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BERLIN WEATHER  

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Ancient Gaul and Roman Rule
The territory that makes up modern France was originally known as 
Gaul
 (Gallia) and was inhabited by various Celtic tribes. The Romans, led by Julius Caesar, conquered the region between 58 and 50 BCE. 
Gaul
became a prosperous Roman province, developing a Gallo-Roman culture and adopting Latin as the dominant language. 
The Frankish Kingdoms and the Middle Ages
As the Western Roman Empire declined, Germanic tribes, primarily the Franks, migrated into the region. 
  • Clovis I united the Frankish tribes around 500 CE and is considered the founder of the French nation.
  • Charlemagne expanded the Frankish kingdom into a vast empire across Western Europe around 800 CE.
  • Following the Treaty of Verdun in 843 CE, the empire was divided, and the western part (West Francia) eventually became the Kingdom of France.
  • The Middle Ages saw the rise of the Capetian dynasty, the Hundred Years' War against England, and the inspirational leadership of Joan of Arc. 
The Ancien Régime and Monarchy 
France transformed into a powerful, centralized absolute monarchy during the early modern period. 
  • Louis XIV, the "Sun King," epitomized absolutism, ruling for over 72 years and making France the cultural and political center of Europe in the 17th century.
  • A vast colonial empire was established during this time, but the monarchy's power would eventually lead to its downfall. 
The French Revolution and Napoleon
A financial crisis and widespread social discontent led to the French Revolution, which began with the Storming of the Bastille in 1789. The monarchy was abolished, and King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were executed. The subsequent French First Republic underwent a radical period known as the Reign of Terror. 
  • Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in a coup in 1799 and declared himself Emperor in 1804.
  • He conquered much of continental Europe during the Napoleonic Wars before his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. 
Modern France: Republics and World Wars
The 19th century saw France cycle through various monarchies, republics, and a second empire under Napoleon III. The 
Third Republic
, established in 1870, provided a lasting foundation for modern France. 
  • World War I resulted in immense casualties but victory for France.
  • World War II saw France occupied by Nazi Germany, with a collaborationist government in the south (the Vichy regime) until the country was liberated by Allied forces in 1944.
  • In 1958, Charles de Gaulle founded the current  , which established a stronger presidency and oversaw the end of France's colonial empire. 
Today, France is a major global economy, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, and a core member of the European Union.