The Garde Nationale

In mid-July 1789, after the storming of the Bastille, the municipality of Paris organized a Garde Nationale, heir to the militias of the Ancien Régime. Something of a myth, the story of its origins is closely linked to the emblematic figure of the Marquis de La Fayette, its commanding general. Provinces quickly formed identical militias, which intervened in the troubles of the municipal revolution. Bringing citizens together, the Garde Nationale became one of the most important players of the French Revolution. Organized on a military model, it nevertheless remained a civilian force whose members, who elected their officers, were often armed and equipped with odds and ends by the municipalities. Responsible for ensuring order, they performed their service despite their professional activity and family life.