The 80 years of the French transition from monarchy to democracy

King Louis XVI

House of Bourbon (1589–1792)

• Louis XVI (1774-1792) - King of France from 1774 until he was deposed during the French Revolution in 1792. He was later executed in 1793.

French First Republic 1792–1804

1. National Convention (1792-1795) - During the French Revolution, the National Convention served as the governing body of France. It had various leaders, including Maximilien Robespierre, Georges Danton, and Jean-Paul Marat.
2. Directory (1795-1799) - The Directory was a five-member executive committee that governed France during the later years of the French Revolution. It was led by different individuals, including Paul Barras and Jean-François Reubell.
3. Napoleon Bonaparte (1799-1804) - After a coup d'état, Napoleon Bonaparte became First Consul in 1799 and later declared himself Emperor of the French in 1804, establishing the First French Empire.

House of Bonaparte, First Empire (1804–1814)

• First French Empire (1804-1814/1815) - Under Napoleon Bonaparte's rule, France became an empire. He was the Emperor of the French until his first abdication in 1814, followed by a brief return in 1815 known as the Hundred Days.

House of Bourbon (1815–1830)

1. Louis XVIII (1814-1824) - After Napoleon's final defeat, Louis XVIII, a member of the House of Bourbon, was restored to the throne as King of France.
2. Charles X (1824-1830) - Louis XVIII's younger brother, Charles X, succeeded him as King of France but was overthrown during the July Revolution of 1830.

House of Orléans, July Monarchy (1830–1848)

• July Monarchy (1830-1848) - Following the July Revolution, a constitutional monarchy known as the July Monarchy was established. Its monarchs were Louis-Philippe I, known as the "Citizen King," and his son Louis-Philippe II.

French Second Republic (1848–1852)

• Second French Republic (1848-1852) - The Second French Republic was proclaimed after the overthrow of the July Monarchy. Its presidents included Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, who later became Emperor Napoleon III.

House of Bonaparte, Second Empire (1852–1870)

• Second French Empire (1852-1870) - Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, now Napoleon III, declared himself Emperor of the French, establishing the Second French Empire.

Adolphe Thiers, first President of the French Third Republic.

French Third Republic (1870–1940)

1. Government of National Defense (1870-1871) - The Government of National Defense was established during the Franco-Prussian War and played a key role in the defense of France. Its leaders included Louis Jules Trochu and Léon Gambetta.
2. Third French Republic (1870-1940) - After the fall of the Second French Empire, the Third French Republic was proclaimed. It had a series of presidents, including Adolphe Thiers, Jules Grevy, and Raymond Poincaré.