Section 4 The Age of Napoleon Begins

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

● Napoleon Bonaparte-born in Corsica (French-ruled island in the Mediterranean)

● He favored the Jacobins and republican rule ● Thought French Revolution confusing

Early Success

● December 1793, drove British forces out of French port of Toulon● Captured most of northern Italy ● Led expedition to Egypt in 1798 hoping to disrupt British trade with

India● It was proved to be a disaster ● 1799, he moved from victorious general to political leader ● Napoleon soon took the title First Consul● 1802, had himself named consul for life

Self mad Emperor

● Two years later, acquired enough power to assume title Emperor of

France

● Each step of rise to power, he held a plebiscite

● plebiscite-ballot in which voters say yes or no

France Under Napoleon

● Napoleon consolidated his power by strengthening government● Order, security, and efficiency replaced liberty, equality, and fraternity

as the slogans of the new regime ● Restore economic prosperity● Controlled prices, encouraged new industry, and built roads and canals● Set up public schools ● Made peace with Catholic Church in the Concordat of 1801

Cont

● Peasants relieved when he recognized their rights to lands they bought

from the Church and nobles during Revolution

● Middle class approved Napoleon’s economic reforms

● Made jobs “open to all talent”

Napoleonic Code

● New law code called the Napoleonic Code.● It embodied Enlightenment principles ● equality● religion toleration ● advancement based on merit● Napoleon valued order and authority over individual rights

Building an Empire

● From 1804-1814, Napoleon faced down the combined European forces

● By 1810, his Grand Empire reached its greatest extent ● He annexed some areas to France, such as the Netherlands, Belgium,

and parts of Italy and Germany ● annex- add outright

Cont.

● Napoleon controlled much of Europe through forceful diplomacy● One tactic was to put friends and relatives on the thrones of Europe● After unseating the king of Spain, he placed his brother Joseph

Bonaparte, on the throne ● Britain alone remained outside Napoleon’s European Empire● 1805, Napoleon prepared to invade Britain● But at the Battle of Trafalgar, British Admiral Horatio Nelson smashed

a French fleet.

Cont.

● Napoleon struck at Britains lifeblood, its commerce.● He waged economic warfare● Britain responded with blockade of European ports● blockade-Shutting off a port to stop supplies from entering or leaving● Both seized neutral ships suspected of trading with the other sider● British attacks on American Ships sparked anger in the U.S. and

eventually triggered the War of 1812 ● In the end, Napoleon failed to bring Britain to its knees

Section 5 The End of an Era

Challenges to Napoleon’s Empire

● Under Napoleon, French armies spread the ideas of the revoultion across Europe

● The Napoleonic Code was also carried across Europe● Napoleon’s success, however, had seeds of defeat● Many Europeans who had welcomed the ideas of the revolution saw

Napoleon and his armies as foreign opressors● From Rome to Madrid to the Netherlands, nationalism unleashed

revolts against France

Cont.

● 1808, king of Spain replaced by brother, Joseph Bonaparte ● Spanish patriots made campaign of guerrilla warfare against French● guerilla warfare-hit and run raids

Cont.

● Spanish resistance encouraged Austria hostilities against French● 1805, Battle of Austerlitz, Napoleon victorious against Austro-Russian

army● 1809, Napoleon won again at Wagram● Next year, divorced wife Josephine● Married Austrian princess Marie Louise● He and his heirs could claim kinship with the royalty of Europe

Cont.

● Alliance with other family disturbed Czar Alexander I of Russia● 1812, 400,000 French and other soldiers invaded Russia● About 10,000 soldiers survived

Downfall of Napoleon

● Disaster in Russia brought new alliances (Russia, Britain, and Austria) against weakened France

● 1813, they defeated Napoleon at the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig● Next year, Napoleon abdicated● abdicated-stepped down● Exiled him to Elba● Louis XVIII king of France● Economic depression and fear of old regime helped rekindle loyalty to

Napoleon

Cont.

● Escaped island and returned to France● Citizens cheered Napoleon’s advance, Louis XVIII fled● March 1815, entered Paris in triumph● Triumph lasted only 100 days● June 18,1815, British forces under Duke of Wellington and Prussian

army crushed French in a long-day battle● He was exiled to St. Helena● Didn’t return ● Died in 1821

Legacy of Napoleon

● Conquest spread ideas of the revolution● Failed to make Europe into a French Empire● Abolition of the Holy Roman Empire helped create a new Germany● 1803, decision to sell France’s vast Louisiana Territory to American

government doubled the size of U.S. and made an age of expansion

The Congress of Vienna

● Diplomats and heads of state sat down at Congress of Vienna● Faced task of restoring stability and order in Europe● Congress met for 10 months ● Main goal to create a lasting peace by making balance of power and

protecting system of monarchy● Peacemaker redrew map of Europe

Cont.

● To turn clock back to 1792, architects of peace made principle of legitimacy

● principle of legitimacy- restoring hereditary monarchies that French Revolution or Napoleon unseated

● Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Great Britain pledged to act together to maintain balance and power

● The Congress created a framework for peace● Europe would not see a war on a Napoleonic scale until 1914