The French Revolution 1787-1804

P. M. Jones’ The French Revolution, now in its third edition, is an authoritative survey of events in France from 1787, as the power of the ancien régime began to crumble, until 1804 and the demise of the Republic. It provides a balanced and accessible account of the dramatic events of the intervening years, including the fall of the Bastille, the months of the Terror and the journey towards the creation of the First French Empire, are analysed, along with an assessment of the wider significance of the revolutionary decade.


This new edition has been fully revised and updated to include new material on citizenship, gender, equality and legal reforms, and the imperial dimension of the Revolution. The historiographical debate is brought right up to date, taking into account the most recent scholarship on the Revolution. The narrative is supported by a selection of original documents which shed light on events of the period from the perspective of those who lived through it.


With supplementary materials including a chronology, who’s who, glossary and guide to further reading, this book remains an invaluable resource for students of the French Revolution.