Napoleon Bonaparte

Rise of Napoleon

24 years old is made a general by the Committee of Public Safety

At 26, he becomes commander of French armies in ItalyGains fame for victories in Italy

France wants him to invade BritainHe knows that invasion will fail, so he

invades Egypt insteadInvasion of Egypt also fails

Consul and Emperor

1799 Napoleon takes part in coup d’état that overthrows the Directory.A consulate government is set up

Napoleon is named the first consul3 years later he gets named consul for life

1804, Napoleon is crowned Emperor

Peace with the Church

Napoleon knows it’s good to mend relationship with the ChurchMakes deal with the pope

Catholicism is recognized as the religion of the majority of France

In return, the pope will not ask for the return of seized Church lands from the Revolution

Catholic Church is no longer an enemy of the State

People who seized lands now support the government.

Codification of the Law

Institutes Napoleonic (Civil) Code – unifies all the laws of Francethe equality of citizens before the lawthe right to choose your own professionreligious tolerationabolition of serfdom + feudal

obligationswomen less equal than men

No inheritance rights for daughters

A New Bureaucracy

public officials + military officers promoted on ability

Aristocracy (noble class) based on meritorious service to nation

Preserver of the Revolution???

Liberties taken awaynewspapers shut downbanned booksgovernment controlled publishingMail confiscated + opened by police

Building the Grand Empire Napoleon builds France and becomes the

greatest power in Europe at the time.Known as the Grand Empire

The Grand Empire would consist of three partsFrench EmpireDependent statesAllied states

Building the Grand Empire…. The French Empire

France and its new extended boundaries

The Dependent States

Kingdoms ruled by relatives of Napoleon

Unified German States

Spain - brother

Holland – brother

The Allied States

Countries defeated by Napoleon

Russia, Prussia, Austria

Building the Grand Empire…. Napoleon spreads the ideas of the French Revolution

Legal Equality

Religious toleration

Economic freedom

Clergy and nobility have all special privileges taken away

Napoleons system of merit instituted in new states

Napoleon hoped to build a long lasting French Empire

Two factors lead to its demise

Britain

Nationalism

Britain Napoleon wants to invade Britain and conquer.

British navy too strong for Napoleons forces

French defeated trying to invade

Continental System

Napoleons new plan to defeat British

Set up a blockade against importing British goods, try to bankrupt them

System fails

Allied states go behind his back

Too many markets worldwide to try and stop British trade

Nationalism

Sense of identity of a people based on Common language Religion National symbols

Conquered people are not forced to take on French culture Still unified by their own culture Resentful of invaders

Russia Under control of Napoleon, but ignoring Continental system

Must be punished

Set precedent for other countries

Napoleon sets out with 600,000 men

Only brings enough supplies for 26 days

Depending on quick victory

War would last 6 months

Russians strategy baffles Napoleon

Refuse to fight

Retreat further into Russia

Burn fields and homes along the way

Russia… Napoleon finally reaches Moscow

Russian capital

Finds it set ablaze

Wins two battles along the way, but costly victories Tens of thousands of men die in battle

Begins Great Retreat Napoleon makes decision to leave Russia

Still in the dead of winter

Thousands of troops are lost

Starvation

Hypothermia

Suicide

Less than 40,000 out of 600,000 make it back

Downfall of Napoleon Disaster in Russia leaves France vulnerable to surrounding

countries

Napoleon defeated

Exiled to island of Elba

Louis XVIII restored as monarch in France

Brother of Louis XVI

Napoleon escapes Elba and returns to France to claim his empire

Foreign armies rally together to finish Napoleon for the last time

Napoleon defeated at Waterloo in Belgium

Duke of Wellington leads British and Prussian troops

Defeated, Napoleon is exiled to St. Helena

Dies in exile in 1821