NapoleonNapoleon

11stst Modern Dictator Modern Dictator

BackgroundBackground

• From Corsica

• Went to military school on a scholarship

• Rose through the ranks very quickly because he was a skilled tactician

Napoleon’s early fameNapoleon’s early fame• Great military skills get him promoted to general

quickly during the revolution• 1795 (age 26) defeats uprising against the Directory• 1796 through marriage and connections gains

placement in army– Marries Josephine de Beauharnais

(leader in French society)• Wins support of the army and defeats Austrians

– Forced to sign peace treaty giving France control of most of northern Italy

– Becomes national hero***

Napoleon’s bold move—Napoleon’s bold move—17991799

• In Egypt fighting British—attempt to cut them off from trade routes to Middle East and India

• Admiral Lord Nelson destroys French naval fleet; army left stranded

• Trouble at home—leaves for France—arrives to cheering crowd– Directory unpopular at home– Military continues to win victories with European monarchs

• Joins leaders in coup d’etat against Directory

The ConsulateThe Consulate

Successful overthrow• Call for new constitution that set a republic—

really a military dictatorship• Take name of Consuls—reference to ancient

Roman Empire

• Names himself First Consul

Restoring OrderRestoring Order• Wanted to keep Revolutionary reforms• Replaced elected local officials with those

he appointed• Education under control of national

government– Created technological schools, universities, and

secondary schools (lycées)– Lycées provided well educated patriotic

government workers—students mostly from wealthy families, but some scholarships available to the poor

Restoring OrderRestoring Order• Created Bank of France—required all

citizens to pay taxes and the government used the money to make loans to businesses

• 1802 Names himself Consul for Life—approved overwhelmingly by a plebiscite

Napoleonic CodeNapoleonic Code• Had the greatest impact on French law and

many other law codes in Europe and the Middle East

• Based on Enlightenment ideas• Equality of all citizens before the law• Religious toleration• Advancement based on merit• State above individual

– Limited freedom of speech and press—censorship of books, plays and pamphlets

– Women lose many rights gained during the Revolution– Male heads of households given extensive control over

wife and children

Making Peace with the Making Peace with the ChurchChurch

• Concordat 1801—response to Civil Constitution of Clergy• Acknowledges that Catholicism majority religion in

France, but affirms religious toleration• Retains right to appoint bishops who have to swear

allegiance to the state• State agreed to pay salaries to the clergy

Building an EmpireBuilding an Empire

• France at war with those European countries controlled by hereditary rulers wanting to crush the Revolution in France

• 1802 Ends war favorably for France – Defeats Austria and Italy while First Consul– Persuaded Russia to withdraw from the war– Signs treaty with British ending fighting

• 1804 declares himself Emperor of France—in a very elaborate ceremony he takes the crown out of Pope’s hands and places it on his own head

Battle of TrafalgarBattle of Trafalgar

• 1805

• Attempt to invade English from English Channel

• Stopped at Trafalgar (off Spanish coast) by Admiral Lord Nelson

• French navy defeated

Continental SystemContinental System• destroy British economy by destroying trade• Ordered all European nations under his control to stop

trade with Great Britain• Required Russia and Prussia (allies) to join blockade• British counter threat: any ship on its way to Europe

had to stop at a British port• Napoleon retaliates: he’ll seize and ship that does stop

at an English port• FAILS: French trade suffered and economy worsened

Napoleonic EuropeNapoleonic Europe

Influence extended:– Napoleon is King of Italy– Brother #1 King of Naples– Brother #2 King of Holland– 1812 controls most of Europe

• Abolish Holy Roman Empire and creates Confederation of the Rhine

• People under Napoleon:– Resent paying taxes– Resent serving in the army– Conquered people have feeling of nationalism– Revolts being to happen

Napoleon’s DownfallNapoleon’s Downfall

Invasion of RussiaInvasion of Russia• Alexander I saw Napoleon’s control of Europe as a threat• Withdrew from Continental System—economy suffering—

resumed trade with British• Sparks invasion of Russia• 600,000 troops marched to Moscow• Russians refuse to yield and retreat into central Russia using a

“scorched earth” policy• Troops in Moscow—in a city that has been destroyed by fire—no

shelter from HARSH winter climate• Napoleon forced to retreat• Attached in “guerilla warfare” style—400,000 soldiers die of battle

wounds, starvation or exposure

Napoleon’s DefeatNapoleon’s Defeat

• 1813 War of Liberation—Russia, Prussia, and Austria defeat Napoleon at Leipzig

• Blow to French army in Russia sparks others to attack—Russia, Prussia, Spaniards, Austrians, English, and Italians

• 1814 Paris—Napoleon forced to surrender position as emperor

• Louis XVIII restored to power (brother to Louis XVI)

• Exiled to Elba off coast of Italy

Napoleon’s DefeatNapoleon’s Defeat

• 1 year later—1815 returned and won widespread support—Napoleon becomes emperor again

• Hundred Days—Napoleon’s return to power—no war (maintains boundaries of 1792)

• Fear that Napoleon might regain former strength– Armies of Prussia, Great Britain and Netherlands advance on

France under the Duke of Wellington– 1815 Battle of Waterloo—Napoleon defeated; placed under

house arrest; exiled to St. Helena (S. Atlantic)

• Napoleon dies 1821

Napoleon’s LegacyNapoleon’s Legacy

• Secures the Revolution in France• Spreads ideas throughout Europe: equality before the

law, religious tolerance; advancement by merit not birth• Uniform standards of government• Reformed tax systems• Promoted education• Improved agriculture and industry• After Napoleon, people wanted to keep these benefits

and not forget the taste of freedom from absolute monarchy.

Reasons for DownfallReasons for Downfall– Personal Weakness: Ambition caused him to overreach himself—empire to

large to rule by one man– British Opposition:

» Napoleon symbol of excess of French Revolution (Great Britain has a constitutional monarchy and parliament)

» Shattering of traditions» Violence of the Reign of Terror» Rise of military despotism» Wanted a divided Europe to continue the shift in support (balance of

power)» Suffered economic hardships because driven from continental markets» Leading colonial power—didn’t want to France to re-establish itself as

one– British Control of the Seas: naval supremacy protects/saves them from

invasion

Reasons for DownfallReasons for Downfall– Continental System:

» Decline in trade throughout Europe» Increase in business failures and unemployment» Shortages of cloth, machinery and foodstuffs» Smuggling becomes widespread

– Russia’s Opposition:» Continental System—suffer economic loss (resume trade with Great

Britain 1811)» Napoleon’s power considered a threat

– Rising Spirit of Nationalism:» Spaniards, Prussians, Austrians become nationalistic» Tired of French domination—ready to fight for liberation

– Exhaustion of France: many years of fighting has depleted military forces and resources

Lasting Influence on Lasting Influence on EuropeEurope

• Map Changes:– Abolition of the Holy Roman Empire– Reduce the number of German States

• Legacy of Revolution:– Spread French Revolutionary doctrines– Ended Old Regime of abuses of feudalism and serfdom– Napoleonic Code– State controlled education

• Legacy of War and Empire– Promoted growth of militarism– Aroused spirit of nationalism among conquered people– Widespread destruction and loss of life– Dislocation of Europe’s economy– Heavy tax burden place on conquered people– Set example of despotic rule—1st Modern Dictator