
(12:00):
equality and fraternity in their own time. The fall of the Bastille marked
the beginning of a new chapter inhuman history, one in which the divine
right of kings would give way tothe sovereignty of the people. It was
a moment when the world glimpsed thepossibility of a society founded on reason and
rights rather than tradition and privilege.Yet the story of Bastille Day is also
(12:22):
a cautionary tale, a reminder thatrevolutions, once begun, often take on
a life of their own. Thehigh ideals of seventeen eighty nine would in
the years that followed, be testedby the terror, by war, and
by the rise of Napoleon. Thepath from the Bastille to true democracy would
prove long and winding, marked bysetbacks and reversals. As we contemplate the
(12:46):
events of July fourteenth, seventeen eightynine, we are reminded of the power
of symbols and the enduring impact ofmoments that capture the imagination of a people.
The Bastille, transformed from a prisoninto an emblem of liberation, stands
as a testament to the way inwhich history is not just lived, but
constantly reimagined and reinterpreted. And inthe end, Bastille Day is more than
(13:09):
just a celebration of a single dayin French history. It is a celebration
of the human spirit's eternal quest forfreedom and justice. It is a day
to remember that the work of buildinga just society is never finished, that
each generation must take up anew thechallenge of defending and expanding the rights won
by those who came before. Asthe sun sets on another July fourteenth,
casting its golden light across the Cityof Light. We are reminded of the
(13:33):
words of Victor Hugo. There isone thing stronger than all the armies in
the world, and that is anidea whose time has come. On that
summer day in seventeen eighty nine,the idea of liberty proved stronger than the
walls of the Bastille. It isan idea that continues to inspire and challenge
us to this day. Inette,thanks for listening and remembered alike and share
(13:54):
wherever you get your podcasts.
Popular Podcasts
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.