The French Revolution began after 1792.
The French Revolution ( Révolution française [ ʁevɔlysjɔ̃ fʁɑ̃sɛːz ] ) was a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in France that lasted from 1789 until 1799 , and was partially carried forward by Napoleon during the later expansion of the French Empire . Demands for change were formulated in terms of Enlightenment ideals and contributed to the convocation of the Estates-General in May 1789 . The Republic was proclaimed in September 1792 after the French victory at Valmy . The Revolutionary Wars beginning in 1792 ultimately featured French victories that facilitated the conquest of the Italian Peninsula , the Low Countries and most territories west of the Rhine -- achievements that had eluded previous French governments for centuries .