On July 14, 1789, an angry mob in Paris stormed the Bastille, a medieval fortress and political prison that symbolized the tyranny of the Bourbon monarchy. The event was a response to high bread prices, crushing taxes, and the dismissal of popular minister Jacques Necker. Though only seven prisoners were inside at the time, the fall of the Bastille signaled the beginning of the French Revolution. It led to the 'Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen' and the eventual execution of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. This event introduced the concepts of liberty, equality, and fraternity to the European political consciousness and remains France's most important national holiday (Bastille Day).