History
France got its name from the Latin word Francia which means "country of the Franks". In ancient time it was part of the Celtic territory known as Gaul. During the 9th century it became a country, becoming the third largest in Europe.
For many centuries, France was ruled by monarchs until the 13th century when the direct line to the throne became extinct. This became the start of the Hundred Years' War between England and France because of Edward III of England's claim to the French throne. It wasn't until the English defeat during 1453 that France began to recover again.
By the 15th and 16th centuries France was again involved in many international conflicts and agendas, including the Italian Wars. During this period France began building its power and by the 17th century it became the major European power easily replacing Spain.
During the last years of the 18th century, the government of France became unpopular. There was a widening gap between the poor and the rich. This caused the government to be overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte, an army commander during that time. During Bonaparte's reign he tried to establish a vast French Empire in Europe and he almost succeeded until being defeated in Waterloo by the Duke of Wellington.
Many republics were formed after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte, ending with the Fifth Republic which was formed in 1958 and still stands today.