In 1799 the French Revolution ends as Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power
After the ‘Seven Years War’ and aiding America in their War of Independence, France was ruined financially. Their King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette continued to live a life of luxury as the poor starved and a revolution began that would affect the entire continent of Europe.
When The King and his wife were captured by revolutionaries, Marie Antoinette’s brother, the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II, and the King of Prussia, Frederick William II issued the ‘Declaration of Pilintz’ which decreed that if King Louis and his wife were harmed than the monarchies of Europe would inflict severe reprisals on the revolutionaries. After growing disputes between France and the Monarchs of Europe, on the 20th of April 1792 France declared war on Austria and within a few weeks Prussia had allied with Austria. The French army marched on the Austrian Netherlands but without sufficient organisation they ran at the first signs of battle. But France had great victories in Italy and Austria. When they executed Louis XVI on the 21st of January 1793 many of the European powers united against the French republic and on the 1st of February France declared War on Britain and the Netherlands as well as Spain soon after.
France fought with vigour and great and formidable military leader emerged in Napoleon Bonaparte who quickly rose to power. On the 9th of November 1799 a coup led by Napoleon made him First Consul and leader of France. This act was the beginning of the end of the French revolution. On the 24th of December a new constitution was signed giving Bonaparte the powers of a Dictator. By the 18th of May 1804 France had swapped a king for an emperor. Bonaparte had made many advances in Europe including taking Spain and placing his brother on the throne but the French empire also suffered many losses with Bonaparte being exiled twice and eventually dying a British prisoner.
In 1888 the body of Mary Kelly was found, the last victim of Jack the Ripper
Jack The Ripper is one of Britain’s most infamous murderers never to have been caught. He walked the streets of Victorian London killing young women and mutilating them striking fear in the hearts of Londoners of the time.
On the Morning of the 9th of November 1888 Thomas Bowyer was sent to the address of 25 year old Mary Kelly to collect overdue rent. When he heard no reply after knocking he peered through the window and saw the mutilated body of Kelly lying on the bed. Although several other murders happened after this one that are logged in the Whitechapel Murders file, this is the last which is believed to have been carried out by Jack the Ripper.
