Napoleon

Rise of Napoleon

• Rose through office ranks to General, after string of military successes

• Strong Jacobin supporter: wanted democratic, non-monarchist government

• 1797: Defeated Austria in Italy, and negotiated peace treaty on his own

• 1799: Austria, Russia, Ottomans, Britain allied against France

Slave Auction house in Atlanta

Rise of Napoleon

• Economic and military weakness heightened need for new constitution

• Napoleon allied with the Abbe Sieyes in coup d’etat against The Directory to end inefficiency and protect original revolution

• Napoleon concentrated power for himself under provisions new Constitution of Year VIII

• Apparently democratic constitution concentrated power in First Consul, Napoleon; declared himself emperor in 1804

Napoleon’s Coronation

Napoleonic France

• Napoleon’s rule ended the Revolution, and cemented in place many of its effects

– Abolished inherited privilege

– Continued private land ownership by peasants

– Ensured power for the urban commercial class

Napoleon, by David, a quintessential Romantic painting

Napoleonic Code

• “Napoleonic Code,” or Civil Code, enacted 1804

• Codified all regional and national laws into one central national law

• Clear laws with clear penalties

• Maintained conservative, traditional social and financial order

• Became basis of European legal system to present day

English cartoon, satirizing Napoleonic Code

Battle of Austerlitz, by Gerrard

Concordat with Catholic Church

• Agreement with Pope: bishops to be named by state, spiritually invested by Pope

• Compromise: clergy remained tied to government, but with papal approval

Concordat depicted as miraculous

Military Exploits through 1807• Military might: huge army size, trained troops and officers,

promotions based on merit not nobility

• 1803: defeated Austria and occupied Vienna

• 1805: defeated Russia and Austria at Austerlitz, making Napoleon king of Italy

• 1805: French navy defeated at Trafalgar by Lord Nelson

• 1806: organized western princes into Confederation of the Rhine: ended HRE

• 1806: defeated Prussia at Jena, taking Berlin

• 1807: defeated Russia at Königsberg, taking all of Prussia and Germany

• 1807: Treaty of Tilsit confirmed France’s gains, and Russia allies with France

Continental System• Prevented

European trade with Britain

• Internal tariffs favored France; caused resentment

• Backfired, as Europe needed trade with Britain more than Britain needed trade with Europe

Changes in Europe

• Napoleonic Code and constitutional law imple-mented in conquered areas

• Feudalism and serfdom abolished in conquered areas

• Guilds dissolved, freeing artisans and capitalists

• Churches made subservient to states

• Despite changes, conquered peoples grew nationalistic, sought to overthrow French rule

Fall of Napoleon

• 1808: French troop presence in Spain led to Spanish revolt

• Napoleon replaced Bourbons with his brother on Spanish throne

• Spanish fought bitter guerrilla war against French troops

• 1810: Tensions increased with Russia, and Russia left the Continental System

Shooting of the 3rd of May, by Goya, 1814

Retreat from Russia, by Charlet

Fall of Napoleon

• Napoleon invaded Russia with 600,000 troops, but Russians retreated into winter

• 1812: Battle of Borodino, French defeat despite heavier Russian losses

• Napoleon took burned-out Moscow, but Alexander I ignored treaty requests

• Only 100,000 French soldiers returned to France, Napoleon resigned to Elba

Napoleon at Borodino

Congress of Vienna

• Austria, Russia, Britain, Prussia joined to reorganize Europe into stability

• Key goal: create peace and stability, and prevent further revolution

• Restore Bourbons under constitutional monarchy in France

• HRE not revived

Congress of Vienna

• Russia took much of Poland, Prussia took much of Saxony

• Established the Congress System to meet periodically to discuss stability in Europe, led mainly by Metternich

• 100 Days: Napoleon returned from Elba to lead France again

• Battle of Waterloo: final defeat for Napoleon, and his exile to St Helena

• Quadruple Alliance: Austria, Prussia, Britain, Russia

• Created a framework for international law and future meetings to maintain peace

Charge of Posonby’s Brigade, Waterloo