France

When American Minister in Paris, writes Stuart Andrews, Jefferson was a sympathetic witness of the events of 1789.

In the spring of 1777, writes Arnold Whitridge, an ardent young French nobleman set sail from Bordeaux to avenge himself against Britain.

French expansion, writes Michael Langley, in North and West Africa during the nineteenth century was an impressive colonial achievement.

At Toulon, writes Stephen Usherwood, the Royal Navy first became deeply involved in the affairs of the French Revolution.

Geoffrey Warner describes a politically polarising event which would later influence the formation of French fascism and the Vichy state.

Christopher Sykes describes how the last Tsar of Russia, as well as Adolf Hitler and other anti-Semites, were among those taken in by this spurious publication.

Robert Knecht revisits an article marking 400 years since the assassination of Henry III of France and asks why the last Valois king has attracted so little attention from English-speaking historians.

“It is time that the abuse of his enemies should be appreciated in its true light, and not accepted as impartial history merely because they happened to be distinguished men.” By Theodore Zeldin.

Born on the banks of the Rhone, this enlightened French missionary was the first European to carry out a comprehensive survey of the manners and customs of the Hindus. Roderick Cameron describes how the book that he wrote, which he published with the encouragement of the British East India Company, remains a classic in its own field.

No other leader of the French Revolution held the centre of the revolutionary stage so long as Robespierre. George Rudé portrays him as its personification and guiding spirit — a man of lofty aspirations, though according to the popular legend a fanatical man of blood.