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Bloody History of Paris: Radicals, Riots, and Revolution
'He who contemplates the depths of Paris is seized with vertigo. Nothing is more fantastic. Nothing is more tragic. Nothing is more sublime.' ― Victor Hugo
Think of Paris and you might picture romantic images of elegant boulevards, bohemian artists and café society. Those aren’t wrong, but the story of Paris is also a tale of riots and revolution, plagues and squalor, sieges, occupations and religious persecution.
Ranging from an ancient Gallic city conquered by the Romans to the November 2015 terrorist attacks, 'Bloody History of Paris' is a lively account of the political, military, social and cultural life of the capital. At times the largest city in Europe, Paris has been sacked by the Vikings, besieged by the Prussians and occupied by the Nazis; it has nurtured the artistic heights of Toulouse-Lautrec, Modigliani and Edith Piaf, but also witnessed their self-destructive lives. It has been the site of the Catholic massacre of Protestants in 1572, the execution of a king, and of thousands in religious and political conflicts. From Abelard and Héloise to Joan of Arc, Coco Chanel to Princess Diana; from the Man in the Iron Mask to Marat, from Jacques Mesrine to Jim Morrison, the book takes a broad sweep over the more sinister moments in the city’s history.
Expertly written and illustrated with 180 colour and black-&-white photographs, paintings and artworks, Bloody History of Paris tells the vibrant, unromantic tale of one of the world’s most romantic cities.
Think of Paris and you might picture romantic images of elegant boulevards, bohemian artists and café society. Those aren’t wrong, but the story of Paris is also a tale of riots and revolution, plagues and squalor, sieges, occupations and religious persecution.
Ranging from an ancient Gallic city conquered by the Romans to the November 2015 terrorist attacks, 'Bloody History of Paris' is a lively account of the political, military, social and cultural life of the capital. At times the largest city in Europe, Paris has been sacked by the Vikings, besieged by the Prussians and occupied by the Nazis; it has nurtured the artistic heights of Toulouse-Lautrec, Modigliani and Edith Piaf, but also witnessed their self-destructive lives. It has been the site of the Catholic massacre of Protestants in 1572, the execution of a king, and of thousands in religious and political conflicts. From Abelard and Héloise to Joan of Arc, Coco Chanel to Princess Diana; from the Man in the Iron Mask to Marat, from Jacques Mesrine to Jim Morrison, the book takes a broad sweep over the more sinister moments in the city’s history.
Expertly written and illustrated with 180 colour and black-&-white photographs, paintings and artworks, Bloody History of Paris tells the vibrant, unromantic tale of one of the world’s most romantic cities.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published May 14, 2017
10 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Ben Hubbard
213 books21 followersBen Hubbard is an accomplished non-fiction author of books for children and adults. He has more than 160 titles to his name and has written on everything from Space, the Samurai and Sharks, to Poison, Pets and the Plantagenets. His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and can be found in bookshops, libraries and schools around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 31, 2018
We are going to Paris this summer. In all the trip planning, it was hard to keep straight all the kings, the emperors, the timeline...and all the books of the history of Paris at my library were HUGE tomes. This was suggested on a podcast/Facebook group (Join Us in France), anti was EXACTLY what I was looking for. A fairly quick read, lots of pictures and sidebars, but enough info on the different times and rulers that I feel like I have a basic timeline to work with now. Looking forward to our trip, and hoping to avoid anything bloody. Yikes.
August 6, 2021
Enjoyed this. Very informative without being too dense. I liked the photos and paintings
May 28, 2017
This book is a great insight into Paris' bloody history, but there are several writing errors in regard to its history, like mistaking Louis XVI (husband to Marie Antoinette) for his grandfather, Louis XV. Not a big deal to most, but getting the history in a book about history is kind of important (I am also a huge nerd for the history of the French Revolution). Also, there are misspellings of French locations, such as Orléans (which was missing the accent mark).
The book was informative, but the grammatical and other errors were sometimes too glaring to ignore.
The book was informative, but the grammatical and other errors were sometimes too glaring to ignore.
August 29, 2025
One would not confuse this book with a travel journal of the City of Lights. As one who loves the magic of present-day Paris and even the black and white movies of mid 1900’s Paris, I just could not get into this book.
This book reminds visitors who love to walk the boulevards and stroll through the parks of Paris that blood and brutal killings were performed on the very spots. Century after century, decade after decade, this book speaks to the revolts, riots, wars, religious persecution, sieges, executions, and even the 2015 terrorism. It would have been helpful to at least have one chapter addressing the beauty, significance, and loving glow of this enchanting city. I would much prefer to read David McCullough’s Greater Journey: Americans in Paris. I give that book a 5 star!
This book reminds visitors who love to walk the boulevards and stroll through the parks of Paris that blood and brutal killings were performed on the very spots. Century after century, decade after decade, this book speaks to the revolts, riots, wars, religious persecution, sieges, executions, and even the 2015 terrorism. It would have been helpful to at least have one chapter addressing the beauty, significance, and loving glow of this enchanting city. I would much prefer to read David McCullough’s Greater Journey: Americans in Paris. I give that book a 5 star!
April 23, 2018
Belyste på udmærket vis perioden fra Napoleon og frem til Bismark, her var jeg lidt svag i koderne!
August 23, 2019
A really eye-opening history of Paris' bloody history, beginning in antiquity right up to today. My favourite part was learning about the Commune uprising in 1870.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews