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History of France France was first called Gaul when it was inhabited by numerous tribes. However, in 52 BC, Caesar conquered the entire region and Gaul became part of the Roman Empire. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Clovis conquered Gaul. He was the leader of the Franks, from whom the name of France is taken. In 800, Charlemagne became Emperor, crowned by the Pope himself. He largely expanded the territory. That was the beginning of the kingdom of France. France went through numerous wars, many of those against England. The longest was the Hundred Years’ War, during which Joan of Arc led the French during the fourteenth century. There was also endless tension between the Catholics and the Protestants, which culminated in the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre in 1572. Louis XIV, the Sun King, continued to involve France in many wars, but he also patronized the arts and built the magnificent Château de Versailles. The French people eventually grew tired of being governed and heavily taxed under a monarchy. In 1789, they decided to revolt against the monarchy. They wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizens, explaining fundamental principles at the base of the French Republic. The Revolution was followed by a period of political instability until Napoléon Bonaparte’s coup. He made himself Emperor and conquered most of Europe. Napoléon’s legacy is still important nowadays, as many of the laws, the Napoleonic Code, which he created, are actually still used in France. The Emperor was nevertheless defeated in 1815, and France went back to a monarchy. It wasn’t until 1870 that a state republic was permanently established. © 2012 Middlebury Interactive Languages. All rights reserved. This material is intended for the exclusive use of registered users only. No portion of these materials may be reproduced or redistributed in any form without the express permission of Middlebury Interactive Languages.