From the introduction: Welcome to France. That’s all this world is, is France. There is nothing else besides France. But there is song. And hardship. And revolution. The year is 1828. It has been 14 years since the restoration of the Kingdom of France under Louis the XVIII. His younger brother (also brother to the deposed Louis XVI) Charles X is King of France. But revolution is brewing and in 2 short years the house of Bourbon will fall in the July Revolution. Louis Philippe I, of the house of Orleans will be crowned King of the Constitutional Monarchy. While the Monarchy would reign until 1848, a deadly cholera epidemic will sweep through Paris in the spring of 1832 and by June 5th, following the death of popular General Jean Maximilien Lamarque (of cholera), the poor and downtrodden of the city will erupt into open rebellion as 100,000 people take up arms and take to the streets.