The major upheaval in France that led to the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte was the French Revolution, which began in 1789. This revolution was fueled by widespread discontent with the monarchy, social inequality, and financial crises. Key events, such as the Storming of the Bastille and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, dismantled the old feudal structures and questioned traditional authorities. As political turmoil ensued, Napoleon emerged as a military leader, eventually seizing power in a coup d'état in 1799, establishing himself as First Consul and later Emperor. His rise marked a significant shift in French and European history.