When and why was the Bastille built?
Built in the 1300s during the Hundred Years’ War against the English, the Bastille was designed to protect the eastern entrance to the city of Paris. The formidable stone building’s massive defenses included 100-foot-high walls and a wide moat, plus more than 80 regular soldiers and 30 Swiss mercenaries standing guard.
In what year was the Bastille built?
1383
Bastille/Opened
Who led Bastille?
| Storming of the Bastille | |
|---|---|
| Civilian insurgents French Guards mutineers | Royal government |
| Commanders and leaders | |
| Pierre Hulin Stanislas Maillard Jacob Élie | Bernard-René Jourdan de Launay |
| Strength |
Where was the Bastille built?
Paris
Storming of the Bastille/Location
When was the Bastille built in Paris France?
Early history of the Bastille The Bastille was built between 1370 and 1383 as part of the defences of Paris, and Charles VI of France reputedly converted the structure into a prison in the 17th century. At that time it primarily housed political prisoners, but also religious prisoners and young rakes held at the request of their families.
Who was the first person to use the Bastille?
In the 17th century a transverse block was built, dividing the inner court into unequal parts. Cardinal de Richelieu was the first to use the Bastille as a state prison, in the 17th century; the yearly average number of prisoners was 40, interned by lettre de cachet, a direct order of the king, from which there was no recourse.
Why was the Bastille used as a prison?
It was built in the fourteenth century to defend Paris against the English and started to be used as a prison in the reign of Charles VI. This was still its most (in)famous function by the era of Louis XVI, and the Bastille had seen a lot of prisoners across the years.
Where did the storming of the Bastille take place?
The Storming of the Bastille (French: Prise de la Bastille [pʁiz də la bastij]) occurred in Paris, France, on the afternoon of 14 July 1789. The medieval fortress, armory, and political prison in Paris known as the Bastille represented royal authority in the centre of Paris.