NapoleonNapoleon1799-18151799-1815

Power Hungry or Power Hungry or Revolutionary?Revolutionary?

Map of France before Map of France before NapoleonNapoleon

The DirectoryThe Directory

• Rule by committee• Cautious, not idealistic• No clear leader like a Robespierre• Tried to keep middle path between

royal resurgence and popular insurrection

• Biggest problem- the war- army had been successful and extended France’s power and territory

Directory,cont.Directory,cont.• Annexed Belgium• Increased control in

Holland, Switzerland and Italy

• Directory was very corrupt

• Many in France did not support this expensive war

• 1798- they reinstated conscription; very unpopular

• People wanted political stability and peace

Who is Napoleon Who is Napoleon Bonaparte?Bonaparte?

• 1795- mostly unknown and poor• Wanted fame• Known as “the little Corporal”• He was ridiculed for being a

foreigner, having an accent and being short

• Born in Corsica- became part of France only months before his birth (use to be part of Genoa, Italy)

Napoleon, cont.Napoleon, cont.• Trained in

French military schools

• Not of noble birth, so under Old Regime could not achieve highest ranks

• Revolution opened up military opportunities

Napoleon’s VictoriesNapoleon’s Victories• 1795- called to Paris

to put down revolt against the Directory

• Led victories against Italy 1796-1797

• 1798-Egypt- even though campaign to cripple English trading routes to India fails, still makes him a hero in France

First ConsulFirst Consul• 1799- Napoleon helps

overthrow the Directory• Creates a Consul- three

leaders- makes himself First Consul

• He promises security of property gained during the Revolution; angers nobles

• Law and order emerge; civil wars end

• Balances budget

The ChurchThe Church• Napoleon re-

established France’s relationship with the Pope

• Concordat (1801)-this recognized Catholicism as the religion of the French and restored the Roman Catholic hierarchy (bishops, priests, etc.)

War: 1803-1814War: 1803-1814

• Victories for Napoleon:1805-Austria1806- Prussia1807- Russia1808- Spain

Francisco GoyaFrancisco Goya

•Spanish engraver and artist •He created art depicting the

horrors felt by the Spaniards at the hands of Napoleon’s forces

•Napoleon’s forces were known for brutality and showing no mercy

Executions of the 3Executions of the 3rdrd of May of May 18081808

Disasters of WarDisasters of War

Napoleon’s Empire 1812Napoleon’s Empire 1812

Failure: Failure: BritainBritain• One area Napoleon found no

success; Great Britain, France’s longest arch enemy

• Too expensive to invade England• Designs the Continental System• This was a blockade of the

Continent from England• England retaliates and blockades

France from its Atlantic colonies• Does not weaken England

The Continental SystemThe Continental System

Revolution SpreadsRevolution Spreads

• With each French victory, they carried the Revolution ideals of civic equality and religious toleration

• Napoleon placed relatives on thrones throughout Europe (Italy, Naples, Westphalia, Holland, Spain) to expand his power and influence on the Continent

EmperorEmperor• 1804-he had himself

declared emperor of the French

• New nobility-based on military achievement and talent, not birth

• He studied science to improve both industry and warfare

• He established metric system in France in 1799

The CoronationThe Coronation

Other ReformsOther Reforms• Supported research in physics and

chemistry• Science primary in his plan for education• Reformed the tax system• Created a central banking system• Created protective tariffs which helped

French industries flourish• Built more roads to help markets expand• Encouraged the arts• Created a police force• Built sewers

Napoleonic CodeNapoleonic Code• Napoleon’s greatest

accomplishment- codification of laws (very Enlightened)

• Napoleonic Code- unified system based on Roman law (1804) made up of the Civil Code and the Criminal Code

• 2281 articles covering all aspects of life, family, property, and civil liberties

Women and FamilyWomen and Family

• The Code Napoleon had many rules for family

• Hierarchy and subordination• Married women were neither

independent nor equal to men• Women also lacked all political rights• Women, like children, were under

paternal authority

Problems with RussiaProblems with Russia• 1810- Czar Alexander I

does not support Continental System and wants war with France

• Napoleon invades Russia in summer of 1812 with 500,000 troops

• Russians burn Moscow so French troops have no place to stay during winter

• French troops have no winter supplies

RetreatRetreat

• Russians continued to destroy their own country – crops, buildings, etc.

• French out of supplies, forced to retreat

• Only 100,000 men returned to France

Battle of NationsBattle of Nations

• Britain, Prussia, Austria, Sweden and Russia occupy Paris

• Defeated, Napoleon abdicates his throne to his son Francois

• Napoleon is exiled to the island of Elba

• Allies say no to Francois; bring in Louis XVIII

Napoleon tries One More Napoleon tries One More TimeTime

• June 15, 1815• He meets in one of the most famous

military campaigns in history• He had 125,000 loyal troops at his side• His forces were defeated at Waterloo;

British led by Duke Wellington• His return only lasted 100 days• He was sent to the inhospitable island

of St. Helena• Lied their six years, wrote his memoirs,

and then died of cancer under watchful eyes of British jailers

WaterlooWaterloo

Saint HelenaSaint Helena