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This is a timeline of French history, comprising important legal changes and political events in France and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of France. See also the list of Frankish kings, French monarchs, and presidents of France.
History of France. The first written records for the history of France appeared in the Iron Age. What is now France made up the bulk of the region known to the Romans as Gaul. Greek writers noted the presence of three main ethno-linguistic groups in the area: the Gauls, Aquitani and Belgae.
- Wars Over Land and Religion
- French Revolution and Napoleon
- World Wars
- Postwar France
In 1066 the French duke of Normandy conquered England. Because of that connection to France, English kings later claimed parts of France for themselves. This led to many battles between the two countries. One particularly difficult period was the Hundred Years’ War, which began in 1337. France was close to defeat when a peasant girl named Joan of A...
During the 1600s France became the greatest power in Europe. Louis XIV, who reigned from 1643 to 1715, raised the power of the king to new heights. In the 1700s, however, France lost a series of costly foreign wars. At home, political disorder and public anger resulted in the French Revolutionin 1789. This uprising by the French people led to the e...
Germany invaded France in 1914, at the beginning of World War I. France and its allies narrowly defeated Germany during that war. Less than 30 years later, however, Germany again invaded France, during World War II. Part of the French army, called the Free French, escaped to England under General Charles de Gaulle. Free French, U.S., and British fo...
In the 1950s and 1960s France lost two colonies—Vietnam and Algeria— that it had controlled for many years. Nevertheless, France’s political and economic power grew. In 1993, France became one of the original members of the European Union(EU). France faced economic difficulties at the end of the 1900s and the beginning of the 2000s. Many people wer...
KidZone History: France. 58BC - Roman Empire in France begins as Julius Caesar conquers Gaul. 600AD - Territory is named France as the Roman Empire ends and the Franks take over. 1066AD - William of Normandy becomes King of England. 1305 - The Pope moves to Avignon for a period of time.
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Learn about major events in French history, with timelines and interesting facts about France. From Roman Gaul to Revolutions, see the moments that shaped a nation.