Post on 27-Dec-2015
The Age of Napoleon,
1799-1815
APEURO Lecture 5CMrs. Kray
(some slides taken from Susan Pojer)
Napoleon’s Early Career
Earlier military career the Italian Campaigns: 1796-1797 he conquered most of northern Italy and developed a
taste for governing. moved to suppress religious orders, end serfdom, and limit age-old
noble privilege. Treaty of Campo Fiorio (1797) with the Austrian emperor established
several new Italian republics. Earlier military career the Egyptian Campaign:
1798 he was defeated by a British navy under Admiral Horatio Nelson, who destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile.
Abandoning his troops in Egypt, Napoleon returned to France and received a hero’s welcome!
Napoleon’s Rise to Power
French Territorial Acquisitions,
1793-1799
More uprisings, more quashed
elections, more purges of the Left and Right Vendee rose again, religious
schism acute
Certain leaders in the Directory looking for a change Abbe Sieyes: “confidence from
below, authority from above” Looking for a general
The Directory in Disarray
Abbe Sieyes
With the government
in disarray, Napoleon launched a successful coup d’etat
Proclaimed himself “First Consul” (Julius Caesar’s title did away with the
elected Assembly (appointed a Senate instead).
In 1802, he made himself sole “Consul for Life.”
Coup d’etat of BrumaireNov. 9, 1799
Napoleon and the Consulate,1799-1804
The Government of the Consulate
Legislative Bodies
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.
Administrative Bodies
Centralized administration Professional bureaucracy “Careers open to talent”
merit based Prefects ran the 83
departments – reported directly to Paris
Use of plebiscites Referenda on specific issues Allowed image as “man of
the people” Often took place after the
fact
As first consul, Napoleon held all the
power and made all the decisions
Napoleon’s popularity continued to rise as he restored order, stimulated prosperity, and defeated the 2nd Coalition
Grateful voters overwhelmingly endorsed Napoleon’s rule by plebiscite He successfully used the democratic
process to destroy democracy
Secure in his power, Napoleon enacted policies designed to transform France into an efficient modern state Napoleon the enlightened despot?
The First Consul
Hundreds of local law codes were
consolidated into a uniform legal code Still the basis of French law today
The new code guaranteed many achievements of the French Revolution Equality before the law, freedom of
religion, abolition of privilege, and the protection of property rights
The code increased authority of husbands within the family Women and children were legally
dependent on their husbands or fathers Ex. Women could not sell property
without consent of their husbands Did recognize civil marriage and divorce
The Napoleonic Code, 1804
Wherever it was implemented [in the
conquered territories], the Code Napoleon swept away feudal property relations.
The Napoleonic Code & Europe
Wanted to end the strained relationship
between France and the Catholic Church
Granted Catholic Church special status as the religion of “the majority of Frenchmen” Pope regained the right to confirm
church dignitaries appointed by the French government, depose French bishops, and reopen religious seminaries
Pope recognized the French government and accepted the loss of church properties confiscated during the Revolution
Concordat of 1801
Modernized French
infrastructure Building/repairing roads Beautifying the nation with
monuments
Established the Bank of France in 1800 The bank helped in finally
eliminating the budget deficit and modernizing the tax system
Napoleon’s Economic Policies
Arc de Triomphe
Established by Napoleon in 1801 as a
nationwide system of secondary schooling Designed to promote opportunity Lycées initially enrolled the nation’s
most talented students [they had to pay tuition, although there was some financial help available for poorer student].
Lycées trained the nation’s future bureaucrats.
Reflected Napoleon’s interest and belief in scientific progress
Lycee Education System, 1801
It’s generally agreed that Napoleon
promoted equality and nationalism during his rule
Napoleon, however, did not allow opposition to his rule Implemented his policies from the top down
with little democratic input and disregarded individual rights whenever it suited his interests Censorship of the press Use of Secret Police
Despite the loss of individual liberties, France enjoyed security, stability, and prosperity
The Loss of Liberty
Emperor Napoleon I
Dec. 2, 1804
The Napoleonic Empire,
1804-1815
Napoleonic Warfare
Strike quickly at the enemy army
French army lived off the countryside Allowed quicker
movement b/c not slowed down by large baggage trains
Would fight any time: Sunday, winter, night, etc.
Aimed to defeat opponents in decisive battles Always outnumber
enemy & concentrate attack on enemy’s weakest spot
Always presented self as liberator
Warfare was an affair for free and equal citizens not mercenaries
Europe in 1800
1802 – Napoleon negotiated the Peace of Amiens with Britain, the final holdout from the 2nd Coalition.
War of the 2nd Coalition,
1798-1802
Battle of Ulm – France defeated Austria
Battle of Austerlitz – France defeated Austria and Russia Solidified Napoleon’s reputation as a military genius Napoleon crowned king of Italy in 1805
Battle of Trafalgar – Britain’s navy defeated France’s navy Established British naval superiority for the next century Lord Horatio Nelson
War of the Third Coalition, 1803-1806
Britain Austria Russia
France -Danube-Italy
“Europe was at my Feet”
War of the 4th Coalition, 1806-1807 Battle of Jena – French troops occupy
Berlin; Prussia effective knocked out of all future conflicts
Treaty of Tilsit – Russia & France become allies
War of the 5th Coalition, 1809 No war on the continent again until 1812
French rule extended from the North Sea to Spain and included much of Italy
Britain was the last country holding out against France
1807: Napoleon divorced
his wife Josephine because she could not bear children
1810: Married Marie Louise of Austria 1811 she bore him a son,
Napoleon Francis Joseph Charles
Napoleon Builds his Dynasty
Proclaimed “liberation” of conquered nations
Abolished feudalism, ended guilds, internal tariffs Replaced w/religious tolerance, centralized gov’t, Napoleonic
Code
Wrapped self in dynastic legitimacy Pope attended his coronation
Creation of a new diplomatic system As he conquered, he created republics in Italy, Low Countries,
Switzerland Use of nepotism to create new dynastic monarchies
Reorganization of Germany Replaced HRE with French dominated Confederation of the
Rhine Unwittingly sparked wave of German nationalism
Napoleon’s Imperial Policies
Napoleon’s Territorial Gains
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
Napoleon’s Family Rules
The Fall of Napoleon
Napoleon appeared invincible. Many called him the greatest military commander in European history. His
insatiable desire for power led him to make three disastrous mistakes that led to his downfall.
GOAL to isolate Britain and promote
Napoleon’s mastery over Europe.
Berlin Decrees (1806) Forbade France and its conquests from trading
with Britain Hoped to create a depression in Britain and
promote French prosperity
“Order in Council” (1806) British blockade French ports; forbade French
trade with Britain or its allies
Milan Decree (1807) Napoleon proclaimed any ship stopping in Britain
would be seized when it entered the Continent.
These edicts eventually led to the United States declaring war on Britain WAR OF 1812.
The Continental System
British Cartoon
The Continental System
Portugal did not comply
with the Continental System.
France wanted Spain’s support to invade Portugal.
Spain refused, so Napoleon invaded Spain as well!
Peninsular War,1807-1810
Napoleon tricked the Spanish king
and prince to come to France, where he imprisoned them. He proclaimed his brother, Joseph, to
be the new king of Spain. He stationed over 100,000 French
troops in Madrid.
These actions outraged the Spanish people Bands of Spanish fighters known as
guerillas repeatedly ambushed French troops and then fled into hiding
During the next five years, France lost almost 300,000 men fighting in Spain
The Peninsular War:
The Spanish Ulcer
The Surrender of Madrid by Francisco
Goya
Shows French troops firing on the Spanish people in Madrid the day after they rose up in rebellion
Goya’s The Third of May
Continental System prevented
Russia from exporting grain to Great Britain
Tsar Alexander I refused to stop this vital trade
Napoleon prepared to invade Russia Napoleon raised his Grand
Army of 614,000 soldiers and marched across central Europe to invade Russia
Invasion of Russia, 1812
Tsar Alexander I(r. 1801-1825)
Alexander refused to surrender and the
Russian army avoided a direct confrontation with Napoleon.
They retreated to Moscow, drawing the French into the interior of Russia hoped Russia’s size and the weather
would act as “support” for the Russian cause
The Russian nobles abandoned their estates and burned their crops to the ground, leaving the French to operate far from their supply bases in territory stripped of food.
Invasion of Russia
French troops at the gates of Moscow
Russians fled Moscow and set it on fire
Napoleon waited there 5 weeks hoping to engage or negotiate with Alexander Alexander did neither With winter coming and supplies
dwindling, Napoleon retreated
A combination of bitterly cold weather, disease, and merciless Russian attacks decimated Napoleon’s army Battle of Borodino Only 40,000 French soldiers make it
back to France
Invasion of Russia
Napoleon’s enemies quickly took advantage of his weakness and formed a Grand Alliance against him
Aug. 1813: Battle of Dresden Napoleon re-groups with Polish forces and wins
Oct. 1813: Battle of Leipzig (Battle of Nations) Napoleon is finally defeated
War of the 6th Coalition
Britain, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Prussia, Austria, Sweden, smaller German states
France Napoléon’sDefeat
Allied forces occupied Paris on March
31, 1814.
Napoléon abdicated on April 6 in favor of his son, but the Allies insisted on unconditional surrender.
Napoléon abdicated again on April 11.
Treaty of Fontainbleau Napoléon exiled to Elba with an annual income of 2,000,000 francs.
The royalists took control and restored Louis XVIII to the throne.
Napoleon Abdicates
March 1815: Napoleon escaped
from Elba and formed a new army
A final 7th Coalition leads an army against him
Napoleon is defeated at Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon abdicates a second time and is shipped to St. Helena, a remote island in the South Atlantic
The 100 DaysMarch 20-June 21, 1815
Napoleon in his way to exile at St. Helena