V. Collapse of V. Collapse of Napoleon’s Napoleon’s

EmpireEmpire

V. Collapse of V. Collapse of Napoleon’s Napoleon’s

EmpireEmpire

A. Napoleon’s Luck Runs Out• 1807 – Napoleon controls most of

Europe • Enemies began to grow stronger

– Copy his military methods – Nationalism – Belief that each

nation (group of people) should have their own country

B. End is Near• Napoleon’s personality is a

major reason for his downfall•“I love power, as a

musician loves his violin”• Always wanted more land &

power

C. Napoleon’s 3 Major Mistakes• 1st Mistake• Continental System – Napoleon

orders a naval blockade to prevent trade between Britain and Europe

• Wanted to starve Britain into submission

• Blockade was never effective

• Britain reacted by forcing all neutral ships to pass through Britain

• U.S. gets involved in the middle because they trade with both countries

• War of 1812 – Result of the blockade

Major Result

•Continental system weakened France’s economy more than Britain’s

2nd Mistake • Peninsular War – Napoleon invades

Portugal who refused to follow the continental system

• Invades Portugal through Spain • Spanish people rioted in protest• Napoleon exiles the Spanish King and

puts his brother Joseph on the throne

•Britain allies with Spain and Portugal

•Guerrilla forces strike Napoleon’s army and kill around 300,000 men

Third of May

3rd Mistake• Russia was France’s ally but refused to

stop selling grain to Britain • Grand Army – 600,000 troops invade

Russia in May 1812• Russia does not send an army to fight• Instead, they flee deeper into Russia

• Scorched-Earth Policy – As Russians fled they destroy fields, kill livestock, and burn entire towns

• No food is left for French soldiers • September 1812 – Napoleon captures

Moscow• Expects Russians to sign a peace treaty

• Waits in Moscow for 5 weeks – Russians began to burn Moscow

• November 1812 – Orders his starving troops to retreat

• Troops have no winter gear and Russian forces began to attack as they retreated

• Only 10,000 men are left fit to fight

“Burning of Moscow”

Retreat of the Grand Army

D. Napoleon’s Downfall • Formation of the 4th Coalition

– Britain, Russia, Prussia, & Sweden– Takes the offensive– Napoleon’s army lacks skilled veterans

and the 4th Coalition captures Paris – Elba – Napoleon is sent to this island

in exile

Napoleon Abdication of His crown

•Louis XVIII – The brother of Louis XVI, becomes king of France

E. The Hundred Days• March 1, 1815 – Napoleon

escapes Elba and returns to France

• Thousands of his former men join him

• Louis XVIII is forced to flee Paris • European allies quickly join

together

F. Final Defeat•Battle of Waterloo –

Napoleon is finally defeated for good by the 4th Coalition

•St. Helena – Far off island that Napoleon is sent to

• Dies there in 1821 from cancer

Napoleon’s Final Defeat at Waterloo

June 18, 1815

Dukeof

Wellington

Prussian General Blücher

Battle of Waterloo

Death of Napoleon

Napoleon’s Tomb

Hitler Visits Napoleon’s Tomb

June 28, 1940