1789-07-14 00:00:00

French Revolution Begins

1792-09-05 00:00:00

The republican "Convention;" ends in Robespierre's terror

1792-09-22 00:00:00

French Republic Declared

1793-01-21 00:00:00

Louis XVI executed

1795-11-01 00:00:00

Le Directoire

1796-11-01 00:00:00

Jean Valjean sent to galleys at Toulon

1799-11-08 00:00:00

Bonaparte takes command

1802-02-26 00:00:00

Birth of Victor Hugo

1804-12-02 00:00:00

French Empire; Rise and Fall of Napoleonic Empire

1815-06-18 00:00:00

Reign of Louis XVIII

1815-11-01 00:00:00

Jean Valjean released on parole; Cosette and Eponine born

Valjean is released from prison, finds no one will hire him because he is a criminal. Ends up at the house of the Bishop, where he steals the Bishop's silver. The police are called, but the Bishop claims the silver was a gift and basically buys Valjean's soul for God.

1820-02-26 00:00:00

"Ode on the Death of the Due de Berri" published

Caught the attention of French court; Louis XVIII sends him 500 francs.

1821-02-26 00:00:00

Death of Sophie Hugo, his mother

1823-02-26 00:00:00

Son Léopold born; dies in infancy

1823-11-01 00:00:00

Fantine Dies; Valjean becomes a prisoner again

Promises Fantine he will take care of her daughter, but she dies before he can reunite them. Learns that another man has been mistaken for him and has been sentenced to a life in prison. Valjean reveals himself and is sent back to jail.

1823-11-01 00:00:00

Jean Valjean becomes mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer

1824-02-25 00:00:00

Birth of Léopoldine Hugo

1824-03-01 10:53:16

Valjean escapes the galleys, and rescues Cosette; they move to Paris

1824-09-16 00:00:00

Reign of Charles X

1825-02-26 00:00:00

Awarded the Légion d'Honneur for services to literature

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1826-11-04 00:00:00

Birth of Hugo's second son, Charles-Victor

1828-01-29 00:00:00

Death of Léopold-Sigisbert Hugo, his father

1828-10-28 00:00:00

Birth of Hugo's third son, François-Victor

1830-02-25 00:00:00

Premiere of "Hernani"

Interrupted by fist fights between its admirers and detractors.

1830-07-27 12:50:24

July Rebellion of 1830

In response to Bourbon Restoration

1830-08-09 00:00:00

Reign of Louis Philippe

1830-08-24 00:00:00

Birth of Adéle Hugo

1831-01-14 00:00:00

Notre Dame de Paris Published

1831-03-01 10:53:16

Marius and Cosette meet

1832-01-14 00:00:00

Hugo meets Juliette Drouet

Was his mistress and inspiration for almost 50 years.

1832-06-05 00:00:00

June Rebellion

After the funeral of General Lamarque, revolutionaries begin to build the barricade, but French soliders shut down the revolution, killing Eponine, Gavroche, Enjolras, and the other revolutionaries. Valjean saves Marius because he loves Cosette.

1832-06-05 00:00:00

June Rebellion

1832-06-05 00:00:00

Funeral of General Lamarque

1832-06-06 00:00:00

Javert commits suicide

1833-06-05 00:00:00

Marius and Cosette marry

1833-11-05 00:00:00

Jean Valjean dies

1841-01-07 00:00:00

Hugo is elected to the Académie Française

1843-09-04 00:00:00

Death of Léopoldine Hugo

Drowned with her husband in the Seine; many poems written by Hugo in response.

1845-09-04 00:00:00

Hugo starts writing Les Miserables

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1848-02-22 00:00:00

Paris Uprising of 1848

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1851-12-02 00:00:00

Victor Hugo leaves for Brussels

1851-12-02 00:00:00

Coup d'État de 1851

Coup staged by Louis-Napoleon to stay in power; resulted in dissolution of the French National Assembly and restoration of French Empire

1852-12-02 00:00:00

Hugo settles in Jersey then in Guernsey (independent British isles)

1852-12-02 00:00:00

Louis Napoleon declares himself Emperor

1853-12-02 00:00:00

Publishes "Les Châtiments"

Book of poetry, most poems written in mid 1840s-mid 1853s. Was expanded in 1870.

1856-12-02 00:00:00

Publishes "Les Contemplations"

1862-12-02 00:00:00

Les Miserables Published

1868-08-27 00:00:00

Adèle Foucher Hugo dies

1870-07-19 00:00:00

Franco Prussian War

1870-08-27 00:00:00

Returns to Paris; elected to Parliament