The Napoleonic Era (1799- 1815)
Dec 27, 2015
The Napoleonic Era (1799-1815)
Where we last left off…• Execution of Robespierre brought an end to the
Reign of Terror, or radical revolution• Established the Directory (five-man ruling body)
and two-house legislature• France still unsettled
economically & still at war w/Europe
“The words: Republic, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity were written
on every wall, but these concepts were nowhere a reality…All was
violent; nothing, in consequence, was lasting.” ~Talleyrand
Napoleon’s Rise to Power• Napoleon Bonaparte – Born in Corsica (1769) • Directory appointed Napoleon to lead French forces
– Campaigns in Italy , Egypt – Reputation as victorious military
leader
The Rosetta StoneThe Rosetta Stone
Jean Francois Champollion
Napoleon’s Rise to Power• Directory was weak, ineffective• Nov. 9, 1799, Napoleon helped
overthrow the Directory in coup d’état
• Assumed powers of a dictator
• Plebiscite was held to approve new constitution
“The Revolution is over. I am the Revolution.” ~Napoleon
Napoleon & the Social Order• Made unwritten agreements with powerful groups in
France• Granted amnesty to émigrés if
they took loyalty oath
• Reasserted principles of rev.– Equality of all male citizens
before law– Absolute security of wealth
& property• Napoleon reconfirmed the
gains of the peasantry from the revolution (land, status)
Napoleon & Economic Reforms• Set up a new method of currency – gold franc• Est. privately owned, centralized Bank of
France in 1800
Napoleon’s Political Reforms• Strengthen central gov’t
– Three consuls – First Consul (Napoleon) was head of state, had all power
• Dismissed corrupt officials• Set up lycées, or gov’t-run
public schools to train officials– Bureaucracy
• Appointed to office based on merit (earn it!)
• Universal male suffrage
Napoleonic Code of 1804• Standard law code for all people based on principles
of French Rev.– Ended feudalism, established equality of every man
• Limited liberty, promoted order over individual rights
• Restricted freedom of speech• Restored slavery in colonies• Single national holiday – Fête
du Concord (Bastille Day)“I am a soldier, a child of the Revolution
who has come from the midst of the people: I will not allow them to insult
me as if I were a king.” ~Napoleon
Napoleon’s Government• Council of State
– Proposed the laws.– Served as a Cabinet & the
highest court
• Tribunate– Debated laws, but did not
vote on them
• Legislature– Voted on laws, but did not discuss or debate them
• Senate– Had the right to review and veto legislation
Napoleon & Religion• Catholic Church of France -
division within the church• Concordat of 1801 (w/Pope
Pius VII)– Pope gained right to
practice Catholicism freely
– Napoleon gained political power
(support of people)
The Good: Emphasis on Education
• Created hundreds of public schools– System of lycées
“Of all our institutions public education is the most important. Everything depends on it, the present and the future. It is essential that the morals and political ideas of the generation
which is now growing up should no longer be dependent upon the news of the day or the circumstances of the moment. Above all we must secure unity: we must be able to cast a
whole generation in the same mold.” ~Napoleon
But…• Extreme censorship
– Secret police, spies– Closed newspapers– Propaganda
• Lowered the status of women
Napoleon’s Empire• Napoleon named “consul for
life” approved by plebiscite
• Later proclaimed hereditary Emperor of the French (1804)
Crowned himself emperor on Dec. 2, 1804
Coronation of Napoleon
Wife #1: Empress Josephine
Wife #2: Marie Louise(of Austria)
withNapoleon’s
Son
(Napoleon Francis Joseph Charles: 1811-
1832)
Wife #2: Marie Louise(of Austria)
withNapoleon’s
Son
(Napoleon Francis Joseph Charles: 1811-
1832)
France Loses Territory in Americas• Lost St. Domingue (Haiti) due to slave
uprising– Civil war led by Toussaint L’Ouverture
• Achieved Haitian independence
France Loses Territory in Americas• Napoleon decided to cut his losses – sold
Louisiana Territory to U.S. – President Jefferson’s administration purchased the
land for $15 million
1) France gained $ to fund operations in Europe
2) Punish the British!
Napoleon Turns to Europe…
Napoleon Set to Conquer Europe Annexed parts of Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland
Battle of Austerlitz = French victory over Russia, Prussia, Austria
Only enemy left = BRITAIN!!!!
Battle of Trafalgar, 1805British Admiral Horatio Nelson destroyed French fleet
(Nelson killed)1)Ensured supremacy of British navy2)Forced Napoleon to give up plans to take Britain
Napoleon’s Mistakes: Continental
Blockade,1806
Goal prevent Great Britain from trade with the rest of Europe, destroy economy Not successful
Second Mistake: Peninsular War, 1808-
1813
Portugal refused to comply w/Continental Blockade – Napoleon wanted to invade, but had to go through Spain
Enraged Spanish nationalism! Spanish people in Madrid revolted
against the French
Spanish peasant fighters, guerrillas, weakened Napoleon’s army
No decisive victory – pushed out of Spain by British troops (Duke of Welington)
Napoleon’s Empire in 1810
Napoleon’s Empire in 1810
Napoleon’s Family Rules!
Napoleon’s Family Rules!• Jerome Bonaparte King of Westphalia.
• Joseph Bonaparte King of Spain• Louise Bonaparte King of Holland• Pauline Bonaparte Princess of Italy• Napoléon Francis Joseph
Charles (son) King of Rome
• Elisa Bonaparte Grand Duchess of Tuscany
• Caroline Bonaparte Queen of Naples
3rd Mistake: Russian Campaign, 1815
3rd Mistake: Russian Campaign, 1815 Tsar Alexander I refused to participate in the
Continental Blockade Napoleon sent Grand Army to Russia
victorious @ Borodino
Russian Campaign, 1815
Russian army used scorched-earth policy Napoleon arrived to Moscow – Russians had set
fire to the cityLeft Napoleon’s army starving and exhausted
Russian winter left barely 25,000 soldiers to fight Retreat
Russian Campaign, 1815Napoleon & his Grand
Armée waited five weeks for negotiations with Russia
The French were forced to retreat back to France
Russian winter took its toll on the French army
Napoleon’s DownfallNapoleon’s DownfallNapoleon’s DownfallNapoleon’s Downfall Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden formed Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden formed
coalition (Austria later joined)coalition (Austria later joined)
Napoleon defeated @ Leipzig (some minor Napoleon defeated @ Leipzig (some minor victories)victories)
Allied forces occupied Paris on March 31, 1814.Allied forces occupied Paris on March 31, 1814.
Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden formed Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Sweden formed coalition (Austria later joined)coalition (Austria later joined)
Napoleon defeated @ Leipzig (some minor Napoleon defeated @ Leipzig (some minor victories)victories)
Allied forces occupied Paris on March 31, 1814.Allied forces occupied Paris on March 31, 1814.
Napoleon Abdicates!Napoleon Abdicates! Napoleon abdicated on April 6 in favor of his
son, but the Allies insisted on unconditional surrender
Napoleon abdicated again on April 11.
Napoleon exiled to island of Elba in Treaty of Fontainbleu
Annual income of 2,000,000 francs
The royalists took control and restored Louis XVIII to the throne.
Napoleon abdicated on April 6 in favor of his son, but the Allies insisted on unconditional surrender
Napoleon abdicated again on April 11.
Napoleon exiled to island of Elba in Treaty of Fontainbleu
Annual income of 2,000,000 francs
The royalists took control and restored Louis XVIII to the throne.
Napoleon in Exile on Elba
Napoleon in Exile on Elba
Louis XVIII (r. 1814-1824)
Louis XVIII (r. 1814-1824)
The “Hundred Days” (March 20 – June 22,
1815)
Napoléon escaped Elba and replaced weak monarch The people rejoiced!
Great Britain, Prussia, Austria, Sweden, & Russia unite again““The devil has been unchained.”The devil has been unchained.”
Napoleon’s Defeat at Waterloo
(June 18, 1815)
Napoleon’s Defeat at Waterloo
(June 18, 1815)
Dukeof
Wellington
Dukeof
Wellington
Prussian General Blücher
Prussian General Blücher
Napoleon on His Way to His
Final Exile on
St. Helena
Napoleon on His Way to His
Final Exile on
St. Helena
Napoleon’s Residence on St.
Helena
Napoleon’s Residence on St.
Helena
““To die is nothing, but to live defeated and without glory is to die every To die is nothing, but to live defeated and without glory is to die every day.” ~Napoleonday.” ~Napoleon
Napoleon’s TombNapoleon’s Tomb