Napoleon BonaparteNapoleon Bonaparte

The Napoleonic Era

France

His Rise to Power

Military Reorganization– Room for Generals

• Used new military tactics to defeat the Sardinians and demand peace in Italy

• Defeated the Austrians 4 times– Gave France control over all of Northern Italy

– He was able to disguise his defeats• Loss in Egypt against the British (Battle of the

___________)

Napoleon’s supporters feared a royalist insurgence and plotted the removal of the Directors– Troops were called in to turn the Legislature

over to Napoleon• Had the military strength and skill to ensure

victory and keep control away from royalists

• Napoleon– “I found the crown of France lying on the ground, and I

picked it up with my sword”

• 3 Member Consulate – Napoleon was first Consul.

• Used a plebiscite in 1804 – Emperor Napoleon I

Napoleon

3 Primary Goals– Win peace by military

victory– Achieve steady

government– Create economic

prosperity

Institutional Changes– The Napoleonic Code

• Organized all French laws into one code• Instituted the code on all conquered lands• Promoted order and authority over individual liberties• How would Olympe de Gouges feel about it?

– Established a Centralized financial institution (Bank of France)– A Public school system

• Create common ideals– A Meritocracy– Signed the Concordat

• Acknowledged Catholicism as the religion of most French• Retained the religious freedoms granted in the D.R.M• Combated the “Civil Constitution of the Clergy” 1790 – put the RCC under

control of the French Government

War American Empire – failed with a Haitian Revolution

– Louisiana Territory sold

Napoleonic Wars– G.B. greatest enemy– France expanded quickly– Battle of Trafalgar = victory for Admiral Nelson– Napoleon victorious at Battle of Austerlitz

Used the Continental System to challenge the British– “Nation of Shopkeepers”– All commerce and correspondence was forbidden– Brought about the war of 1812– Instigated the Peninsular War

Russia

Napoleon moves west with army of 500 –600k in June 1812

Several battles (Smolensk, Borodino), but movement inflicts significant casualties as well– Russians leave nothing of use in wake of their

retreat– Weather (rain followed by heat) makes life

miserable

Moscow

"You are afraid of falling back through Moscow, but I consider it the only way of saving the army. Napoleon is a torrent which we are as yet unable to stem. Moscow will be the sponge that will suck him dry." --Russian Commander Kutuzov 1812

Russians torch Moscow as the French enter in Sept 1812.– City of 250k has only 25k when French arrive.

Napoleon’s army is exhausted and has no means to support itself.

Napoleon is anxious about being away from Paris for too long a period.

After occupying the city for a month, the decision is made to return to France before winter.

The Long Road Home

Napoleon chooses to use route of advance as route of return.– Nothing left to forage.– Pursued by Russians.– Morale continues to fall.

• 30k unburied bodies from Battle of Bordino six weeks prior.• Temps = 20 below zero.

Arrives in Poland mid-December with an army of about 94,000

The End of the Emperor

Exiled to Elba, but escapes– Not well, mentally or physically.– Reforms army (70-74k)– Wants to press attack before allies can mass.Hundred Days

Duke of Wellington and allies end the Hundred Days at Battle of Waterloo– Napoleon tries to escape to America but is captured

and sent to a final exile in Saint Helena

What to do with Europe after the defeat of Napoleon?

Looking at the maps on pages 214 and 220 identify the differences.

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The Congress of Vienna Goal- to redraw the map of Europe and design a lasting

peace. The 4 Major Players

– Austria – von Metternich (served as President)– Russia - Czar Alexander– Prussia – Hardenberg & Frederick William III– G.B.- Lord Castlereagh

3 Primary Principles– Balance of Power– Legitimacy– Compensation

Was contrary to many of the ideals developed by the Revolution and Napoleon. (nationalism)

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Results & Legacy France was deprived of all territory conquered by

Napoleon (1792) The Dutch Republic was united with the Austrian

Netherlands to form a single kingdom of the Netherlands.

Britain got several strategic colonial territories, and they also gained control of the seas.

France was restored under the rule of Louis XVIII. Spain was restored under Ferdinand VII 38 State German Confederation (President was the

Austrian Emperor)

Metternich’s Reactionary Ideas suppress liberal ideas in Central Europe for 30 Years

However Never again would the privileged be secure Common People could change the world Revolution spread