The Age of NapoleonEarly Life:

– Napoleon Bonaparte is born in Corsica (1769),

– Shy, timid, bullied in school for his thick Corsican accent, and short stature.

– Military school, – Joins the Army, rapidly advances– Intelligent, charming, witty, decisive, driven

Napoleon’s Rise• Hero of the Hour: l’Arc de

triomphe– Rapid rise when declares

loyalty in wake of a resignations of officers.

– In 1795 - defeats royalists rebelling against the Directory.

– In 1796 - stunning victories in Italy made Napoleon a celebrity of sorts.

– In 1797- defends the Directory again from the Monarchists. Jacques-Louis David’sNapoleon Crossing the Alps

(Realist-Picture)

Napoleon’s Rise• French Invasion of Egypt

(1798-1799)– Goal: Weaken Britain, cut of British

trade and communication with India– Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805)

destroys the French Fleet in 1798• French Army cut off from France

– Second Coalition (Russia, Austrians, Ottomans, and British) threaten France

– Result: Napoleon leaves troops behind in Egypt; suppresses news of defeat

Rosetta Stone: Found by the FrenchEssential in discoveringHow to translate Hieroglyphics

• Napoleon’s Coup D'état– Executive branch of three

consuls—though dominated by Napoleon

– Façade of democracy (reality dictatorship)

– Ended the Revolution:• Hereditary and feudal

privileges abolished• Careers open to talent and

merit secured• Peasants gained land and

opportunity

“I found the crown of France of France lying on the ground, and I picked it up with my sword.” Napoleon.

The Consulate (1799-1804)

The Consulate (1799-1804)

Cartoonists sometimes portrayed Napoleon as a Crocodile; Brumaire 1799

The Consulate (1799-1804)

• Building Security (Suppressing Foreign Opposition):– 2nd Coalition’s Russia (1800) and Austria

(1801)defeated– 1801: Concordat with Pope Pius VII

• “Catholicism is the religion of the great majority of French Citizens.”

• Clergy swear oath of loyalty to the state.• Catholic church give up claims to confiscated lands• Effect: Ends hostility of the Church.

– 1802-Treaty of Amiens makes peace with Britain.

The Consulate (1799-1804)• Building Internal Security :

– 1802 – Plebiscite (vote) ratifies Napoleon as consul for life.

– Amnesty for opposing political factions• many given key positions in government.

– Secret police and censorship of opposing viewpoints – Napoleonic Civic Code: a unified set of laws.

• equality before the law• right to choose a profession• religious tolerance• end of serfdom and feudalism• outlawed unions and strikes.• Divorce more difficult for women than men.

The Consulate (1799-1804)• Building Internal Security

– National Bank of France: • efficient tax collection• Loans to industrial entrepreneurs

– Lycées: nationally-run schools to train officials

– 1803: Sells Louisiana territory to the United States

• Goals: Raise money ($15 million) and increase pressure on Britain. Nicholas Appert

invents canning process for food for the French Navy, 1803

The Consulate (1799-1804)

Napoleon’s sale of the Louisiana to the United States, 1802.

The Empire (1804-1814)• Establishing a Dynasty:

– 1804, plebiscite declares Napoleon an Emperor.

– 1804, crowns himself Emperor at the Cathedral of Notre Dame

– Powerful Support:• Rhetoric of the French

Revolution.• French Nationalism• Extremely large and loyal

military force

Napoleon’s Coronation by Jacques-Louis David(Video)

The Empire (1804-1814)• Conquering Europe:

– Opposition from the Third Coalition: Britain, Austria, Russia, Sweden (later Prussia)

– Oct 1805 – Defeats Austrian force at Ulm– Dec 1805 – Defeats Austria and Russia at Austerlitz– Oct 1806 – Swiftly defeats Prussians at Jena– Oct 1807 – Defeats Russians at Friedland

• Russia signs Treaty of Tilsit with Tsar Alexander I– 1812: Empire reaches largest extent.

The Empire (1804-1814)• British Naval Superiority

– Battle of Trafalgar (1805)• Naval defeat of Napoleon by the British• Admiral Horatio Nelson dies; no British ship is lost.

– Continental System• Economic blockade to defeat the British. Stop all trade

between the continent and Britain.

• British establish their own blockade of the continent; smugglers continue to trade.

• American fights War of 1812 with Britain • System builds resentment on the continent

The Empire (1804-1814)

• Invasion of Russia– Russia left the Continental System.– 1812: Napoleon invades with the Grand Army

of 600,000 soldiers.– Russians practice scorched-earth policy and

even burned Moscow to deny the French food and shelter.

– “Great Retreat” left Napoleon with only 40,000 soldiers.

The Empire (1804-1814)

• New Opposition: Budding Nationalism .– Spreading principles of the French Revolution

stirred up hatred for the oppressors (the French)

– The revolution taught these countries the power of a nation in arms.

– After his Russian campaign, other countries rose up to attack his crippled army.

– 1814: Paris was captured; Napoleon exiled to Elba.

Exile and Return• The Hundred Days…

– Napoleon escapes Elba and Louis XVIII is quickly overthrown by March 20, 1815.

– Troops shout “Vive L’Empereur!”– Led by the Duke of Wellington, the British and

Prussian forces defeat Napoleon at Waterloo(Belgium).

– Napoleon is exiled to the isle of St. Helena

The Congress of Vienna

• A series of meetings designed to reshape Europe led by Klemens von Metternich of Austria.

• Goals:– Balance of Power: Contain and weaken

France. Map– Legitimacy: Restore disposed leaders and

compensate them for their losses.– Conservatism: Concert of Europe is a pledge

by European nations to fight political liberalism and revolutions.

French Revolution’s Legacy

• Britain and Prussia gain influence and power in Europe.

• Spreading Nationalism will lead to more war and revolutions.

• Many Spanish and Portuguese colonies gain independence.