Napoleon

Ch 23.3 and 23.4

Napoleon

5’3’’

1769-1821

Great Military Leader and Motivator

– “He awakened in my soul the desire for glory”

Became a notable military leader early in life

by his heroic feats defending the delegates

at the National Convention.

Coup d’Etat

(koo day-TAH): “blow of state”– A sudden seizure of power

– France was at war at the time, which made his coup very easy.

Napoleon pretended to be the constitutionally chosen leader of a free republic.

– Restored order and stability to France

Kept many of the Revolution’s reforms

Fixed the economy, including equal taxation

Reduced governmental corruption

Set up lycees, or government run public schools

Restored order and stability to France

Restored the church

Napoleonic Code

– Gave the country a uniform set of laws

– Reduced many individual freedoms of the people.

Emperor Napoleon

Crowned Emperor on Dec 2, 1804

Set off to not only rule France but the New World as well

Tried to regain the control of St. Domingue, which had declared their freedom after the French Revolution,

After an unsuccessful attempt, decided to give up on the New World

Sold New Orleans to President Thomas Jefferson for $15 million (3 cents an acre!)

“The sale assures forever the power of the United States, and I have given England a rival, who, sooner or later, will humble her pride.”

Conquering Europe

Fearful of Napoleon’s increasing power, Britain,

Russia, Austria, and Sweden created the Third

Coalition to defeat him.

His land victories against the Coalition were decisive

and brilliant.

The Battle of Trafalgar

– Defeated by British captain Horatio Nelson, caused a

serious blow to the French Army and secured the naval

dominance of England for the next 100 years

The French Empire

Napoleon’s 3 Costly Mistakes

The Continental System– Blocked goods from entering England

Didn’t work very well and ended up with a counter-blockade which hurt the French economy

The Peninsular War– Invaded Portugal

Portugal commenced w/ guerrilla warfare.– 300,000 troops lost

– Many of the countries controlled by Napoleon now questioned their commitment to France

The Invasion of Russia– Russians defeated the French by retreating and practicing

scorched-earth policy.

– By the end of the war, Napoleon only had 10,000 soldiers left.

Napoleon’s Downfall

In his army’s weakened condition, the Coalition

defeats Napoleon.

Napoleon was given a small pension (salary) and

exiled to Elba, a tiny island off of Italy.

Louis XVIII was restored to the throne (Louis’ son

died in prison)

He was very unpopular with the peasants, and this

encouraged Napoleon to make a comeback

Within days, his army swelled with volunteers.

Waterloo

July 18, 1815

British and Prussian forces clashed with the

French.

2 days later, the French army was chased

from the field.

This ended Napoleon’s return to power,

called the Hundred Days

Napoleon’s exile

He was shipped off to St. Helena, a small island in the South Atlantic, where he lived for 6 more years.

It was believed he died of cancer.

“He was as great as a man can be without virtue”