Gabrielle Chanel, better known as Coco Chanel, was one of the most influential fashion designers of the 20th century, and breathed new life into the fashion world with her elegant yet practical clothing. From the iconic little black dress to her menswear-inspired outfits and famous short haircut, Chanel was not afraid to rip up the rulebook and develop her own...
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Joan of Arc was a heroine of France who played a significant role in the Hundred Years’ War. She claimed to be carrying a divine message, according to which she was destined to liberate France. She proved a highly effective military leader, recapturing Orléans in May 1429 before being seized, sold to the English and burned at the stake. In just...
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Marie-Antoinette was the Queen of France from 1774 to 1791 and the wife of the ruler of the country during the French Revolution. As a queen who did everything she could to stay out of politics, preferring instead to entertain friends at Versailles, she was not a particularly popular ruler, and her image took a hit with the Affair of the Diamond...
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Napoleon Bonaparte was a military and political leader and Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1814. He steered France through a time of intense internal and external conflict and took part in decisive military engagements such as the Battle of Austerlitz. Besides his military campaigns throughout Europe, he also established civil institutions which exist in France to this day, such...
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The Battle of Algiers unfolded over nine months in 1957 and was a particularly painful and brutal period in the Algerian War, which saw the citizens of this French colony fight for their independence. The French authorities responded to a campaign of guerrilla warfare by the National Liberation Front (FLN) with forced disappearances, torture and summary executions, which tarnished their reputation later on. In...
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The Hundred Years’ War was one of the most significant conflicts of the Middle Ages and spanned several generations. Known in particular for its scale (it involved many different factions and five generations of kings), the war marked the height and the decline of chivalry. It had a considerable impact on Europe, bringing European monarchies into the age of modernity...
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