THE FALL OF BASTILLE

Godine 1789., u Francuskoj je vladao lʼAncien Régime ili stari poredak, koji je prolazio kroz ekonomsku i društvenu krizu. Društvo je bilo podijeljeno na tri staleža: svećenstvo, plemstvo i treći stalež, onaj najbrojniji, ali s najmanje osobnih prava. Francuska je bila apsolutistička monarhija, s kraljem Lujem XVI. na vlasti. Zbog teškog stanja u privredi, seljaci započinju bune koje su, uz aristokraciju, potaknule kralja da sazove zasjedanje Generalnih staleža za 5. svibnja 1789. godine. Nakon tjedana zasjedanja nemiri su se nastavili i povećavali sredinom srpnja postavljanjem trupa oko Pariza i Versaillesa od strane kralja, a prerastaju u građansku pobunu kada se saznalo za otpuštanje generalnog kontrolora financija Neckera. Konačni ishod je bio ustanak u Parizu, 14. srpnja, kada pobunjeni građani s ciljem naoružavanja, provode niz napada na ustanove koje su posjedovale potrebno oružje. Zauzimaju i Bastille, zloglasni zatvor koji predstavlja kraljevu apsolutnu moć, nakon dugotrajnog sukoba s braniteljima zatvora. Kralj je nakon pada Bastille udaljio trupe, što označava kraj njegove vlasti. Zauzimanje Bastille imalo je odjeka u gradovima i selima, gdje također nastaju pobune protiv lokalnih vlasti. Pad Bastille predstavlja početak Francuske revolucije, a njeno rušenje predstavlja kraj starog poretka.In 1789, France was under Ancien Régime or the old regime, which was going through an economic and social crisis. Society was divided in estates: the clergy, the nobility and the third estate the most numerous but with the fewest personal rights. France was an absolute monarchy, with King Louis XVI in power. Due to the difficult economic situation, the peasants began riots, which, along with the aristocracy, prompted the king to convene the Estates-General on May 5, 1789. After weeks the riots, continued and increased in mid July when the king deployed troops around Paris and Versailles, became a revolt when the news about the dismissal of the finance minister Necker became known. The final outcome was an insurrection in Paris, on July 14, when the uprisen citizens, with the aim of arming themselves, carried out a series of attacks on institutions that possessed the necessary weapons. The biggest and most important institution taken, after a long conflict with the prison's defenders was the Bastille, an infamous prison that represents the king’s absolute power. After the fall of the Bastille, the king removed the troops, which marks the end of his rule. The occupation of the Bastille had repercussions in towns and villages, where riots against local authorities also took place. The fall of the Bastille marks the beginning of the French revolution, and its demolition marks the end of the old regime