Age of Revolution Timeline

In 1781, political tensions arose in the Netherlands when a faction known as the Patriots rose up against the ruling Stadtholder William V, a period known as the Patriottentijd ('Patriot's Time') in Dutch history.

Image source: Patriottentijd

While the Patriot uprising was subdued with foreign aid in 1787, it decidedly paved the way for the formation of the Batavian Republic in 1795 during the French Revolutionary Wars.

The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1788–1792) was among the regions swept by revolutionary reform during the Age of Revolution, undertaking major political changes inspired by Enlightenment ideals.

Image source: Great Sejm

Following the earlier Patriot movement, the Batavian Republic was formed in 1795 amid the French Revolutionary Wars, transforming the Dutch state along more democratic lines.

Image source: Batavian Republic

In 1798, a revolt broke out against British rule in Ireland in the hopes of creating an independent Irish republic. The rebellion failed and led to the Acts of Union 1800.

Image source: Irish Rebellion of 1798

The failure of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 led to the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland into the United Kingdom.

Image source: Acts of Union 1800

The Serbian Revolution (1804–1835) evolved Serbia from an Ottoman province into a rebel territory, a constitutional monarchy, and finally the modern Serbian state, beginning with violent struggles for independence including the First Serbian Uprising, Hadži-Prodan's rebellion and the Second Serbian Uprising.

Image source: Serbian Revolution

The first part of the Serbian Revolution, from 1804 to 1815, was marked by a violent struggle for independence from the Ottoman Empire with three armed uprisings, ending with a ceasefire after which peaceful consolidation followed.

Image source: Second Serbian Uprising

Revolution spread back to southern Europe in 1820, with uprisings in Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece. Unlike the wars of 1830, these tended to be in the outer regions of Europe.

Image source: Revolutions during the 1820s

The term 'Serbian Revolution' was coined by German historiographer Leopold von Ranke in his book Die Serbische Revolution, published in 1829.

Image source: Leopold von Ranke

Continental Europe was shaken by two similar revolutionary waves in 1830 and 1848; the 1830 wave toppled regimes and inspired nationalist movements across the continent, followed eighteen years later by a much stronger wave.

Image source: Revolutions of 1830

A series of revolts starting in 1821 began the Greek conflict; by 1827 forces from Russia, Great Britain, and France entered the war, helping the Greeks drive Turkish forces off the Peloponnese. The Turks finally recognized Greece as a free nation in May 1832.

Image source: Greek War of Independence

The adoption of the first written Constitution in 1835 abolished feudalism and serfdom, and made Serbia suzerain, culminating the peaceful consolidation of the Serbian Revolution.

The European Revolutions of 1848, known as the Spring of Nations or Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout Europe. Economic grievances from industrialization fed these revolutions; their impact was especially evident in Austria, and they were notable for increased participation of women.

Image source: Revolutions of 1848

The French Revolution was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France from 1789 to 1799 that profoundly affected French and modern history, marking the decline of powerful monarchies and churches and the rise of democracy and nationalism. Eric Hobsbawm credited it with giving the 19th century its ideology and politics.

Image source: French Revolution

Demands couched in terms of Enlightenment ideals caused the convocation of the Estates-General in May 1789. Royal absolutism dating back to Louis XIII had alienated both nobility and bourgeoisie, while the clergy comprised only about 120,000 people, most parish priests as poor as their parishioners.

Image source: Estates General of 1789

In 1799, Napoleon took power in France and continued the French Revolutionary Wars by conquering most of continental Europe, spreading the revolution's ideas through its wars while ending the revolutionary decade in France.

Image source: Napoleon

After Napoleon's defeat, European great powers forged the Holy Alliance at the Congress of Vienna in 1814–15, in an attempt to prevent future revolutions, and also restored the previous monarchies.

Image source: Congress of Vienna

Spain was considerably weakened by the Napoleonic Wars and could not control its American colonies, almost all of which proclaimed their independence between 1810 and 1820, launching the Latin American wars of independence.

Image source: Spanish American wars of independence

In the 1810's, Colombia became one of the first South American nations to declare independence from the Spanish Empire, triggering the Colombian War of Independence.

Image source: Colombian War of Independence

In 1817, San Martín led the crossing of the Andes with the Andean Army, a military campaign that liberated Chile from Spanish rule.

Image source: Crossing of the Andes

With Spain tied down in European conflicts, the mainland Spanish colonies secured independence around 1820, completing the liberation of Spanish America by 1825.