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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
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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)
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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
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• 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)
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The Consulate (1799-1804)
Cartoonists sometimes portrayed Napoleon as a Crocodile; Brumaire 1799
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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.
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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.
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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
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The Consulate (1799-1804)
Napoleon’s sale of the Louisiana to the United States, 1802.
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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)
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.