Charles Martel crushes the Umayyad Caliphate at the Battle of Tours
Charlemagne is proclaimed a King of the Franks
French troops defeat the English at the Battle of Castillon, the last battle of the Hundred Years' War
Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre results in death of thousands of Huguenots
Henry IV issues the Edict of Nantes
The Peace of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years' War
Louis XIV dies
The Directory wins control over the National Convention
Napoleon suffers defeat at the Battle of Waterloo
Louis-Napoleon becomes president of the Second Republic
Victor Hugo writes monumental work, Les Misérables
The Treaty of Versailles is signed, effectively ending World War I
An Allied invasion of Normandy Beach leads to French liberation
Camille Saint-Saëns composes The Carnival of the Animals
Charles De Gaulle resigns as provisional president
Algeria gains independence from France
Francois Hollande is elected the new president of France
France joins the European Coal and Steel Community
Student revolts in France lead to a national strike
The Euro is introduced in France after more than 600 years of using the franc
Vichy France is handed over to Henri Pétain
France hosts its first Winter Olympics in Chamonix
A hunting lodge built by Louis XIII becomes the foundation for the Palace of Versailles
Hugh Capet becomes the first Capetian King of the Franks
The 'French Championships' is born; this is the foundation for the French Open
France hosts and wins the FIFA World Cup