NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Military history of France

The military history of France encompasses an immense panorama of conflicts and struggles extending for more than 2,000 years across areas including modern France, greater Europe, and European territorial possessions overseas. Because of such lengthy periods of warfare, the peoples of France have often been at the forefront of military development, and as a result, military trends emerging in France have had a decisive impact on European and world history. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (860x468, 36 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Military history of France ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (860x468, 36 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Military history of France ... Henry IV of France, also Henry III of Navarre (13 December 1553 â€“ 14 May 1610), ruled as King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. ... The Battle of Ivry was fought on March 14, 1590, during the French Wars of Religion. ... Peter Paul Rubens (June 28, 1577 â€“ May 30, 1640) was a prolific seventeenth-century Flemish and European painter, and a proponent of an exuberant Baroque style that emphasized movement, color, and sensuality. ... The French Wars of Religion were a series of conflicts fought between Catholics and Huguenots (Protestants) from the middle of the sixteenth century to the Edict of Nantes in 1598, including civil infighting as well as military operations. ... Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated with the doctrines of the Reformation. ... This article or section should include material from France: Wars of Religion - Bourbon Dynasty The House of Bourbon dates from at least the beginning of the 13th century, when the estate of Bourbon was ruled by a Lord, vassal of France. ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Â· Other religions Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury Â· Catholic Pope Coptic Pope Â· Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box: As a... Image File history File links Portal. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... This is a list of former European colonies. ... The Treaty of Rome signing ceremony From prehistoric to modern times, the human History of Europe has been turbulent, cultured, and much-documented. ... For the history of Earth which includes the time before human existence, see History of Earth. ...

Gallo-Roman conflict predominated from 400 BC to 50 BC, with the Romans emerging victorious in the conquest of Gaul by Julius Caesar. After the decline of the Roman Empire, a Germanic tribe known as the Franks took control of Gaul by defeating competing tribes. The "land of Francia," from which France gets its name, had high points of expansion under kings Clovis I and Charlemagne. In the Middle Ages, rivalries with England and the Holy Roman Empire prompted major conflicts such as the Hundred Years' War. With an increasingly centralized monarchy and the first standing army since Roman times, France came out of the Middle Ages as the most powerful nation in Europe, only to lose that status to Spain following defeat in the Italian Wars. The Wars of Religion crippled France in the late sixteenth century, but a major victory over Spain in the Thirty Years' War, with help from Sweden, made France the most powerful nation on the continent once more. The wars of Louis XIV in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries left France territorially larger and bankrupt. This article covers the culture of Romanized areas of Gaul. ... BC may stand for: Before Christ (see Anno Domini) : an abbreviation used to refer to a year before the beginning of the year count that starts with the supposed year of the birth of Jesus. ... Combatants Roman Republic Several Gallic tribes Commanders Julius Caesar Titus Labienus Mark Antony Quintus Cicero Vercingetorix, Ambiorix, Commius, among other The Gallic Wars were a series of military campaigns by several invading Roman legions under the command of Julius Caesar into Gaul, and the subsequent uprisings of the Gallic tribes. ... For other uses, see Julius Caesar (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... The term Germanic tribes applies to the ancient Germanic peoples of Europe. ... This article is about the Frankish people and society. ... Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... Clovis I (variously spelled Chlodowech or Chlodwig, giving modern French Louis and modern German Ludwig) (c. ... Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... Combatants France Castile Scotland Genoa Majorca Bohemia Crown of Aragon Brittany England Burgundy Brittany Portugal Navarre Flanders Hainaut Aquitaine Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire The Hundred Years War was a conflict between France and England, lasting 116 years from 1337 to 1453. ... Combatants France, the Holy Roman Empire, the states of Italy (notably the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples, the Papal States, Florence, and the Duchy of Ferrara), England, Scotland, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, the Swiss, Saxony, and others The Italian Wars, often referred to as... The French Wars of Religion were a series of conflicts fought between Catholics and Huguenots (Protestants) from the middle of the sixteenth century to the Edict of Nantes in 1598, including civil infighting as well as military operations. ... Combatants Sweden (from 1630) Bohemia Denmark-Norway (1625-1629) Dutch Republic France Scotland England Saxony Holy Roman Empire ( Catholic League) Spain Austria Bavaria Denmark-Norway (1643-1645) Commanders Frederick V Buckingham Leven Gustav II Adolf â€ Johan Baner Cardinal Richelieu Louis II de Bourbon Turenne Christian IV of Denmark Bernhard of... Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638–September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ...

In the eighteenth century, global competition with Great Britain led to defeat in the Seven Years' War, where France lost its North American holdings, but consolation came in the form of the American Revolutionary War, where extensive French aid led to America's independence.^[3] Internal political upheaval eventually led to 23 years of nearly continuous conflict in the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. France reached the zenith of its power during this period, dominating the European continent in an unprecedented fashion, but by 1815 it had been restored to its pre-Revolutionary borders. The rest of the nineteenth century witnessed the growth of the French colonial empire and wars with Russia, Austria, and Prussia. Following defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, Franco-German rivalry reasserted itself again in World War I, this time France, with British and to a much lesser extent, American aid, emerging as the winner. Tensions over the Versailles Treaty led to the Second World War, where it was defeated in the Battle of France. The Allies eventually emerged victorious over the Germans, however, and France was given an occupation zone in Germany. The two world wars destroyed Franco-German rivalry and paved the way for European integration, economically, politically, and militarily. Today, French military intervention is most often seen in its former colonies and with its NATO allies. Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Great Britain and its American Colonies Electorate of Hanover Iroquois Confederacy Kingdom of Portugal Electorate of Brunswick Electorate of Hesse-Kassel Philippines Archduchy of Austria Kingdom of France Empire of Russia Kingdom of Sweden Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Naples and... Capital Quebec Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholicism Government Monarchy King See List of French monarchs Governor See list of Governors Legislature Sovereign Council of New France Historical era Ancien RÃ©gime in France - Royal Control 1655 - Articles of Capitulation of Quebec 1759 - Articles of Capitulation of Montreal 1760 - Treaty... This article is about military actions only. ... Engraving based on the painting Action Between the Serapis yo and Bonhomme Richard by Richard Paton, published 1780. ... Combatants Great Britain Austria Prussia Spain[1] Russia Sardinia Ottoman Empire Portugal Dutch Republic[2] France The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states. ... Combatants Austria[a] Portugal Prussia[a] Russia[b] Sicily[c] Sardinia Spain[d] Sweden[e] United Kingdom French Empire Holland[f] Italy Etruria[g] Naples[h] Duchy of Warsaw[i] Confederation of the Rhine[j] Bavaria Saxony Westphalia WÃ¼rttemberg Denmark-Norway[k] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack... For the French colonial postage stamps, see French Colonies. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with South German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III FranÃ§ois Achille Bazaine Patrice de Mac-Mahon, duc de Magenta Otto von Bismarck Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Strength 400,000 at wars beginning 1,200,000 Casualties 150,000... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... This article is about the Treaty of Versailles of June 28, 1919, which ended World War I. For other uses, see Treaty of Versailles (disambiguation) . The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was a peace treaty that officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Canada Czechoslovakia Poland Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg Germany Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) Leopold III H.G. Winkelman Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) H.R.H. Umberto di... This article is about the independent states that comprised the Allies. ... The C-Pennant Occupation zones in Germany (1945) Capital Berlin (de jure) Political structure Military occupation Governors (1945) - UK zone F.M. Montgomery - French zone Gen. ... European integration is the process of political and economic (and in some cases social and cultural) integration of European states into a tighter bloc. ... Organization The French armed forces are divided into four branches: French Army, including Chasseurs Alpins Foreign Legion Marine troops light aviation engineers Navy, including Naval Air naval fusiliers and naval commandos Air Force, including territorial Air Defense air fusiliers National Gendarmerie (military police force) Every year on Bastille Day, a... This article is about the military alliance. ...

Themes in French military history

European conflicts

French strategic thinking has often been driven by the need to attain or preserve the so-called "natural frontiers," the Pyrenees to the southwest, the Alps to the southeast, and the Rhine River to the east. Starting with Clovis, 1,500 years of warfare has witnessed the accomplishment of most of these objectives, with modern-day France lacking only about two-thirds of the Rhine, which is in Germany. France is territorially the largest country in Western Europe. map of France, converted directly from CIA World Factbook GIF map of france converted directly from the world atlas File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... map of France, converted directly from CIA World Factbook GIF map of france converted directly from the world atlas File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ... Pic de Bugatetin the NÃ©ouvielle Natural Reserve Central Pyrenees For the mountains in Victoria, Australia, see Pyrenees (Victoria). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Rhine canyon (Ruinaulta) in Graubünden in Switzerland Length 1. ... Clovis I (variously spelled Chlodowech or Chlodwig, giving modern French Louis and modern German Ludwig) (c. ... A current understanding of Western Europe. ...

Warfare with other European powers was not always determined by these considerations, and often rulers of France extended their continental authority far beyond these barriers, most notably under Charlemagne, Louis XIV, and Napoleon. These periods of heavy militaristic activity were characterized by their peculiar sociopolitical and war-related conventions, but all required strong central leadership in order to permit the extension of French rule.

Important military rivalries in human history have come about as a result of conflict between French peoples and other European powers. Anglo-French rivalry, for preeminence in Europe and around the world, continued for centuries, while the more recent Franco-German rivalry required two world wars to stabilize. French involvement in these protracted geostrategic clashes was at times both successful and unsuccessful. The wars themselves had complex political dimensions, often involving alliance systems that rarely remained static and that yielded dynamic solutions on the battlefield.

Imperial objectives and post-colonial status

Starting in the early sixteenth century, much of France's military efforts were dedicated to securing its overseas possessions and putting down dissent among both French colonists and native populations. French troops were spread all across its empire, primarily to deal with the local population. This phase of French militarism only came to an end with the failed attempt to subdue Algerian nationalists in the late 1950s. However, even in the twenty-first century, many former French colonies still expect France to provide assistance to put down revolutionary activity.

Since World War II, France's efforts have been directed at maintaining its status as a great power and its influence on the UN Security Council, despite the fact its military capability is being overtaken by the rising power of the People's Republic of China and India, among others. However, France has also been instrumental in attempting to unite the armed forces of Europe for their own defense in order to both balance the power of Russia and to lessen European military dependence on the United States. For example, for some time France withdrew from NATO over complaints that its role in the organization was being subordinated to the demands of the United States. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ...

French objectives in this era have undergone major shifts. Unencumbered by continental wars or intricate alliances, France now deploys its military forces as part of international peacekeeping operations, security enforcers in former colonies, or maintains them combat ready and mobilized to respond to threats from rogue states. France is a nuclear power with the largest nuclear arsenal in Europe, and its nuclear capabilities, just like its conventional forces, are being restructured to rapidly deal with emerging threats.^[4] Rogue state is a term applied by some international theorists to states considered threatening to the worlds peace. ...

Gauls

The region of Gaul consisted of modern-day France, Belgium, Germany west of the Rhine, and parts of Switzerland. Gallo-Roman conflict in Cisalpine Gaul had been occurring for centuries prior to Caesar's invasion of Transalpine Gaul. In either 390 BC or 387 BC,^[5] a Gallic army under Brennus destroyed a Roman force at the Battle of the Allia, which led to the sacking of Rome and the destruction of all Roman historical records prior to that period. Image File history File links Vercingetorix_caesar. ... Image File history File links Vercingetorix_caesar. ... Statue of Vercingetorix by Bartholdi, on Place de Jaude, in Clermont-Ferrand Vercingetorix (pronounced in Gaulish) (died 46 BC), chieftain of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of Gergovia, and known as the man who led the Gauls in their ultimately unsuccessful war against Roman rule under Julius Caesar. ... For other uses, see Julius Caesar (disambiguation). ... Combatants Roman Republic Gallic Tribes Commanders Julius Caesar Vercingetorix Commius Strength ~30,000-60,000, 12 Roman legions and auxiliaries ~330,000 some 80,000 besieged ~250,000 relief forces Casualties 12,800 40,000-250,000 [] The Battle of Alesia or Siege of Alesia took place in September 52... Map with location of Cisalpine Gaul This article is about the Roman province. ... For other uses, see Julius Caesar (disambiguation). ... Transalpine Gaul was a Roman province whose name was chosen to distinguish it from Cisalpine Gaul. ... A sculpture, depicting this Brennus that adorned an 18th or 19th century French naval vessel Brennus, a chieftain of the Senones of the Adriatic coast of Italy, who in 387 BC, in the Battle of the Allia, led an army of Cisalpine Gauls in their attack on Rome. ... This article refers to the state which existed from the 6th century BC to the 1st century BC. For alternate meanings, see Roman Republic (18th century) and Roman Republic (19th century). ... Combatants Roman Republic Gauls Commanders Quintus Sulpicius Brennus Strength 40,000 70,000 The Battle of the Allia was a battle of the first Gallic invasion of Italy. ... For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ...

Growing professionalism in the Roman army eventually led to victories, most noticeably at the Battle of Sentinum and the Battle of Telamon, over their Gallic counterparts, whose tactics and weapons changed little over the years.^[6] However, in order to permanently end the Gallic threat, a consistent effort was required by the Romans, and this was finally provided by Julius Caesar. See: Structural history of the Roman military The branches of the Roman military at the highest level were the Roman army and the Roman navy. ... The Battle of Sentinum was the final battle of the Third Samnite War, fought in 295 BC near Sentinum (next to Sassoferrato, Marche), in which the Romans were able to overcome a formidable coalition of Samnites, Etruscans, Umbrians, and their Gallic allies. ... Combatants Roman Republic Gauls Commanders Atilius Regulus â€ , Aemilius Papus Concolitanus, AneroÃ«stes â€ Strength 70,000 infantry, 5,400 cavalry 50,000 infantry, 20,000 cavalry Casualties Unknown 40,000 killed, 10,000 captured The Battle of Telamon was fought between the Roman Republic and an alliance of Gauls in 225... Military tactics (Greek: TaktikÄ“, the art of organizing an army) are the collective name for methods for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. ... For other uses, see Weapon (disambiguation). ...

Caesar's conquest of Gaul was met with little resistance initially. The 60 or so tribes that made up Gaul were unable to unite and defeat the Roman army, something Caesar exploited by pitting one tribe against another. In 58 BC, Caesar defeated the Germanic tribe of the Suebi, which was led by Ariovistus. The following year he conquered the Belgian Gauls after claiming that they were conspiring against Rome. The string of victories continued in a naval triumph against the Veneti in 56 BC. In 53 BC, a united Gallic resistance movement under Vercingetorix emerged for the first time. Caesar laid siege to the fortified city of Avaricum (Bourges) and broke through the defenses after 21 days, with only 800 out of the 40,000 inhabitants managing to escape. He then besieged Gergovia, Vercingetorix's home town, and suffered one of the worst defeats in his career when he had to retreat to suppress a revolt in another part of Gaul. After returning, Caesar surrounded Vercingetorix at Alesia in 52 BC. The townspeople were starved into submission and Caesar's unique defensive earthworks, protruding towards the city and away from it in order to stop a massive Gallic relief force,^[7] eventually forced Vercingetorix to surrender. The Gallic Wars were over. Suebi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Ariovistus was king of the germanic tribe of the Suebis, as described in Julius Caesars The Gallic Wars. ... The Veneti were a seafaring people who lived in what is now Brittany, France. ... Statue of Vercingetorix by Bartholdi, on Place de Jaude, in Clermont-Ferrand Vercingetorix (pronounced in Gaulish) (died 46 BC), chieftain of the Arverni, originating from the Arvernian city of Gergovia, and known as the man who led the Gauls in their ultimately unsuccessful war against Roman rule under Julius Caesar. ... Bourges is a town and commune in central France that is located on the YÃ¨vre river. ... The Battle of Gergovia took place in 52 BC at Gergovia (modern Gergovie), the chief town of the Arverni, situated on a hill in Auvergne, about eight miles from the Puy de Dome, France. ... Combatants Roman Republic Gallic Tribes Commanders Julius Caesar Vercingetorix Commius Strength ~30,000-60,000, 12 Roman legions and auxiliaries ~330,000 some 80,000 besieged ~250,000 relief forces Casualties 12,800 40,000-250,000 [] The Battle of Alesia or Siege of Alesia took place in September 52...

The following is an incomplete list of French wars and battles from the Gauls to modern France. ...

Franks and the Carolingian Empire

As Roman power weakened in the fourth and fifth centuries, a Germanic tribe, the Franks, overran large areas that today form modern France. Under King Clovis I in the late fifth and early sixth centuries, Frankish dominions quadrupled as they managed to defeat successive opponents for control of Gaul. In 486 the Frankish armies under Clovis triumphed over Syagrius, the last Roman official in Northern Gaul, at the Battle of Soissons. In 491 Clovis defeated Thuringians east of his territories. In 496 he overcame the Alamanni at the Battle of Tolbiac. In 507 he scored the most impressive victory in his career, prevailing at the Battle of Vouillé against the Visigoths, who were led by Alaric II, the conqueror of Spain. Frankish Domains 511-561 (BW) Source: Public domain image, digitized version from Internet Medieval Sourcebook[1] This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Frankish Domains 511-561 (BW) Source: Public domain image, digitized version from Internet Medieval Sourcebook[1] This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... The Merovingians Chlodio is considered as the first king who started the conquest of Gaul by taking Camaracum (today Cambrai) and expanding the border down to the Somme. ... Clovis I (variously spelled Chlodowech or Chlodwig, giving modern French Louis and modern German Ludwig) (c. ... Thor/Donar, Germanic thunder god. ... This article is about the Frankish people and society. ... Non-contemporary coin with obverse legend Clovis Roy de France Clovis I (or Chlodowech or Chlodwig, modern French, Louis, modern Dutch Lodewijk modern German Ludwig) (c. ... The captured Syagrius is brought before Alaric II who orders him sent to Clovis I Afranius Syagrius (born 430, died 486 or 487) was the son of Aegidius, the last Roman magister militum per Gallias, who had preserved a rump state around Soissons after the collapse of central rule in... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... The Battle of Soissons in the year 486 was a milestone on the way of the Franks under Clovis I to establish themselves as a major power. ... The Thuringii was a tribe which appeared later than most in the highlands of central Germany, a region which still bears their name to this day -- Thuringia. ... Area settled by the Alamanni, and sites of Roman-Alamannic battles, 3rd to 6th century The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of west Germanic tribes located around the upper Main, a river that is one of the largest tributaries of the Rhine, on land that is today... The Battle of Tolbiac was fought between the Franks under Clovis I and the Alamanni, traditionally in 496. ... The Battle of VouillÃ© or Campus Vogladensis was fought in the northern marches of Visigothic territory, at a small place near Poitiers, (Gaul) in the spring 507. ... A votive crown belonging to Reccesuinth (653â€“672) The Visigoths (Latin: ) were one of two main branches of the Goths, an East Germanic tribe, the Ostrogoths being the other. ... Alaric II, also known as Alarik, Alarich, and Alarico in Spanish or Alaricus in Latin (d. ...

Following Clovis, territorial divisions in the Frankish domain sparked intense rivalry between the western part of the kingdom, Neustria, and the eastern part, Austrasia. The two were sometimes united under one king, but from the sixth to the eighth centuries they often warred against each other. Early in the eighth century, the Franks were preoccupied with Islamic invasions across the Pyrenees and up the Rhone Valley. Two key battles during this period were the Battle of Toulouse and the Battle of Tours, both won by the Franks, and both instrumental in slowing Islamic incursions. Claims that these victories permitted the independent development of European civilization seem exaggerated,^[8] but nonetheless they were major symbolic triumphs over the "Islamic hordes."^[9] Image File history File links Charles-Martel-tours. ... Image File history File links Charles-Martel-tours. ... Charles Martel (or, in modern English, Charles the Hammer) (23 August 686 â€“ 22 October 741) was proclaimed Mayor of the Palace, ruling the Franks in the name of a titular King, and proclaimed himself Duke of the Franks (the last four years of his reign he did not even bother... Combatants Carolingian Franks Umayyad Caliphate Commanders Charles Martel â€˜Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqiâ€ Strength Possibly 20,000-30,000 Unknown, but the earliest Muslim sources, still after the era of the battle[1] mention a figure of 80,000. ... Neustria & Austrasia The territory of Neustria originated in A.D. 511, made up of the regions from Aquitaine to the English Channel, approximating most of the north of present-day France, with Paris and Soissons as its main cities. ... Austrasia & Neustria Austrasia formed the north-eastern portion of the Kingdom of the Merovingian Franks, comprising parts of the territory of present-day eastern France, western Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( â–¶ (helpÂ· info)), the submission to God) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions and the worlds second-largest religion. ... Length 800 km Elevation of the source 1753 m Average discharge 1800 m³/ s Area watershed 100,200 km² Origin Rhône glacier Mouth Mediterranean Sea Basin countries Switzerland, France The River Rhône ( Latin Rhodanus, French Rhône, Occitan Rose, German Rotten) is one of the major rivers (ca. ... Combatants Aquitanians Umayyad Caliphate Commanders Odo of Aquitaine Al-Samh ibn Malik al-Khawlani The Battle of Toulouse (721) was a victory of a Frankish army led by Duke Odo of Aquitaine over an Umayyad army besieging the city of Toulouse, and led by the governor of Al-Andalus, Al... Combatants Carolingian Franks Umayyad Caliphate Commanders Charles Martel â€˜Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqiâ€ Strength Possibly 20,000-30,000 Unknown, but the earliest Muslim sources, still after the era of the battle[1] mention a figure of 80,000. ...

Under Charlemagne the Franks reached the height of their power. After campaigns against Lombards, Avars, Saxons, and Basques, the resulting Carolingian Empire stretched from the Pyrenees to Central Germany, from the North Sea to the Adriatic. In 800 the Pope made Charlemagne Emperor of the West in return for protection of the Church. The Carolingian Empire was a conscious effort to recreate a central administration modeled on that of the Roman Empire,^[10] but the motivations behind military expansion differed. Charlemagne hoped to provide his nobles an incentive to fight by encouraging looting on campaign. Plunder and spoils of war were stronger temptations than imperial expansion, and several regions were invaded over and over in order to bolster the coffers of Frankish nobility.^[11] Cavalry dominated the battlefields, and while the high costs associated with equipping horse and horse-rider helped limit their numbers, Carolingian armies maintained a decent size of 20,000 (average) by recruiting infantry from imperial territories near theaters of operation.^[12] The Empire lasted from 800 to 843, when, following Frankish tradition, it was split between the sons of Louis the Pious by the Treaty of Verdun. Charlemagne (left) and Pippin the Hunchback. ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, whence comes the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from Northern Europe that entered the late Roman Empire. ... Late Avar period Map showing the location of Avar Khaganate, c. ... For other uses, see Saxon (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Basque people. ... Map of Carolingian Empire The term Carolingian Empire is sometimes used to refer to the realm of the Franks under the dynasty of the Carolingians. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... A satellite image of the Adriatic Sea. ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Wycliffe Tyndale Â· Luther Â· Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Pope Â· Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box: The Pope (from Latin... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... The name Catholic Church can mean a visible organization that refers to itself as Catholic, or the invisible Christian Church, viz. ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... Louis the Pious, contemporary depiction from 826 as a miles Christi (soldier of Christ), with a poem of Rabanus Maurus overlaid. ... Geopolitical divisions according to the Treaty of Verdun. ...

The following is an incomplete list of French wars and battles from the Gauls to modern France. ...

Middle Ages

French military history during this period paralleled the rise and eventual fall of the armored knight. Following Charlemagne, there was a great increase in the proportion of cavalry supplemented by improvement in armor: leather and steel, steel helmets, coats of mail, and even full armor added to the defensive capabilities of mounted forces.^[13] Cavalry eventually grew to be the most important component of French armies,^[14] with the shock charge they provided becoming the standard tactic on the battlefield when it was invented in the eleventh century.^[15] At the same time, the development of agricultural techniques allowed the nations of Western Europe to radically increase food production, facilitating the growth of a particularly large aristocracy in France. Image File history File links Battle-bouvines. ... Image File history File links Battle-bouvines. ... Philip II Augustus (French: Philippe Auguste) (21 August 1165 â€“ 14 July 1223) was the King of France from 1180 until his death. ... The Battle of Bouvines, July 27, 1214, was the first great international conflict of alliances among national forces in Europe. ... This article is about the King of England. ... This article is about the English charter issued in 1215. ... Self-portrait Judas and Tamar, 1840. ... For other uses, see Knight (disambiguation) or Knights (disambiguation). ...

During the Crusades, there were in fact too many armored knights in France for the land to support. Some scholars believe that one of the driving forces behind the Crusades was an attempt by such landless knights to find land overseas, without causing the type of internecine warfare that would largely damage France's increasing military strength. However, such historiographical work on the Crusades is being challenged and rejected by a large part of the historical community. The ultimate motivation or motivations for any one individual are difficult to know, but regardless, nobles and knights from France generally formed very sizeable contingents of crusading expeditions.^[16] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Bayeux Tapestry (French: Tapisserie de Bayeux) is a 50 cm by 70 m (20 in by 230 ft) long embroidered cloth which depicts the events leading up to the 1066 Norman invasion of England as well as the events of the invasion itself. ... Combatants Normans supported by: Bretons (one third of total), Flemings, French Anglo-Saxons, the ÃžingaliÃ° Commanders William of Normandy, Odo of Bayeux Harold Godwinson â€ Strength 7,000-8,000 7,000-8,000 Casualties Unknown, thought to be around 2,000 killed and wounded Unknown, thought to be around 4... This article is about the medieval crusades. ...

In the eleventh century, French knights wore knee-length mail and carried long lances and swords. The Norman knights fielded at the Battle of Hastings were more than a match for English forces, and their overwhelming victory simply cemented their power and influence. Improvements in armor over the centuries led to the establishment of plate armor by the fourteenth century, which was further developed more rigorously in the fifteenth century.^[17] However, by the late fourteenth century and the early fifteenth, French military power declined during the first parts of the Hundred Years' War. New weapons and tactics seemingly made the knight more of a sitting target than an effective battle force, but the often-praised longbowmen had little to do with the English success.^[18] Poor coordination or rough terrain led to bungled French assaults.^[19] The slaughter of knights at the Battle of Agincourt best exemplified this carnage. The French were able to field a much larger army of men-at-arms than their English counterparts, who had many longbowmen. Despite this, the French suffered about 6,000 casualties^[20] compared to a few hundred for the English because the narrow terrain prevented the tactical envelopments envisioned in recently discovered French plans for the battle.^[21] The French suffered a similar defeat at the Battle of the Golden Spurs against Flemish militia in 1302. When knights were allowed to effectively deploy, however, they could be more useful, as at Cassel in 1328 or, even more decisively, at Bouvines in 1214 and Patay in 1429. Given the successes of Henry V of England, his death in 1422 altered the nature of the war profoundly and may have permitted the French to recover virtually all their territory by the end of the conflict.^[22] Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (553x768, 135 KB)Jeanne dArc at the Siege of OrlÃ©ans by Jules EugÃ¨ne Lenepveu, painted 1886â€“1890. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (553x768, 135 KB)Jeanne dArc at the Siege of OrlÃ©ans by Jules EugÃ¨ne Lenepveu, painted 1886â€“1890. ... For other uses, see Joan of Arc (disambiguation). ... The Siege of Orléans was the first French victory of Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years War and turning point of great war between France and England. ... Combatants France Castile Scotland Genoa Majorca Bohemia Crown of Aragon Brittany England Burgundy Brittany Portugal Navarre Flanders Hainaut Aquitaine Luxembourg Holy Roman Empire The Hundred Years War was a conflict between France and England, lasting 116 years from 1337 to 1453. ... David rejects the unaccustomed armour (detail of fol. ... The term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different pole weapons based on the spear. ... Norman conquests in red. ... Combatants Normans supported by: Bretons (one third of total), Flemings, French Anglo-Saxons, the ÃžingaliÃ° Commanders William of Normandy, Odo of Bayeux Harold Godwinson â€ Strength 7,000-8,000 7,000-8,000 Casualties Unknown, thought to be around 2,000 killed and wounded Unknown, thought to be around 4... Gothic armour Plate armour is personal armour made from large metal plates, worn on the chest and sometimes the entire body. ... The longbow (or English longbow, or Welsh longbow, see below) was a type of bow about 2. ... Combatants Kingdom of England Kingdom of France Commanders Henry V of England Charles dAlbret Strength About 6,000 (but see Modern re-assessment). ... Man-at-arms was a medieval term for a soldier, almost always a professional. ... Combatants Flanders France Commanders Willem van Gullik Pieter de Coninc Guy of Namur Robert II of Artois Strength 9,000 8,000 Casualties 100 est. ... The Battle of Cassel was fought in August 1328 by Philip VI, the King of France, and first ruler of House of Valois (reigned 1328-1350), against the peasant revolt in Flanders. ... The Battle of Bouvines, July 27, 1214, was the first great international conflict of alliances among national forces in Europe. ... Combatants Kingdom of France Kingdom of England Commanders La Hire Poton de Xaintrailles Sir John Fastolf Strength 1,500 cavalry 5,000 Casualties About 100 2,500 dead, wounded, or captured The Battle of Patay (18 June 1429) was a major battle in the Hundred Years War between the French... Henry V of England (16 September 1387 â€“ 31 August 1422) was one of the great English warrior kings of the Middle Ages. ...

Popular conceptions of the final stages of the Hundred Years' War are often dominated by the exploits of Joan of Arc, but in fact the French resurgence was rooted in multiple factors. A major step was taken by King Charles VII, who, with the Compagnies d'ordonnance, cavalry units with 20 companies of 600 men each,^[23] created the first standing army in the Western world since Roman times,^[24] giving the French a considerable edge in professionalism and discipline. Additionally, developments in artillery made it a crucial part of the French army, and the resounding victories at the battles of Formigny and Castillon, both significantly attributable to artillery,^[25] were so decisive that the war ended then and there. By 1453 Calais was the only English possession in mainland France. For other uses, see Joan of Arc (disambiguation). ... Charles VII the Victorious, a. ... The compagnies dordonnance was the late medieval forefather of the modern Company and consisted of 100 Lances fournies, which was built around a centre of knights, with assiting pages or squires, archers and men-at-arms for a total of 700 men. ... Combatants England France Brittany Commanders Thomas Kyriell Comte de Clermont Comte de Richemont Strength 4,000 5,000 Casualties 2,500 300 The Battle of Formigny (April 15, 1450) was a clash of the Hundred Years War. ... Combatants England France Brittany Commanders John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsburyâ€ Jean Bureau Strength 4,000-6,000 8,000 - 13,000 Casualties 4,000 mainly wounded or captured 100 dead or wounded The Battle of Castillon was the last battle fought between the French, the Bretons and the English... Calais (Kales in Dutch) is a town in northern France, located at 50Â°57N 1Â°52E. It is in the dÃ©partement of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-prÃ©fecture. ...

The following is an incomplete list of French wars and battles from the Gauls to modern France. ...

Ancien Régime

The French Renaissance and the beginning of the Ancien Régime, normally marked by the reign of Francis I, saw the nation become far more unified under the monarch. The power of the nobles was diminished as a national army was created. With England expelled from the continent and being consumed by the Wars of the Roses, France's main rival was the Holy Roman Empire. This threat to France became alarming in 1516 when Charles V became the king of Spain, and grew worse when Charles was also elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1519. France was all but surrounded as Spain, Germany, and the Low Countries were controlled by the Habsburgs. The lengthy Italian Wars that took place during this period resulted in defeat for France and established Catholic Spain, which formed a branch of the Habsburg holdings, as the most powerful nation in Europe. Later in the sixteenth century, France was weakened internally by the Wars of Religion. As nobles managed to raise their own private armies, these conflicts between Huguenots and Catholics all but demolished centralization and monarchical authority, hence precluding France from remaining a powerful force in European affairs.^[26] Battle of Rocroi. ... Battle of Rocroi. ... Combatants France Spain Commanders Duc dEnghien Francisco de Melo Count of Fuentes â€ Strength 16,000 infantry 6,000 cavalry 14 guns 15,000 infantry 5,000 cavalry 18 guns Casualties 2,000 dead 2,000 wounded[1] 7,500 dead, 7,000 captured and 6, 500 wounded[2] The... Combatants Sweden (from 1630) Bohemia Denmark-Norway (1625-1629) Dutch Republic France Scotland England Saxony Holy Roman Empire ( Catholic League) Spain Austria Bavaria Denmark-Norway (1643-1645) Commanders Frederick V Buckingham Leven Gustav II Adolf â€ Johan Baner Cardinal Richelieu Louis II de Bourbon Turenne Christian IV of Denmark Bernhard of... Spanish Military formation well known for it`s superiority in 1600th century Europe. ... This article is about the cultural movement known as the French Renaissance. ... Ancien RÃ©gime, a French term meaning Former Regime, but rendered in English as Old Rule, Old Order, or simply Old Regime, refers primarily to the aristocratic social and political system established in France under the Valois and Bourbon dynasties. ... Francis I of France (French: FranÃ§ois Ier) (September 12, 1494 â€“ March 31, 1547), called the Father and Restorer of Letters (le PÃ¨re et Restaurateur des Lettres), was crowned King of France in 1515 in the cathedral at Reims and reigned until 1547. ... Lancaster York For other uses, see Wars of the Roses (disambiguation). ... This article is about the medieval empire. ... For the Carlist claimant King Carlos V, see Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ... Combatants France, the Holy Roman Empire, the states of Italy (notably the Republic of Venice, the Duchy of Milan, the Kingdom of Naples, the Papal States, Florence, and the Duchy of Ferrara), England, Scotland, Spain, the Ottoman Empire, the Swiss, Saxony, and others The Italian Wars, often referred to as... An anachronous map of the overseas Spanish Empire (1492-1898) in red, and the Spanish Habsburg realms in Europe (1516-1714) in orange. ... The French Wars of Religion were a series of conflicts fought between Catholics and Huguenots (Protestants) from the middle of the sixteenth century to the Edict of Nantes in 1598, including civil infighting as well as military operations. ... In the 16th and 17th centuries, the name of Huguenots came to apply to members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France. ...

While France could do little to challenge the dominance of the Holy Roman Empire, the Empire itself faced many challenges. From the east it was severely endangered by the Ottoman Empire, with which the French sometimes cooperated. The vast Habsburg empire also proved impossible to manage effectively, and the crown was soon divided between the Spanish and Austrian holdings. In 1568 the Dutch declared independence, launching a war that would take decades and illustrate the weaknesses of Habsburg power. Finally in the seventeenth century, the religious violence that had beset France a century earlier began to tear the empire apart. At first France sat on the sidelines, but under Cardinal Richelieu it saw an opportunity to advance its own interests at the expense of the Habsburgs. Despite France's staunch Catholicism, it intervened on the side of the Protestants. The Thirty Years' War was long and extremely bloody, but France came out victorious and, for the next century and a half, was the undisputed great power of Europe. Ottoman redirects here. ... Combatants Dutch rebels Spanish Empire The Eighty Years War, or Dutch Revolt (1568[1]â€“1648), was the revolt of the Seventeen Provinces in the Netherlands against the Spanish (Habsburg) Empire. ... Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu, Cardinal-Duc de Richelieu (September 9, 1585 â€“ December 4, 1642), was a French clergyman, noble, and statesman. ... Topics in Christianity Movements Â· Denominations Â· Other religions Ecumenism Â· Preaching Â· Prayer Music Â· Liturgy Â· Calendar Symbols Â· Art Â· Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul Â· Church Fathers Constantine Â· Athanasius Â· Augustine Anselm Â· Aquinas Â· Palamas Â· Luther Calvin Â· Wesley Arius Â· Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury Â· Catholic Pope Coptic Pope Â· Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box: As a... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ...

The long reign of Louis XIV saw a series of conflicts: the War of Devolution, the Franco-Dutch War, the War of the Reunions, the Nine Years War, and the War of the Spanish Succession. Wars in this era consisted of sieges and movements that were rarely decisive. Few of Louis' wars were either clear victories or definite defeats, but inexorably, France's borders expanded. The west bank of the Rhine, much of the Spanish Netherlands, and a good deal of Luxembourg were annexed while the War of the Spanish Succession saw a fellow Bourbon placed on the throne of Spain. To stop France's advance, several European powers formed coalitions. During Louis' long reign, the English reemerged as France's great rivals, allied to the Habsburgs. While they could not stand up to France on land, the British Royal Navy dominated the seas, and France lost many of its colonial holdings. The British economy also became Europe's most powerful, and British money funded the campaigns of their continental allies. Image File history File links Malplaquet1. ... Image File history File links Malplaquet1. ... The Battle of Malplaquet was a battle of the War of the Spanish Succession that took place on September 11, 1709 between France and a Britishâ€“Austrian alliance (known as the Allies). ... Combatants Habsburg Empire England (1701-6) Great Britain (1707-14)[1] Dutch Republic Kingdom of Portugal Crown of Aragon Duchy of Savoy [2] Kingdom of France Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Bavaria Hungarian Rebels [3] Commanders Eugene of Savoy Margrave of Baden Count Starhemberg Duke of Marlborough Marquis de Ruvigny... John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (26 May 1650 â€“ 16 June 1722) (O.S)[1] was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs throughout the late 17th and early 18th centuries. ... Prince Eugen von Savoyen in a contemporary painting FranÃ§ois-EugÃ¨ne, Prince of Savoy-Carignan, known as Prinz Eugen von Savoyen in German (October 16, 1663 â€“ April 24, 1736) was a noted general. ... The War of Devolution (May 24, 1667 â€“ May 2, 1668) was a war between Louis XIVs France and Habsburg Spain fought in the Spanish Netherlands. ... The Dutch War (1672â€“1678) was a war fought between France and a quadruple alliance consisting of Brandenburg, the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and the United Provinces. ... The War of the Reunions (1683-1684) was a small conflict between Louis XIVs France and Spain and her allies. ... The Nine Years War (also known as the War of the League of Augsburg, the War of the Grand Alliance, the Orleans War, the War of the Palatinian Succession, and the War of the English Succession) was a major war fought in Europe and America from 1688 to 1697, between... Combatants Habsburg Empire England (1701-6) Great Britain (1707-14)[1] Dutch Republic Kingdom of Portugal Crown of Aragon Duchy of Savoy [2] Kingdom of France Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Bavaria Hungarian Rebels [3] Commanders Eugene of Savoy Margrave of Baden Count Starhemberg Duke of Marlborough Marquis de Ruvigny... A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition, often accompanied by an assault. ... This article or section should be merged with Seventeen Provinces The Spanish Netherlands was a portion of the Low Countries controlled by Spain from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ...

The armies of Louis XIV were some of the most impressive in French history, their quality reflecting militaristic as well political developments. In the mid-seventeenth century, royal power reasserted itself and the army became a tool through which the King could wield authority, replacing older systems of mercenary units and the private forces of recalcitrant nobles.^[27] Military administration also made gigantic progress as food supply, clothing, equipment, and armaments were provided in a regularity never before equaled.^[28] In fact, the French embedded this standardization by becoming the first army to give their soldiers national uniforms in the 1680s and 1690s.^[29] The History of France has been divided into a series of separate historical articles navigable through the list to the right. ...

The eighteenth century saw France remain the dominant power in Europe, but begin to falter largely because of internal problems. The country engaged in a long series of wars, such as the War of the Quadruple Alliance, the War of the Polish Succession, and the War of the Austrian Succession, but these conflicts gained France little. Meanwhile, Britain's power steadily increased, and a new force, Prussia, became a major threat. This change in the balance of power led to the Diplomatic Revolution of 1756, when France and the Habsburgs forged an alliance after centuries of animosity. This alliance proved less than effective in the Seven Years' War, but in the American War of Independence, the French helped inflict a major defeat on the British. The War of the Quadruple Alliance was a minor European war fought between 1718 and 1720, mostly in Italy, between Spain on the one side, and the Quadruple Alliance of Austria, France, Great Britain, and the United Provinces. ... The War of the Polish Succession (1733-1738) was a European war and a Polish civil war, with considerable interference from other countries, to determine the succession to Augustus II, King of Poland, as well as an attempt by the Bourbon powers to check the power of Austria in western... Combatants Prussia France Spain Bavaria Naples and Sicily Sweden (1741 â€” 1743) Austria Great Britain Hanover Dutch Republic Saxony Kingdom of Sardinia Russia Commanders Frederick II Leopold I Leopold II Maurice de Saxe FranÃ§ois-Marie de Broglie Charles VII Charles Emil Lewenhaupt Ludwig KhevenhÃ¼ller Charles Alexander George II Charles... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ... The Diplomatic Revolution refers to the alliances formed in 1756 as a result of the outbreak of the Seven Years War. ... Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Great Britain and its American Colonies Electorate of Hanover Iroquois Confederacy Kingdom of Portugal Electorate of Brunswick Electorate of Hesse-Kassel Philippines Archduchy of Austria Kingdom of France Empire of Russia Kingdom of Sweden Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Naples and...

The following is an incomplete list of French wars and battles from the Gauls to modern France. ...

Revolutionary France

The French Revolution, true to its name, revolutionized nearly all aspects of French and European life. The powerful sociopolitical forces unleashed by a people seeking liberté, égalité, and fraternité made certain that even warfare was not spared this upheaval. Eighteenth-century armies, with their rigid protocols, quasi-static operational strategy, unenthusiastic soldiers, and aristocratic officer classes, underwent massive remodeling as the French monarchy and nobility gave way to liberal assemblies obsessed with external threats. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x712, 104 KB) Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Military history of France ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (800x712, 104 KB) Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Military history of France ... The French Revolution (1789â€“1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on... It has been suggested that Regents: Low Countries be merged into this article or section. ... The French Revolution (1789â€“1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on... LibertÃ©, Ã©galitÃ©, fraternitÃ©, French for Liberty, equality, fraternity (brotherhood), [1] is the motto of the French Republic, and is a typical example of a tripartite motto. ...

In 1791 the Legislative Assembly passed the "Drill-Book" legislation, implementing a series of infantry doctrines created by French theorists because of their defeat by the Prussians in the Seven Years' War (see "Formations and Tactics" in La Grande Armée).^[30] The new developments hoped to exploit the intrinsic bravery of the French soldier, made even more powerful by the explosive nationalist forces of the Revolution. The changes also placed a faith on the ordinary soldier that would be completely unacceptable in earlier times; French troops were expected to harass the enemy and remain loyal enough to not desert, a benefit other Ancien Régime armies did not have. Following the declaration of war in 1792, an imposing array of enemies converging on French borders prompted the government in Paris to adopt radical measures. August 23, 1793, would become a historic day in military history; on that date the National Convention called a levée en masse, or mass conscription, for the first time in human history.^[31] By summer of the following year, conscription made some 500,000 men available for service and the French began to deal blows to their European enemies.^[32] The French triumphed at the decisive Battle of Fleurus through numerical superiority; while both sides had roughly equivalent forces in the region, the French were able to concentrate theirs more effectively. Armies during the Revolution became noticeably larger than their Roman counterparts, and combined with the new enthusiasm of the soldiery, the tactical and strategic opportunities became almost limitless. By 1797 the French had defeated the First Coalition, occupied the Low Countries, the west bank of the Rhine, and Northern Italy, objectives which had defied the Valois and Bourbon dynasties for centuries. Unsatisfied with the results, many European powers formed a Second Coalition, but by 1801 this too had been decisively beaten. A Legislative Assembly in some parts of the Commonwealth refers to a legislature, or a chamber of the legislature. ... Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Great Britain and its American Colonies Electorate of Hanover Iroquois Confederacy Kingdom of Portugal Electorate of Brunswick Electorate of Hesse-Kassel Philippines Archduchy of Austria Kingdom of France Empire of Russia Kingdom of Sweden Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Naples and... La Grande ArmÃ©e (French for the Great Army or the Grand Army) first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain and re-deployed it East... {| style=float:right; |- | |- | |} is the 235th day of the year (236th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1793 (MDCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the legislative body and constitutional convention during the French Revolution. ... LevÃ©e en masse (literally Mass uprising) is a French term for mass conscription. ... The Battle of Fleurus, fought on June 26, 1794 was one of the most decisive battles in the Low Countries during the French, under Jourdan were able to more effectively concentrate their forces in order to achieve victory against the Austrian army under Saxe-Cobourg. ... The name First Coalition (1793â€“1797) designates the first major concerted effort of multiple European powers to contain Revolutionary France. ... The Valois Dynasty succeeded the Capetian Dynasty as rulers of France from 1328- 1589. ... Also see: Early Modern France The House of Bourbon is an important European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. ... The name Second Coalition (1798 - 1800) designates the second major concerted effort of multiple European powers to contain Revolutionary France. ...

Another key aspect of French success was the changes wrought in the officer classes. Traditionally, European armies left major command positions to those who could be trusted, namely, the aristocracy. The hectic nature of the French Revolution, however, tore apart France's old army, meaning new men were required to become officers and commanders.^[33] As a result of political pressure, competition, promotion, and constant campaigning, France emerged out of the Revolutionary Wars with the best officers in Europe, a very helpful feature during the later Napoleonic Wars. In the nineteenth century, all European armies adopted the fluid officer class the Revolution had introduced, and for that fact, the French Revolution can be credited with establishing the world's first professional armies. Combatants Great Britain Austria Prussia Spain[1] Russia Sardinia Ottoman Empire Portugal Dutch Republic[2] France The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states. ... Combatants Austria[a] Portugal Prussia[a] Russia[b] Sicily[c] Sardinia Spain[d] Sweden[e] United Kingdom French Empire Holland[f] Italy Etruria[g] Naples[h] Duchy of Warsaw[i] Confederation of the Rhine[j] Bavaria Saxony Westphalia WÃ¼rttemberg Denmark-Norway[k] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack...

Besides opening a flood of tactical and strategic opportunities, the Revolutionary Wars also laid the foundation for modern military theory. Later authors that wrote about "nations in arms" drew inspiration from the French Revolution, where dire circumstances seemingly mobilized the entire French nation for war. Although the reality of war in the France of 1795 would be different from that in the France of 1915, conceptions and mentalities of war evolved significantly. Clausewitz correctly analyzed the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras to give posterity a thorough and complete theory of war that emphasized struggles between nations occurring everywhere, from the battlefield to the legislative assemblies, and to the very way that people think. War now emerged as a vast panorama of physical and psychological forces heading for victory or defeat. Carl Philipp Gottfried von Clausewitz (IPA: ) (June 1, 1780[1] â€“ November 16, 1831) was a Prussian soldier, military historian and influential military theorist. ...

The following is an incomplete list of French wars and battles from the Gauls to modern France. ... The standard of the Revolutionary 1Ã©re Demi-Brigade dInfanterie de Bataille, 1794 pattern. ...

Napoleonic France

The Napoleonic Era saw France's influence and power reach immense heights, but just as quickly, it collapsed back to its old borders at an immense cost to the French people. The reasons for the success are varied, but a few points do survive analysis. In the century and a half preceding the Revolutionary Era, France had transformed demographic leverage to military and political weight; the French population was 19 million in 1700,^[34] but this had grown to over 29 million in 1800, much higher than that of most other European powers.^[35] These numbers permitted France to raise armies at a rapid pace should the need arise. Furthermore, military innovations carried out during the Revolution and the Consulate, evidenced by improvements in artillery and cavalry capabilities on top of better army and staff organization, gave the French army a decisive advantage in the initial stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Another ingredient of success was Napoleon Bonaparte himself—intelligent, charismatic, and a military genius, Napoleon absorbed the latest military theories of the day and applied them in the battlefield with deadly effect. Image File history File links Grenadier_Pied_1_1812_Revers. ... Image File history File links Grenadier_Pied_1_1812_Revers. ... La Grande ArmÃ©e (French for the Great Army or the Grand Army) first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain and re-deployed it East... SchÃ¶nbrunn Palace (Schloss SchÃ¶nbrunn) in Vienna is one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria and since the 1860s has also been one of the major tourist attractions in Vienna. ... For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... This article is about Russian citadels. ... For other uses, see Moscow (disambiguation). ... The Napoleonic Era is a period in the History of France and Europe. ... Demographics refers to selected population characteristics as used in government, marketing or opinion research, or the demographic profiles used in such research. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des...

Napoleon developed an army based on conscription using huge masses of poorly trained troops that could usually be readily replaced, led by a few elite units, like the Imperial Guard. What his armies lacked in skill they made up for in bulk. Napoleon's huge losses suffered during the disastrous Russian campaign would have destroyed any professional commander of the day, but those losses were quickly replaced with new draftees. After Napoleon, nations planned for huge armies with professional leadership and a constant supply of new soldiers, which had huge human costs when improved weapons like the rifled musket replaced the inaccurate muskets of Napoleon's day during the American Civil War. Alternate uses at Imperial guard The Imperial Guard was originally a small group of elite soldiers under the direct command of Napoleon I, but grew considerably over time. ... Kazan Cathedral in St Petersburg and the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow were built to commemorate the Russian victory against Napoleon. ... The rifled musket is a long-barreled infantry weapon (to be distinguished from the shorter rifle carried by some light infantry units), usually percussion, that was common in the 19th century. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total...

This large size came at a cost, as the logistics of feeding a huge army made them especially dependent on supplies. Most armies of the day relied on the supply-convoy system established during the Thirty Years' War by Gustavus Adolphus. This limited mobility, since the soldiers had to wait for the convoys, but it did keep possibly mutinous troops from deserting, and thus helped preserve an army's composure. However, Napoleon's armies were so large that feeding them using the old method proved ineffective, and consequently, French troops were allowed to live off the land. Infused with new concepts of nation and service, French soldiers proved reliable enough to pillage Europe without "going native." Napoleon often attempted to wage decisive, quick campaigns so that he could allow his men to live off the land. The French army did use a convoy system, but it was stocked with very few days worth of food; Napoleon's troops were expected to march quickly, effect a decision on the battlefield, then disperse to feed. For the Russian campaign, the French did store 24 days' worth of food before beginning active operations, but this campaign was the exception, not the rule.^[36] Image File history File links Europe_map_Napoleon_1811. ... Image File history File links Europe_map_Napoleon_1811. ... Map of the First French Empire in 1811, with the Empire in dark blue and satellite states in light blue Capital Paris Language(s) French Government Monarchy Emperor - 1804 - 1814/1815 Napoleon I - 1814/1815 Napoleon II Legislature Parliament - Upper house Senate - Lower house Corps lÃ©gislatif Historical era Napoleonic... The Lion of the North: Gustavus Adolphus at the famous turning point Battle of Breitenfield (1631) against the forces of the redoubtable Count Tilly. ...

Napoleon's biggest influence in the military sphere was in the conduct of warfare. Weapons and technology remained largely static through the Revolutionary and Napoleonic eras, but eighteenth-century operational strategy underwent massive restructuring. Sieges became infrequent to the point of near-irrelevance, a new emphasis towards the destruction, not just outmaneuvering, of enemy armies emerged, and invasions of enemy territory occurred over broader fronts, thus introducing a plethora of strategic opportunities that made wars costlier and, just as importantly, more decisive.^[37] Defeat for a European power now meant much more than losing isolated enclaves; near-Carthaginian peaces intertwined whole national efforts, sociopolitical, economic, and militaristic, into gargantuan collisions that severely upset international conventions as understood at the time. Napoleon's initial success sowed the seeds for his downfall. Not used to such catastrophic defeats in the rigid power system of eighteenth-century Europe, many nations found existence under the French yoke difficult, sparking revolts, wars, and general instability that plagued the continent until 1815, when the forces of reaction finally triumphed at the Battle of Waterloo.^[38] A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition, often accompanied by an assault. ... Combatants French Empire Seventh Coalition: United Kingdom Prussia United Netherlands Hanover Nassau Brunswick Commanders Napoleon Bonaparte, Michel Ney Duke of Wellington, Gebhard von BlÃ¼cher Strength 73,000 67,000 Anglo-Allies 60,000 Prussian (48,000 engaged by about 18:00) Casualties 25,000 killed or wounded 7,000...

The following is an incomplete list of French wars and battles from the Gauls to modern France. ... La Grande ArmÃ©e (French for the Great Army or the Grand Army) first entered the annals of history when, in 1805, Napoleon I renamed the army that he had assembled on the French coast of the English Channel for the proposed invasion of Britain and re-deployed it East...

French colonial empire

The history of French colonial imperialism can be divided into two major eras: the first from the early seventeenth century to the middle of the eighteenth century, and the second from the early nineteenth century to the middle of the twentieth century. In the first phase of expansion, France concentrated its efforts mainly in North America and India, setting up commercial ventures that were backed by military force. Following defeat to the British in the French and Indian War, France lost its possessions in North America and India, but it did manage to keep the wealthy Caribbean islands of Saint-Domingue, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB){{GFDL} File links The following pages link to this file: French colonial empires ... Download high resolution version (1357x628, 23 KB){{GFDL} File links The following pages link to this file: French colonial empires ... Cecil Rhodes: Cape-Cairo railway project. ... North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... Combatants France First Nations allies: Algonquin Lenape Wyandot Ojibwa Ottawa Shawnee Great Britain American Colonies Iroquois Confederacy Strength 3,900 regulars 7,900 militia 2,200 natives (1759) 50,000 regulars and militia (1759) Casualties 3,000 killed, wounded or captured 10,040 killed, wounded or captured The French and... West Indies redirects here. ... Saint-Domingue was a French colony from 1697 to 1804 that is today the independent nation of Haiti. ...

The second stage saw the establishment of French Indochina (covering modern Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia) and a string of military victories in the Scramble for Africa, where it established control over regions that are today covered by modern countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, Chad, Madagascar, and Djibouti. In 1914 France had an empire stretching over 10,000,000 km² (4,000,000 mile²) of land and about 60 million people.^[39] Following victory in World War I, Togo and most of Cameroon were also added to the French possessions, and Syria and Lebanon became French mandates. For most of the period from 1870 to 1945, France was territorially the third largest nation on Earth, after Britain and Russia (later the Soviet Union), and had the most overseas possessions following Britain. Following the Second World War, France struggled to preserve French territories but wound up losing both the Algerian War and the First Indochina War (the precursor to the Vietnam War) to guerilla insurgencies. Today, France still maintains a number of overseas territories, but their collective size is barely a shadow of the old French colonial empire. Flag Capital Hanoi Language(s) French Political structure Federation Historical era New Imperialism - Addition of Laos 1893, 1887 - Vietnamese Declaration of Independence September 2, 1945 - Independence of Laos July 19, 1949 - Independence of Cambodia November 9, 1953 - Recognized Independence of Vietnam 1954, 1954 Area - 1945 750,000 kmÂ² Currency French... Cecil Rhodes: Cape-Cairo railway project. ... Mandates in the Middle east and Africa. ... Combatants FLN (1954-62) MNA (1954-62) France (1954-62) FAF (1960-61) OAS (1961-62) Commanders Mostefa BenboulaÃ¯d Ferhat Abbas Hocine AÃ¯t Ahmed Ahmed Ben Bella Krim Belkacem Larbi Ben MHidi Rabah Bitat Mohamed Boudiaf Messali Hadj Paul CherriÃ¨re (1954-55) Henri Lorillot (1955-56... Combatants French Union France State of Vietnam Cambodia Laos Viet Minh Commanders French Expeditionary Corps Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (1945-46) Jean-Ã‰tienne Valluy (1946-8) Roger Blaizot (1948-9) Marcel-Maurice Carpentier (1949-50) Jean de Lattre de Tassigny (1950-51) Raoul Salan (1952-3) Henri Navarre (1953-4... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Peopleâ€™s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... A resistance movement is a group or collection of individual groups, dedicated to fighting an invader in an occupied country or the government of a sovereign nation through either the use of physical force, or nonviolence. ...

The following is an incomplete list of French wars and battles from the Gauls to modern France. ... The French Colonial Forces or Troupes Coloniales is a general designation for the military forces that garrisoned and were largely recruited from the French colonial empire from the late 17th century until 1960. ...

Modern period

After the exile of Napoleon, France was the beneficiary of a long period of European peace. This allowed it to focus on the expansion of its overseas empire, particularly in Africa and Asia. These areas of the world had generally resisted European colonialism until the start of the nineteenth century, but advances in weapons technology allowed small numbers of European troops to overcome much larger bodies of native warriors. Image File history File links Militaire-Canon_75,_honneur-1915. ... Image File history File links Militaire-Canon_75,_honneur-1915. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Canon de 75 modÃ¨le 1897 Rifling of a 75 modÃ¨le 1897 The French 75mm field gun is a quick-firing field artillery piece developed before World War I and serving into World War II. It was commonly known as the French 75... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... For other uses, see Propaganda (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Benign colonialism be merged into this article or section. ...

In Europe, post-Napoleonic France remained a powerful force in continental affairs, inflicting a defeat on the Habsburgs in the Franco-Austrian War of 1859, a defeat which led to the unification of Italy in 1861, after having triumphed over Russia with other allies in the Crimean War. Detrimentally, however, the French army emerged from these victories in a very overconfident and complacent state.^[40] France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War led to the loss of Alsace-Lorraine and the creation of a united German Empire, both results representing major failures in long-term French foreign policy. Major places of the Austro-Sardinian war 1859 Austro-Sardinian War was fought by Napoleon III of France and Kingdom of Sardinia against Austria in 1859. ... During the evolution of the process that would finally have brought to the Italian Unification (Risorgimento), the Italian Independence wars were three wars fought against Austria between 1848 and 1866 and ended with the conquest of the whole Italian territory. ... Combatants Allies: Second French Empire British Empire Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,194 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease ~134,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1853â€“1856) was fought... Combatants Second French Empire North German Confederation allied with South German states (later German Empire) Commanders Napoleon III FranÃ§ois Achille Bazaine Patrice de Mac-Mahon, duc de Magenta Otto von Bismarck Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Strength 400,000 at wars beginning 1,200,000 Casualties 150,000... Imperial Province of ElsaÃŸ-Lothringen Alsace-Lorraine (German: , generally Elsass-Lothringen) was a territorial entity created by the German Empire in 1871 after the annexation of most of Alsace and parts of Lorraine in the Franco-Prussian War. ... For German colonial territories, see German Colonial Empire. ...

Nevertheless, the French, with British and Canadian assistance, managed to hold on for four years and defeat the Germans in World War I. After major conflicts such as the Battle of the Frontiers, the First Battle of the Marne, the Battle of Verdun, and the Second Battle of the Aisne, the latter failure causing widespread mutinies throughout the French army, the French remained enough of a cohesive fighting force to counterattack and defeat the Germans at the Second Battle of the Marne, the first in what would become a string of Allied victories that ended the war.^[41] The Treaty of Versailles eventually returned Alsace-Lorraine to France. The Battle of the Frontiers was a series of battles fought along the eastern frontier of France and in southern Belgium shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. ... Combatants France United Kingdom German Empire Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von BÃ¼low Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000: 250,000 French casualties (80,000 dead) 13,000 British casualties (1,700 dead) Approximately 250,000 total... Combatants France German Empire Commanders Philippe PÃ©tain Robert Nivelle Erich von Falkenhayn Strength About 30,000 on 21 February 1916 About 150,000 on 21 February 1916 Casualties 378,000; of whom 163,000 died. ... Combatants France German Empire Commanders Robert Nivelle Charles Mangin FranÃ§ois Anthoine Mazel von Boehm Fritz von Below Strength 1. ... Combatants France United Kingdom United States German Empire Casualties 168,000 The Second Battle of the Marne, or Battle of Reims, was a major World War I battle fought from July 15 to August 5, 1918, near the Marne River. ... Combatants Belgium British Empire France United States of America German Empire Commanders King Albert I Ferdinand Foch Douglas Haig Philippe Petain John Pershing Erich Ludendorff Casualties 411,636 British 531,000 French 127,000+ American 785,733 The Hundred Days Offensive was the final offensive in World War I by... This article is about the Treaty of Versailles of June 28, 1919, which ended World War I. For other uses, see Treaty of Versailles (disambiguation) . The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was a peace treaty that officially ended World War I between the Allied and Associated Powers and Germany. ...

However, a variety of factors, ranging from poor commanders to low population growth, crippled France's effort in the 1940 Battle of France. In addition, and in many ways as a result, by 1960 it had lost its influence over all of its empire, suffering defeat in Indochina and granting independence to Algeria after a bitter struggle. Moreover, the military had lost status with the population, first because of the widely publicized Dreyfus Affair,^[42] and later because of the collaboration of the Vichy government with the occupying forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Combatants France United Kingdom Canada Czechoslovakia Poland Belgium Netherlands Luxembourg Germany Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) Leopold III H.G. Winkelman Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) H.R.H. Umberto di... Flag Capital Hanoi Language(s) French Political structure Federation Historical era New Imperialism - Addition of Laos 1893, 1887 - Vietnamese Declaration of Independence September 2, 1945 - Independence of Laos July 19, 1949 - Independence of Cambodia November 9, 1953 - Recognized Independence of Vietnam 1954, 1954 Area - 1945 750,000 kmÂ² Currency French... The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal with anti-Semitic overtones which divided France from the 1890s to the early 1900s. ... Motto Travail, famille, patrie French: Unoccupied zone of Vichy France (until November 1942) Capital Vichy Capital-in-exile Sigmaringen (1944-1945) Language(s) French Religion Roman Catholic Government Dictatorship Chief of state - 1940 â€” 1944 Philippe PÃ©tain President of the Council - 1940 â€” 1942 Philippe PÃ©tain - 1942 â€” 1944 Pierre Laval... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

Despite having one of the largest and most technologically advanced standing armies in Europe, and the money to support it, France consistently lost out on the development of new tactics through insufficient training. Charles De Gaulle had foreseen the importance of armored warfare after World War I, but his theories were widely ignored in France, only to be taken up by the Germans, who used them to great effect with Blitzkrieg. Furthermore, low population growth forced the French government to extend conscription terms and made military life more unpopular. Prior to the Battle of France, there were sentiments among many Allied soldiers, French and British, of pointless repetition; they viewed the war with dread since they had already beaten the Germans once, and images of that first major conflict were still poignant in military circles.^[43] The costs of World War I inspired the French to look for more defensive measures. The Maginot Line was the result of these deliberations: the French originally allocated three billion francs for the project, but by 1935 seven billion had been spent.^[44] Generally considered one of the great failures of military history, the fabled Maginot Line appeared to be so porous that the 1st, 7th, and 16th German armies successfully broke through French defences at several points. Accompanied by defeat in the northern sectors, this spelled the end of the Third Republic. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (874x523, 137 KB) Summary This image was scanned from The Story of the Great War, Volume III, Francis Joseph Reynolds et al, 1916. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (874x523, 137 KB) Summary This image was scanned from The Story of the Great War, Volume III, Francis Joseph Reynolds et al, 1916. ... For other uses, see bayonet (disambiguation). ... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... The offensive French military strategy in World War I known as Plan XVII was initially created by Ferdinand Foch. ... The Battle of the Frontiers was a series of battles fought along the eastern frontier of France and in southern Belgium shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. ... For other uses, see Charles de Gaulle (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that Mechanized warfare be merged into this article or section. ... This article is about the military term. ... The Maginot Line (IPA: [maÊ’inoË], named after French minister of defence AndrÃ© Maginot) was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, machine gun posts and other defences which France constructed along its borders with Germany and with Italy, in the light of experience from World War I, and...

After its defeat, France remained occupied until 1944. The Normandy landings in that year were the first step towards the eventual Liberation of France. The Free French Forces under de Gaulle had participated widely throughout previous campaigns, but their growing size made them especially notable in the final phases of the war. In May 1945, the final month of the war in Europe, the French had a total of 1.25 million soldiers; ten divisions of these, seven infantry and three armored, were fighting in Germany.^[45] At the end of the conflict, France was given one of four occupation zones in Germany and in Berlin. This article is about the assault phase of Operation Overlord. ... The Northern France Campaign of World War II began on July 25, 1944, with General Bernard Montgomery launching Operation COBRA to break out from the Normandy beachhead, and concluded on September 14 with Belgium and most of France liberated from German rule. ... Flag De Jure territory Capital Paris Capital-in-exile London, Algiers Government Republic Leader Charles de Gaulle Historical era World War II - de Gaulles appeal June 18, 1940 - Liberation of Paris August, 1944 The Free French Forces (French: , FFL) were French fighters in World War II, who decided to... This article is about the capital of Germany. ...

Historically, the military had sided with the monarchy and the Catholic Church, but its struggles over the twentieth century eventually allowed the Republican and secular forces that had first come to the fore during the French Revolution to cement their hold over French politics. The last attempt by the military to set its own policy came during the Algerian War of Independence, when French forces took the suppression of rebellious Algerians into their own hands, against the directions of then President De Gaulle. Eventually, De Gaulle distanced himself from the military and appealed to public support, resulting in the establishment of the Fifth Republic. However, this also had the effect of lessening France's military standing in the world to the point where De Gaulle often believed that France had little control over its own military destiny. Today, despite being a nuclear power and having some of the best trained and best equipped forces in the world, the military role of France is seen in terms of coalition interventions, peacekeeping, and minor disputes. Conflicts indicative of this status are the Gulf War in 1991, in which France sent 18,000 troops, 60 combat aircraft, 120 helicopters, and 40 tanks,^[46] Mission Héracles in the War in Afghanistan, and recent peacekeeping actions in Côte d'Ivoire, which involved brief direct fighting between the French and Ivorian armies in 2004. The name Catholic Church can mean a visible organization that refers to itself as Catholic, or the invisible Christian Church, viz. ... This article is about political groups and tendencies in France. ... Combatants FLN (1954-62) MNA (1954-62) France (1954-62) FAF (1960-61) OAS (1961-62) Commanders Mostefa BenboulaÃ¯d Ferhat Abbas Hocine AÃ¯t Ahmed Ahmed Ben Bella Krim Belkacem Larbi Ben MHidi Rabah Bitat Mohamed Boudiaf Messali Hadj General Jacques Massu General Maurice Challe Bachaga Said Boualam... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... For other uses of War in Afghanistan, see War in Afghanistan (disambiguation). ... Armed insurgents French troops try to separate the belligerents. ... Combatants CÃ´te dIvoire French contingent Commanders Laurent Gbagbo Jacques Chirac Strength Unknown 4,000 Casualties Unknown 9 killed Civilian casualties: Unknown Ivorians killed 1 US citizen killed The undeclared Ivorian-French War of 2004 began on November 6, 2004 with an Ivorian air attack on French soldiers in...

The following is an incomplete list of French wars and battles from the Gauls to modern France. ...

Topical subjects

French Air Force

Many consider the Armée de l'Air to have been the first professional air force in the world. The French took active interest in developing their air force and had the first fighter pilots of World War I. During the interwar years, however, particularly in the 1930s, the quality fell when compared with the Luftwaffe, which crushed both the French and British air the famous Mirage series of jet fighters. The Mirage repeatedly demonstrated its deadly abilities in the Six-Day War and the Gulf War, becoming one of the most popular and well-sold aircraft in the history of military aviation along the way. Currently, the French Air Force is expanding and replacing. The French are awaiting the A400M military transport aircraft, which is still in developmental stages, and the integration of the new Rafale multi-role jet fighter, whose first squadron of 20 aircraft became operational in 2006 at Saint-Dizier.^[47] Image File history File links French-roundel. ... Image File history File links French-roundel. ... The modern proportion RAF roundel A roundel in heraldry is any circular shape; in military use it is an emblem of nationality employed on military aircraft and air force flags, generally round and consisting of concentric rings of different colors. ... The French Air Force is the air force branch of the French Armed Forces. ... â€œThe Great War â€ redirects here. ... The familiar French military aviation roundel gave rise to similar roundels for air forces all over the world, including that of the United Kingdom (RAF), which reversed the colors on the French roundel. ... // Fighting for Free France â€” the FAFL in French North Africa (1940-1943) On June 17, 1940, five days before the signing of the Franco-German Armistice, the first exodus of 10 airmen took flight from Bordeaux-MÃ©rignac to England. ... // In name only: the ArmÃ©e de lâ€™Air in Indochina during the Pacific War (1939-1945) The outbreak of the war in Europe in September 1939 did not immediately affect the status of the ArmÃ©e de lâ€™Air in French Indochina because it had the task of defending... The French Air Force is the air force branch of the French Armed Forces. ... For a particular Air Force, see List of air forces. ... Europe between 1929 and 1938. ... The German Luftwaffe was one of the most powerful, doctrinally advanced, and battle-experienced air forces in the world when World War II started in Europe in September 1939. ... The Dassault Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed in France by Dassault Aviation during the 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. ... An A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-86 Sabre, P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fly in formation during an air show at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. ... Combatants Israel Egypt Syria Jordan Iraq Commanders Yitzhak Rabin, Moshe Dayan, Uzi Narkiss, Israel Tal, Mordechai Hod, Ariel Sharon Abdel Hakim Amer, Abdul Munim Riad, Zaid ibn Shaker, Hafez al-Assad Strength 264,000 (incl. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... The Airbus A400M is a four-engine turboprop aircraft, designed by Airbus Military to meet the demand of European nations for military airlift. ... The Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. ... Saint-Dizier is a city in the Haute-Marne dÃ©partement in the Champagne-Ardenne Region of France. ...

French Navy

Although the history of the French Navy goes back to the Middle Ages, when it was defeated by the English at the Battle of Sluys and, with Castilian help, managed to beat the English at La Rochelle, it did not become a consistent instrument of national power until the seventeenth century with Louis XIV. Under the tutelage of the "Sun King," the French Navy was well financed and equipped, managing to resoundingly defeat a combined Spanish-Dutch fleet at the Battle of Palermo in 1676 during the Franco-Dutch War, although, along with the English navy, it suffered several strategic reversals against the Dutch, who were led by the brilliant Michiel de Ruyter. It scored several early victories in the Nine Years War against the Royal Navy and the Dutch Navy. Financial difficulties, however, allowed the English and the Dutch to regain the initiative at sea. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... Enterprise Logo The supercarrier, USS Enterprise (CVN-65), formerly CVA(N)-65, is the worlds first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and the eighth U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name. ... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and in most cases recover aircraft, acting as a sea... The Charles De Gaulle (R91) is the only serving French aircraft carrier and is the flagship of the French Navy (Marine Nationale). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... Combatants Kingdom of England Kingdom of France Commanders Edward III of England Hugues QuiÃ©ret, Nicolas BÃ©huchet Strength 250 ships 190 ships Casualties Unknown 20 000 (Europe: A History by Norman Davies) Most ships captured The naval Battle of Sluys was fought on 24 June 1340 as one of... The starting point of Crown of Castile can be considered when the union of the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon in 1230 or the later fusion of their Cortes (their Parlaments). ... The Battle of La Rochelle was a naval engagement fought in 1372 between a Franco-Castilian and an English fleet. ... Combatants United Provinces , Spain France Commanders Don Diego de Ibarra Comte de Vivonne Strength 17 Dutch + 10 Spanish ships of the line 28 ships of the line Casualties Dutch:3 ships ca 150 killed , Spanish:4 ships ca 500 killed ca 50 killed The naval Battle of Palermo took place... Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter, Lieutenant-Admiral of the United Provinces by Ferdinand Bol, painted 1667 Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter (24 March 1607 â€“ 29 April 1676) is one of the most famous admirals in Dutch history. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... This article is about the Royal Navy of the Netherlands. ...

A perennial problem for the French Navy was the strategic priorities of France, which were first and foremost tied to its European ambitions. This meant the army was often treated better than the navy, and as a result, the latter suffered in training and operational performance. The eighteenth century saw the beginning of Royal Navy domination, which managed to inflict a number of significant defeats on the French. However, in a very impressive effort, a French fleet under de Grasse managed to defeat a British fleet at the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781, ensuring that the Franco-American ground forces would win the ongoing Battle of Yorktown. Beyond that, and Suffren's impressive campaigns against the British in India, there was not much more good news. The French Revolution all but crippled the French Navy, and efforts to make it into a powerful force under Napoleon were dashed at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, where the British all but annihilated a combined Franco-Spanish fleet. The disaster guaranteed British naval domination until World War II. FranÃ§ois Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse FranÃ§ois Joseph Paul, marquis de Grasse Tilly, comte de Grasse (1722 - Paris, 14th of January 1788), French admiral, was born at Bar, in the present dÃ©partment of the Alpes-Maritimes. ... Combatants France Great Britain Commanders Comte de Grasse Sir Thomas Graves Strength 24 ships 19 ships Casualties none some ships damaged The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as Battle of the Virginia Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American Revolutionary War which took place near the mouth... The Battle of Yorktown can refer to: Battle of Yorktown (1781) Battle of Yorktown (1862) ... Statue of Suffren - Museum of the Navy, Toulon. ... It has been suggested that West Indies and Gulf Coast campaigns be merged into this article or section. ... Combatants United Kingdom First French Empire Kingdom of Spain Commanders Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson â€ Pierre Charles Silvestre de Villeneuve Strength 27 ships of the line and 6 others. ...

Later in the nineteenth century, the navy recovered and became the second finest in the world after the Royal Navy. It conducted a successful blockade of Mexico in the Pastry War of 1838 and obliterated the Chinese navy at the Battle of Foochow in 1884. It also served as an effective link between the growing parts of the French empire. The navy performed well during World War I, in which it mainly protected the naval lanes in the Mediterranean Sea. At the onset of the war, the French, with 16 battleships, 6 cruisers, and 24 destroyers, had the largest fleet in the Mediterranean.^[48] The defeat of France in World War II, however, forced the British to destroy the French navy at Mers-el-Kebir in order to prevent its fall to the Germans. Currently, French naval doctrine calls for two aircraft carriers, but the French only have one, the Charles de Gaulle, due to restructuring. The navy is in the midst of major technological and procurement changes; newer submarines and a second aircraft carrier have been ordered on top of the Rafales (the naval version) replacing older aircraft. Combatants France Mexico Strength 30,000 3,000 The Pastry War (Spanish: Guerra de los pasteles) was an invasion of Mexico by French forces in 1838. ... The Battle of Foochow occurred in August 1884 during the Sino-French War. ... Mediterranean redirects here. ... Combatants United Kingdom France Commanders James Somerville Marcel-Bruno Gensoul Strength 3 battleships, 1 carrier, 2 cruisers, 11 destroyers 4 battleships, 6 destroyers, 1 seaplane tender Casualties â€” 1 battleship sunk 2 battleships damaged 1,297 killed The Destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir, French North Africa (now... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and in most cases recover aircraft, acting as a sea... The Charles De Gaulle (R91) is the only serving French aircraft carrier and is the flagship of the French Navy (Marine Nationale). ...

French Foreign Legion

The French Foreign Legion was created in 1831 by French king Louis-Philippe. Over the past century and a half, it has gone on to become one of the most recognizable and lauded military units in the world. The Legion had a very difficult start; there were few non-commissioned officers, many of the soldiers could not speak French, and pay was often irregular.^[49] The Legion was soon transferred to fight in Algeria, performing moderately successfully given its condition. On August 17, 1835, the commander of the Legion, Colonel Joseph Bernelle, decided to amalgamate all the battalions so that no nationality was exclusively confined to a particular battalion; this helped ensure that the Legion did not fragment into factions.^[50] Legionnaire redirects here. ... Legionnaire redirects here. ... Louis-Philippe of France (6 October 1773 â€“ 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. ... A non-commissioned officer (sometimes noncommissioned officer), also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted member of an armed force who has been given authority by a commissioned officer. ...

Following participation in Africa and in the Carlist Wars in Spain, the Legion fought in the Crimean War and the Franco-Austrian War, where they performed heroically at the Battle of Magenta, before earning even more glory during the French intervention in Mexico. On April 30, 1863, a company of 65 legionnaires was ambushed by 2,000 Mexican troops at the Hacienda Camarón; in the resulting Battle of Camarón, the legionnaires resisted bravely for several hours and inflicted 300–500 casualties on the Mexicans while 62 of them died and three were captured.^[51] One of the Mexican commanders, impressed by the memorable intransigence he had just witnessed, characterized the Legion in a way they've been known ever since, "These are not men, but devils!"^[52] Today, legionnaires recognize April 30 as "Cameron Day." Image File history File links Download high resolution version (646x1192, 133 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: French Foreign Legion Kepi French Army ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (646x1192, 133 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: French Foreign Legion Kepi French Army ... French Kepis. ... The FAMAS (Fusil dAssaut de la Manufacture dArmes de St-Ã‰tienne, Assault Rifle by St-Ã‰tienne Arms Factory) is an assault rifle in bullpup configuration designed and manufactured in France by the Saint Ã‰tienne arms factory, which is a member of the French government-owned GIAT Industries complex. ... The Carlist Wars in Spain were the last major European civil wars in which pretenders fought to establish their claim to a throne. ... Combatants French Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Austrian Empire Commanders Napoleon III Ferencz Gyulaj Strength 59,100 91 guns 125,000 [2] Casualties 657 dead 3,858 wounded 1,368 dead 4,538 wounded 4,500 captured Map of the Second Italian War of Independence The Battle of Magenta was fought... Combatants Second Mexican Empire Second French Empire United Kingdom Spain Austria-Hungary Belgium Republic of Mexico Strength 38,493 French soldiers, 7000 Austro-Hungarian volunteers, 2000 Belgian volunteers ~80,000 Casualties 6,654 French killed and wounded 12,000 Mexican killed and wounded Emperor Maximilian Napoleon III of France Ju... Combatants Mexico France Commanders Colonel Milan Capitaine Danjou â€ Strength 800 cavalry, 1200 infantry 65 Casualties 300-500 62 killed, 3 captured The Battle of CamarÃ³n took place on (30 April 1863) between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army. ...

After the French defeat in Mexico, the Legion participated effectively in the Franco-Prussian War, spearheading the attack that lead to the only French victory of the war in the Battle of Coulmiers. It later fought in the Sino-French War during the 1880s, putting up a stout defense at the siege of Tuyen Quang against overwhelming Chinese numbers. Much of its time in the later nineteenth century and the early twentieth was spent in various operations throughout the French colonial empire. Combatants France Prussia The Battle of Coulmiers was fought on November 9, 1870 between French and Prussian forces. ... Combatants France Qing China Black Flag Army Annam Strength 15,000 to 20,000 soldiers 25,000 to 35,000 soldiers (from the provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang and Yunnan) Casualties 2,100 killed or wounded 10,000 killed or wounded The Sino-French War or Franco-Chinese War... Tuyen Quang is a town in Vietnam, the capital of Tuyen Quang Province. ...

In World War I, the Legion demonstrated that it was a highly capable unit in modern warfare. It suffered 11,000 casualties in the Western Front while conducting brilliant defenses and spirited counter-attacks.^[53] Following the debacle in the Battle of France in 1940, the Legion was split between those who supported the Vichy government and those who joined the Free French under de Gaulle. At the Battle of Bir Hakeim in 1942, the Free French 13th Legion Demi-Brigade doggedly defended its positions against a combined Italian-German offensive and seriously delayed Rommel's attacks towards Tobruk. The Legion eventually returned to Europe and fought until the end of the Second World War in 1945. It later fought in the First Indochina War against the Viet Minh. At the climatic Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954, French forces, many of them legionnaires, were completely surrounded by a large Vietnamese army and were defeated after two months of tenacious fighting. French withdrawal from Algeria led to the collapse of the French colonial empire. The legionnaires were mostly used in colonial interventions, so the destruction of the empire prompted questions about their status. Ultimately, the Legion was allowed to exist and participated as a rapid reaction force in many places throughout Africa and around the world.^[54] Today, it is one of the most respected units in the French Army. Combatants Belgium British Empire Australia[1] Canada[2] India[3] Newfoundland[4] New Zealand[5] South Africa[6] United Kingdom France and French Overseas Empire Portugal[7] United States Germany Commanders No unified command until 1918, then Ferdinand Foch Moltke â†’ Falkenhayn â†’ Hindenburg and Ludendorff â†’ Hindenburg and Groener Casualties ~4,800... Combatants Free French Forces Afrika Korps Commanders Marie Pierre Koenig Erwin Rommel Strength 3703 ? Casualties 140 Dead, 229 Wounded, 814 Captured 3300 Dead and Wounded, 277 Captured The Battle of Bir Hakeim (May 26, 1942 - June 11, 1942) is a World War II battle following the Afrika Korps 1942 campaign. ... Tobruk is on the Mediterranean Sea in northeastern Libya. ... The Viet Minh (abbreviated from Việt Nam ộc Lập ồng Minh Hội, League for the Independence of Vietnam) was formed by Ho Ngoc Lam and Nguyen Hai Than in 1941 to seek independence for Vietnam from France. ... Combatants French Union France State of Vietnam Hmong mercenaries Viet Minh Commanders Christian de Castries # Pierre Langlais # RenÃ© Cogny Vo Nguyen Giap Strength As of March 13: 10,800[1] As of March 13: 48,000 combat personnel, 15,000 logistical support personnel[2] Casualties 2,293 dead, 5,195... The French Army, officially the ArmÃ©e de Terre (Army of the land), is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces and the largest. ...

French military linguistic influence

French specialized military terms have been influential and adopted by other languages besides English, like Spanish or German. For the glossary of hacker slang, see Jargon File. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

French military terms used in English include: action, aide-de-camp, army, artillery, attack, aviation, barracks, barrage, battalion, battle, bayonet, billet, bivouac, bomb, brigade, cadre, camp, camouflage, captain, cartouche, cavalry, charge, colonel, combat, company, corps, détente, division, dragoon, enfilade, envoy, epaulette, espionage, garrison, general, glacis, grenade, infantry, lieutenant, lance, marines, materiel, manoeuvre, mêlée, militia, military, mine, naval, offensive, parapet, parachute, pilot, pioneer, platoon, pontoon, quarters, reconnaissance, recruit, redoubt, regiment, ricochet, sabre, sapper, sergeant, soldier, sortie, surrender, terrain, trench, trophy, volley, and volunteer. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... An aide-de-camp (French: camp assistant) is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ... Aviation encompasses all the activities relating to airborne devices created by human ingenuity, generally known as aircraft. ... A barracks housing conscripts of Norrbottens regemente in Boden, Sweden. ... A box barrage is a type of artillery barrage. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols This article is about the military unit. ... For other uses, see Battle (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see bayonet (disambiguation). ... A billet is the place to which a person, generally a soldier, is assigned to sleep. ... A bivouac shelter in North Canterbury, New Zealand A Bivouac (pronounced biv-oo-ak) is an encampment by night, usually without tents or covering. ... For other uses, see Bomb (disambiguation). ... In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ... Look up cadre in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A military camp or bivouac is a minor, semi-permanent facility for the lodging of an army. ... This article is about protective camouflage used to disguise people, animals, or military targets. ... Captain is a rank or title with various meanings. ... For other uses, see Cartouche (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with Golgotha, which was called Calvary. ... Battle of WoÅ‚odarka Polish infantry charging enemy positions during the Polish Defensive War A charge is a maneuver in battle in which soldiers advance towards their enemy at their best speed to engage in close combat. ... For other uses, see Colonel (disambiguation). ... â€œFightsâ€ redirects here. ... Look up company in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A corps (plural same as singular; a word that migrated from the French language, pronounced IPA: (cor), but originating in the Latin corpus, corporis meaning body) is either a large military unit or formation, an administrative grouping of troops within an army with a common function (such as artillery or... DÃ©tente is a French term, meaning a relaxing or easing; the term has been used in international politics since the early 1970s. ... Symbol of the Polish 1st Legions Infantry Division in NATO code A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of around ten to twenty thousand soldiers. ... For other uses, see Dragoon (disambiguation). ... Enfilade and defilade are military tactical concepts used to describe a fighting units exposure to enemy fire. ... This page is about negotiations; for the board game, see Diplomacy (game). ... Epaulette pronunciation: Ä•p-Ç-lÄ•t, a French word meaning little shoulders (epaule, referring to shoulder), originally meant only one type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia or rank by military or other organizations. ... Spy and Secret agent redirect here. ... For people named Garrison, see Garrison (disambiguation) Garrison House, built by William Damm in 1675 at Dover, New Hampshire Garrison (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, to equip) is the collective term for the body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... A glacis, in military engineering (see Fortification and Siege) is an artificial slope of earth in the front of works, so constructed as to keep an assailant under the fire of the defenders to the last possible moment. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I Infantry or footmen are very highly disciplined and trained soldiers who fight primarily with small arms(rifles), but are trained to use everything from their bare hands to missle systems in order to neutralize... Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ... The term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different pole weapons based on the spear. ... France Marines is the name of a commune in the département of Val dOise, France. ... Material (from the French matÃ©rial for equipment or hardware, related to the word material) is a term used in English to refer to the equipment and supplies in military and commercial supply chain management. ... A maneuver (also spelled manoeuvre) is a tactical or strategical move or action. ... Codex Manesse: a picture of mÃªlÃ©e at a tournament (from the French, IPA: .) generally refers to disorganized close combat involving a group of fighters. ... Lebanese Kataeb militia A Militia is an army composed of ordinary [1] citizens to provide defense, emergency or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ... Mine can refer to a number of things: Mines are tunnels used in mining for extraction of resources. ... Navy is also:- shorthand for Navy Blue the nickname of the United States Naval Academy A navy is the branch of the armed forces of a nation that operates primarily on water. ... A parapet is a barrier at the edge of a roof or structure to prevent persons or vehicles from falling over the edge. ... This article is about the device. ... For other uses, see Aviator (disambiguation). ... Combat engineers place satchel charges and detonating cord, preparatory to blowing up a railway bridge during the Korean War, 30 July 1950 Combat engineering is the practice of using the knowledge, tools and techniques of engineering in combat. ... Platoon of the German Bundeswehr. ... For the car body style, see Ponton (automobile). ... For other uses, see Quarter Quarters is a popular drinking game which involves players bouncing a quarter off of a table in an attempt to have the quarter land, usually into a shotglass (or cup) on that table. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ... Recruit or Army recruit is a term often colloquially used to refer to the lowest military rank in various armed services, particularly the grade of Private E-1 in the United States Army. ... A redoubt is a fort or fort system usually consisting of an enclosed defensive emplacement outside a larger fort. ... British regiment A regiment is a military unit, consisting of a variable number of battalions - commanded by a colonel. ... Information in this article or section has not been verified against sources and may not be reliable. ... French naval officers sabre of the 19th Century From left to right: two bayonets, a short curved infantry or artillery briquet, a straight infantry officers sabre, and a carbine. ... A sapper, in the sense first used by the French military, was one who sapped (undermined) anothers fortifications. ... For other uses, see Sergeant (disambiguation). ... This article is about a military rank. ... Sortie is a term for deployment of one military aircraft or a ship for the purposes of a specific mission, whether alone, or with other aircraft or vessels. ... Balian of Ibelin surrendering the city of Jerusalem to Saladin, from Les Passages faits Outremer par les FranÃ§ais contre les Turcs et autres Sarrasins et Maures outremarins, ca. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Some loving-cup trophies seen in the London Irish clubhouse at Sunbury in 2002. ... For other uses, see Volunteer (disambiguation). ...

Middle French (French: ) is a historical division of the French language which covers the period from (roughly) 1340 to 1611 [1]. It is a period of transition during which: the French language becomes clearly distinguished from the other competing OÃ¯l languages which are sometimes subsumed within the concept of... French (français, langue française) is one of the most important Romance languages, outnumbered in speakers only by Spanish and Portuguese. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories corresponding roughly to the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from around 1000 to 1300. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Dieu et mon droit (French for God and my [birth] right) has generally been used as the motto of the British monarch since it was adopted by Henry V (1413-22). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest of England was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ... William I ( 1027 â€“ September 9, 1087), was King of England from 1066 to 1087. ... Middle English is the name given by historical linguistics to the diverse forms of the English language spoken between the Norman invasion of 1066 and the mid-to-late 15th century, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, began to become widespread, a process aided by the...

Contents

Themes in French military history

European conflicts

Imperial objectives and post-colonial status

Gauls

Franks and the Carolingian Empire

Middle Ages

Ancien Régime

Revolutionary France

Napoleonic France

French colonial empire

Modern period

Topical subjects

French Air Force

French Navy

French Foreign Legion

French military linguistic influence

See also

Notes

References

External links

Contents

Themes in French military history GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

European conflicts

Imperial objectives and post-colonial status

Gauls

Franks and the Carolingian Empire

Middle Ages

Ancien Régime

Revolutionary France

Napoleonic France

French colonial empire

Modern period

Topical subjects

French Air Force

French Navy

French Foreign Legion

French military linguistic influence

See also

Notes

References

External links

Themes in French military history