Napoleon Bonaparte

The Rise and Fall

Napoleon’s Rise1. While in Paris, Napoleon quelled

an uprising against the Directory• Napoleon awarded full control over

French military

2. Directory became too corrupt• Abbe Sieyes organized a coupd’etat

3. Napoleon helped Abbe Sieyes hold the coup

4. New government• 3 Consuls took the place of the

Directory

• Napoleon was 1st Consul

• Everyone liked Napoleon and did everything he asked

5. 1802, Plebiscite placed Napoleon as 1st Consul for life

5. 1804 Napoleon declared himself emperor of France

1. Napoleon was an absolutist ruler2. He did, however preserve many

revolutionary (enlightened) ideas

Napoleon’s Reforms: Progressive

1. Many Revolutionary reforms kept in tact

• Money gains from sale of church land kept

• Peasants allowed to keep the land they took during the 1789 Great Fear

• No resurrection of old taxes and corporations

2. Equality before the law preserved

3. Napoleonic Code1. Made laws clear and concise

2. Laws applied to everyone

4. Most governmental positions awarded based upon merit, not blood line

5. Concordat of 1801• Ended rift between France and

Catholic Church• Pope renounce claim to church

lands sold during revolution• New toleration for Catholics and

Jews• Clergy replace those who were

disposed by the Revolution

Napoleon’s Reforms: Regressive

1. Women denied equal status

2. Press and speech censored

3. Some imprisoned without a trial

4. Lack of democratic practice

5. New imperial nobility created

6. Nepotism in conquered territories

Napoleon’s Wars1. War of the Second Coalition (1799-

1801)• France gained Italian and German lands

• Britain isolated

2. War of the Third Coalition (1805-1807)• France tried (and failed) to invade Britain

• Gained Austrian lands

• Russia accepted Napoleons acquisitions

Confederation of the Rhine established

Continental System created

Napoleon’s Grand Empire Solidified

3. Peninsular War (1808-1814)• Spain revolted against France

• Used Guerrilla Warfare

• Aided by Britain

4. War of Liberation (1809)• Austria tried to repel France but

lost

5. Russian Campaign (1812)1. Russia withdrew from

Continental System2. France invaded Russia3. Russia used Scorched-Earth

strategy4. Napoleon overextended himself

and lost a large portion of his army

6. War of the Fourth Coalition (1813-1814)

• Britain, Prussia, Russia, and Austria vs France

• Napoleon driven back• Battle of Leipzig (largest battle

fought in history thus far) destroyed most of Napoleon’s Grand Army

• Napoleon’s Generals surrendered • Napoleon defeated

First Treaty of Paris: 1814

• France had to return all lands taken since 1792

• Napoleon abdicated

• Louis XVIII (bourbon) restored to throne

• Charter of 1814 set up constitutional monarchy

• No reparation payments

100 Days• Napoleon escaped his exile on the island

of Elba (1815)• He returned and ruled France for 100

Days– The French took him back– Louis XVIII fled

• Coalition forces defeated Napoleon at Waterloo– Napoleon exiled to St Helena

2nd treaty of ParisLouis XVIII returned

France lost more territory

France had to pay indemnities

Congress of Vienna• Large powers met 1814-1815

• Goal was to decide how to prevent a repeat of the French Revolution and Napoleon

• Dominated by Conservative views…