The Age of Napoleon

Early Years Napoleon Bonaparte born August 15, 1769, on the island of Corsica, a French-ruled island in the Mediterranean Sea. Sent to France at 9 years old to begin his military training.

20 year old lieutenant when the revolution broke out. Favored Jacobin radical government but felt he should side with anyone that held power. “It is better to eat than be eaten.” Rose quickly in the army during the revolution.

Early Victories December 1793, drove British forces out of the French port of Toulon

Several victories against the Austrian Empire in Italy. By 1797, Austrian emperor forced to sign a peace treaty with France.

The Egyptian Military Campaign 1798-1799 Napoleon led an expedition to Egypt to fight the British there and stop British trade with India. Defeated Ottoman Turk forces at the Battle of the Pyramids outside of Cairo.

Egyptian campaign turned into a disaster. Lost major naval battle against the British. After trying to invade Palestine, many soldiers died from Bubonic Plague. Hid the fact of major losses from the French people through a sophisticated network of spies and censoring the media’s coverage of the campaign.

British defeat French in the Battle of the Nile

1799, Napoleon returns to France as politician. Helped overthrow the weak Directory. Set up three man Consulate with a new constitution drawn up. Napoleon soon moved into position of 1st Consul and in 1802 Consul for life.

Plebiscite 1803 Napoleon held a plebiscite, or popular vote by ballot, to decide if he should become emperor. Because of his large support at the time they voted for Napoleon.

Emperor Napoleon I (1804) Gained enough power to take the title of Emperor of France. Invited Pope to participate in coronation. Took the crown from the Pope and placed it upon his own head.

Napoleon’s reforms in France. Strengthened central government. Controlled prices, encouraged new industry, built roads and canals. Set up system of public schools that would push military training. Concordat of 1801, Napoleon kept the Church under state control but ensured religious toleration of all Catholics. The Napoleonic Code.

Napoleonic Code Napoleon wrote a new code of laws that embodied Enlightenment principles. Equality of all citizens before the law, religious toleration, and abolition of feudalism. Napoleonic Code did not include the advancement of women’s rights.

Europe in 1803.

Napoleon’s Invasion of Europe Napoleon always traveled with his armies during conquests. The French Army conquered most of Europe. 1812 was the greatest extent of the French Empire.

Europe 1812

Continental System Napoleon could not defeat the British Navy. Continental System- closed all European ports to British goods. Britain responded by blockading European ports. British exports declined but still had the ability to keep trade routes open to the Americas and India. In continental Europe there was a scarcity of goods causing prices to rise.

Nationalism works against Napoleon. Spanish rebels sought to end the French occupation of Spain. Used guerilla warfare (hit and run) tactics to fight the French Army.

Inspired by the Spanish, Austria renewed hostilities with France. In 1809 at the Battle of Wagram, Napoleon’s Army crushed the Austrians again. 34,000 French soldiers and 50,000 Austrian soldiers killed. In the following peace treaty, Austria surrendered lands with a population of 3 million people.

1812 Napoleon invades Russia Tsar Alexander I unhappy with the enlarging of the Duchy of Warsaw at its borders and the negative economic effect of the Continental System. Russia pulled out of the Continental System and began trade with Britain, breaking the alliance with France.

Napoleon took 600,000 soldiers in his invasion of Russia.

Russians retreat and used “scorched earth policy” or the burning of farms, food storages, even cities so that the French Army would be starved. The French Army was stuck in the Russian winter which proved devastating during their own retreat.

The new alliance against France. Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia join forces and defeat Napoleon’s Army in the Battle of Nations at Leipzig.

Napoleon abdicates the throne, 1813. Napoleon returns to France in defeat and gives up his throne and steps down from power. Exiled to Elba Island in the Mediterranean. Louis XVIII, the former king’s brother was made the new king of France who fled in 1815 due to a economic depression.

The return of Napoleon and his final defeat at Waterloo. After Louis XVIII fled, Napoleon returned to Paris. British and Prussian armies joined to fight against Napoleon’s Army at Waterloo in Belgium in June 1815. Napoleon and his army were defeated in one day. Napoleon forced to abdicate and was exiled to St. Helena Island in the South Atlantic where he died in 1821.

Congress of Vienna (1815) European leaders met in Vienna to redo the map of Europe now that the French Empire had fallen. France lost much of the territory they had gained as a means to stop any future aggressive moves towards it neighbors. Principle of “legitimacy” discussed. The effort to restore hereditary rulers (royalty).

Concert of Europe System where major European powers met periodically to maintain a balance of power, suppress revolutions, and use of diplomacy to avoid war.