What were the French Revolutionary Wars?

The French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802) were conflicts that were sparked by the French Revolution (1789-1799). The wars were fought by Revolutionary France against several European powers, most notably Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Britain. They resulted in the rise of Napoleon and led to the Napoleonic Wars.

What ended the French Revolutionary Wars?

The French Revolutionary Wars are usually said to have ended in 1802 with the Treaty of Amiens, however, the fighting would continue until 1815 under the category of the Napoleonic Wars.

How many revolutionary wars did France have?

France had two revolutionary wars: the War of the First Coalition (1792-1797) and the War of the Second Coalition (1798-1802). However, there were several additional wars that were related to the French Revolution, including the War in the Vendée, the Federalist Revolts, the Haitian Revolution, and the Quasi-War.

What caused the French Revolutionary Wars?

The French Revolutionary Wars were caused by the hostilities that formed between France and the monarchs of Europe due to the French Revolution.

French Revolutionary Wars Timeline

Definition

The French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1802) were a series of conflicts that arose from the tensions surrounding the French Revolution (1789-1799). The wars were fought between Revolutionary France and several European powers, most notably Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, and Great Britain. Ten years of conflict resulted in a French victory and the rise of Napoleon.

More about: French Revolutionary Wars

Timeline

5 May 1789
The Estates-General convenes in Versailles for the first time in 175 years.
14 Jul 1789
The Bastille in Paris is stormed.
27 Aug 1791
Austria and Prussia release the Declaration of Pillnitz, threatening Revolutionary France with military action.
20 Apr 1792
Revolutionary France declares war on Austria, sparking the War of the First Coalition.
20 Sep 1792
The Battle of Valmy results in a French victory over Prussian invaders.
6 Nov 1792
The Battle of Jemappes results in a victory for the French Republic over an Austrian army, allowing for the French conquest of Belgium.
Feb 1793
The French Republic calls for 300,000 new soldiers to be raised, by conscription if necessary, prompting revolt across the nation.
18 Mar 1793
The Battle of Neerwinden results in an Austrian victory, driving the French Republican forces from Belgium.
23 Aug 1793
The levée en masse is enacted, flooding France's armies with conscripts.
6 Sep 1793 - 8 Sep 1793
The Battle of Hondschoote results in a victory for the French Republic over an Anglo-Hanoverian army during the French Revolutionary Wars.
6 Sep 1793 - 8 Sep 1793
Battle of Hondschoote results in victory for the French Republic over an Anglo-Hanoverian-Hessian army
13 Sep 1793
Battle of Menin results in a victory for the French Republic over a Dutch army.
25 Sep 1793
General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan takes command of the French Army of the North during the War of the First Coalition.
15 Oct 1793 - 16 Oct 1793
Battle of Wattignies results in victory for the French Republic over an Austrian army.
Nov 1793 - Feb 1794
Drownings at Nantes; between 1,100 and 4,000 Vendean rebels and Catholic clerics are drowned in the Loire River by French Republican soldiers.
24 Jun 1794
The French are victorious at the Battle of Fleurus; their armies remain ascendent for the rest of the War of the First Coalition.
Jan 1795
The Dutch Republic falls and is replaced by the Batavian Republic, first of the French satellite states known as sister republics.
Apr 1795 - Jun 1795
Prussia and Spain exit the French Revolutionary Wars with the treaties of Basel.
10 Apr 1796 - 2 Apr 1797
Napoleon Bonaparte's Italian Campaign.
17 Oct 1797
Austria and France sign the Treaty of Campo Formio, ending the War of the First Coalition.
May 1798 - Sep 1801
Napoleon's Campaign in Egypt and Syria serves as a catalyst for the formation of the Second Coalition.
1 Aug 1798
The French fleet anchored at Aboukir Bay is completely destroyed by a British fleet under Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile.
12 Nov 1798 - 25 Jun 1802
The War of the Second Coalition.
25 Mar 1799
French General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan is defeated by a larger Austrian army under Archduke Charles at the Battle of Stockach.
15 Apr 1799
Russian Field Marshal Alexander Suvorov takes command of Allied forces in Italy.
27 Aug 1799 - 27 Oct 1799
The Anglo-Russian invasion of Holland, led by the Duke of York, ends in failure.
25 Sep 1799
The Second Battle of Zurich results in a French victory against an Austro-Russian army.
14 Jun 1800
First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte narrowly defeats an Austrian army at the Battle of Marengo.
3 Dec 1800
French General Jean-Victor Moreau beats the Austrians at the Battle of Hohenlinden.
2 Apr 1801
The British attack a Danish fleet at the First Battle of Copenhagen, because of Denmark's participation in the League of Armed Neutrality.
25 Mar 1802
The French Republic and the United Kingdom sign the Treaty of Amiens, ending hostilities between the two nations.