1574. Earliest known dated French book-plate, “Ex Bibliotheca Caroli Albosii.”

The first English book-plate, that of Sir Nicholas Bacon, was also dated 1574.

Henry III., then King of France, was assassinated August, 1589.

1585. The earliest known French armorial book-plate, that of FranÇois de la Rochefoucauld, engraved some time before 1585.

1589. Henry IV., King of France.

1598. April: The Edict of Nantes was issued by Henry IV., granting religious freedom to the Reformed Church; he was assassinated by Ravaillac May 14, 1610.

1610. Louis XIII., King, son of the above, died May 14, 1643.

1611. The first dated armorial French book-plate, that of Alexandre Bouchart, by Leonard Gaultier.

1613. The second dated armorial French book-plate, that of Melchior de la VallÉe.

1638. The system of showing the heraldic colours, metals, and furs on engravings by conventional lines and dots was adopted about this date, and has been in use ever since.

1643. Louis XIV., King, son of the above, died September 1, 1715.

1685. October. Revocation by Louis XIV. of the Edict of Nantes, followed by the flight of thousands of French Protestants (or Huguenots) to Great Britain, Holland, and America.

1715. Louis XV., King, great-grandson of the above, died of small-pox, May 10, 1774.

1774. Louis XVI., King, grandson of the above.

1789. July. Surrender and destruction of the ChÂteau de la Bastille in Paris. This marks the actual commencement of the French Revolution.

1790. June. Abolition of all titles and armorial bearings.

1793. Louis XVI. beheaded January 21, and was, according to Legitimist reckoning, succeeded by his young son, Louis XVII., who, however, never reigned, and is supposed to have died in prison on June 8, 1795. The government was Republican in name until

1804. May. Napoleon Buonaparte proclaimed Emperor.

1808. New nobility of France created, titles and heraldry revived.

1814. Abdication of Napoleon in favour of his son, Napoleon II., who, however, never reigned.

1814. Restoration of the Monarchy under Louis XVIII., brother of Louis XVI.; he died September, 1824.

1824. Charles X., King, brother of the above, deposed in July, 1830; succeeded by his cousin—

1830. Louis-Philippe, as King of the French.

1848. February. Abdication and flight of Louis-Philippe. Proclamation of a Republic; Louis Napoleon elected President of the Republic, December, 1848.

1852. December. Proclamation of Napoleon III. as Emperor of the French (the Second Empire).

1870. Overthrow of the Empire; Republic proclaimed.