Napoleon Bonaparte is born on the island of Corsica (15 Aug)
James Cook lands at Botany Bay
American colonists with the support of French troops fight for independence from Great Britain
Napoleon begins military school at Brienne at nine years of age
La Pérouse sets sail with the Astrolabe and the Boussole
Napoleon graduates and becomes an officer
The First Fleet arrives at Botany Bay (18 Jan)
La Pérouse arrives off the coast of Botany Bay (24 Jan)
Arthur Phillip' s First Fleet lands at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson (26 Jan)
Crop failures cause famine, the price of bread doubles
American colonists with the support of French troops fight for independence from Great Britain
MoreNapoleon begins military school at Brienne at nine years of age
MoreArthur Phillip' s First Fleet lands at Sydney Cove in Port Jackson (26 Jan)
MoreThe Third Estate declares itself a National Assembly and in the Tennis Court Oath swears to draw up a new Constitution for France. (17 Jun)
MoreThe first Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen is issued by The National Assembly (27 Aug)
MoreReign of Terror in which up to 40,000 people are beheaded on the guillotine begins. (Sep 1793 – Jul 1794)
MoreMarie Antoinette, wife of Louis XVI is tried, convicted of treason and beheaded (16 Oct)
MoreFrance is ruled by a government of five Directors – the Directory.
MoreSlavery is abolished in French colonies by the Convention under the leadership of Robespierre (4Feb)
MoreA new constitution is adopted and the French Republic is led by a group of five Directors
MoreIn what comes to be known as the Thermidorean Reaction the National Convention revolts against the excesses of the Reign of Terror (27 Jul)
MoreThe victory in The Battle of Arcole cemented the 26 year-old Napoleon’s reputation as a soldier/general and most importantly, enhanced his popularity...
MoreNapoleon marries Marie-Josèphe Rose de Tascher de la Pagerie, who changes her name to Josèphine at his request (9 Mar)
MoreThe key battle of the Egyptian campaign, The Battle of the Pyramids, 21 Jul 1798, between French troops led by Bonaparte and 21,000 Egyptian Mameluke...
MoreNapoleon is involved in a coup d’état that leads to the fall of the Directory which is replaced by a new government of three Consuls.
MoreThe Consular Period (1800 – 1804) in which Napoleon is made First Consul.
MoreNapoleon personally leads his forces across the alps defeating the Austrian forces at the Battle of Marengo (14 Jun).
MoreNicolas Baudin departs Le Havre in the ships Géographe and Naturaliste (19 Oct)
MoreMatthew Flinders departs Spithead in the Investigator (18 Jul)
MoreTreaty of Amiens is signed between British and French (25 Mar). Peace lasts until 18 May 1803.
MoreSlavery re-established in the French colonies under Napoleon (20 May).
MoreThe German campaign culminates in the Battle of Austerlitz (Dec 2) in which French forces defeat Austro- Russian forces, effectively ending the Third...
MoreSecond Treaty of Paris is signed between France and Seventh Coalition.
MoreNapoleon dies (5 May ). His last words were ‘France, the Army, the Head of the Army, Josephine’. Napoleon’s body was returned to France and in 1840...
MoreAll of Australia is claimed as British territory.
More