Novelist Victor Hugo began planning a major novel about social misery and injustice as early as the 1830s, but it would take a full 17 years for Les Misérables to be written and finally published in 1862.

1789 French Revolution

1789-1799 First Republic is created, but steadily loses its ability to govern. France descends into a reign of terror, dictatorship, and bloody civil strife.

1789-1799 A brilliant young artillery officer named Napoleon Bonaparte rises from second leiutenant to general, stages a coup d’etat, and becomes “First Consul” of France.

1802 Napoleon is crowned “Emperor of the French 1802 Napoleon is crowned “Emperor of the French.” He conquers much of Europe and makes many popular liberal reforms throughout Europe.

Some of Napoleon’s reforms: Legalizes divorce. Creates the Napoleonic Code, which is still the basis of legal systems in Mexico and many other countries. Introduces the Metric System throughout Europe, which makes it easy for scientists, engineers, and mathematicians from different countries to work together.

1812 Napoleon invades Russia but it turns out to be a military disaster.

1814 Napoleon is defeated and forced to give up his throne 1814 Napoleon is defeated and forced to give up his throne. He is exiled to island of Elba.

1815 Napoleon sneaks back into France and raises another Grand Armee, but is defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

1816 Napoleon is exiled to the tiny island of St 1816 Napoleon is exiled to the tiny island of St. Helena, in the middle of the South Atlantic, until his death.

1816 The French monarchy is restored with a line of kings from the House of Bourbon .

1830 There is a Second French Revolution 1830 There is a Second French Revolution. The unpopular Bourbon kings are replaced with a king from the House of Orleans.

1832 Another attempted revolution, which was crushed in less than two days, was witnessed by Victor Hugo when he was 30 years old. It inspired his setting for Les Miserables.

Over the next few decades, the government replaced most of narrow, medieval streets of Paris with wide boulevards so that protestors could not block them with barricades.

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