1792

1792 was a leap year that proved pivotal in the French Revolution and in European politics. In France, revolutionary forces moved to dismantle the constitutional monarchy and press for republican governance. The year opened amid fears of foreign intervention, intensified by the Brunswick Manifesto issued on July 25, which warned that monarchy and family would be protected if the French republic harmed. In August, radicals in Paris stormed the Tuileries on August 10, leading to the king's capture and placing Louis XVI under guard; the monarchy effectively ended as royal authority collapsed.

In September, the revolution faced both internal crisis and external pressure. The September Massacres (2–7 September) saw mobs kill prisoners in Paris, reflecting popular radicalization. On September 20–21, the French army won a decisive victory at the Battle of Valmy, halting the Prussian advance and preserving the revolution's prospects. The National Convention was elected and proclaimed the French Republic on September 22, abolishing the monarchy and inaugurating a new phase in French politics.

France continued to prosecute military campaigns in the Low Countries; the victory at Jemappes on November 6, 1792 secured French control over much of the Austrian Netherlands. The year also saw developments in the United States: the Coinage Act of 1792 established the U.S. Mint at Philadelphia and defined the dollar as the unit of account, with coinage beginning the following year. Across Europe, the War of the First Coalition intensified as monarchies sought to contain revolutionary change.