French Revolution

The French Revolution was an event which began in 1789 and culminated in the execution of King Louis XVI in 1793, forever changing the political landscape of France and beginning the Reign of Terror which ultimately led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

Some historians argued that it was one of the most important events in history, creating social and political upheaval inspired by liberal and radical ideas. The monarchy was overthrown, and a Republic was established, which ultimately led to the rise of Napoleon. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

This was the First Doctor's favourite period of Earth history (TV: The Reign of Terror), once describing it as "All the turbulence of the age crammed into five years in one tiny country." (PROSE: The Man in the Velvet Mask) Indeed, the Twelfth Doctor noted that it "used to be [his] favourite period of history" because of the importance of the events, though the events themselves were "rather unpleasant". (PROSE: A History of Humankind) It was an age which the Doctor visited on several occasions.

Origins
Most historians believe that King Louis XV damaged France's power and discredited the monarchy; he notably gave away both New France and the Austrian Netherlands. He died in 1774, and his reign paved the way for the French Revoltion just fifteen years later. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

Revolution begins
The French Revolution began in 1789. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

The Sixth Doctor's companion Jason (a.k.a. the Marquis de Saint Epiman de Sinee de la Tour) was a young aristocrat living in France at the time of the Revolution. He was sentenced to death by guillotine in 1789 but was rescued by the Doctor. Later, the meddling of a Dalek caused the TARDIS to return to revolutionary France. Jason was arrested once more and his sentence was almost carried out but he managed to escape again. (AUDIO: The Ultimate Adventure)

Revolutionary-era France was the site of the First Doctor and Susan Foreman's first visit to Earth. (PROSE: Just War) Later, while attending Coal Hill School in 1963, Barbara Wright lent Susan a book called The French Revolution, in which Susan noted several historical inaccuracies. (TV: "An Unearthly Child")

The fighting was at its worst in Vendée in western France. (AUDIO: Fields of Terror)

The execution of King Louis XVI
Louis XVI was executed in 1793, forever changing the political landscape of France and beginning the Reign of Terror, in which revoltionaries guillotined suspected enemies of the state in their thousands. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

The Reign of Terror

 * Main article: Reign of Terror

The Doctor and Susan visited Revolutionary-era France again, specifically July 1794, this time with Ian Chesterton and Barbara Wright accompanying them, not long after departing 1963. (TV: The Reign of Terror)

Robespierre was executed in 1794. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

Alternate timelines
The Doctor and Dodo Chaplet later visited an alternate timeline, in which the Revolution continued longer than it did in N-Space. (PROSE: The Man in the Velvet Mask)

Behind the scenes
The French Revolution was a working title for The Reign of Terror.

One possible "game over" for the video game Don't Blink has the player being sent back in time by a Weeping Angel to the year 1789 to die in the French Revolution.