Napoleon Bonaparte “Ambition is never content even on the summit of greatness.”
Born in Corsica as an Italian- Became a French citizen at the age of 1 Home in which Napoleon was born Corsica
Became dictator (all power held by a single person) of France for 10 years in 1799 when he launched a coup d’ etat (stroke of state) against the Directory
Became Emperor for life after winning a plebiscite (yes or no vote)
Napoleon was immediately at war with the Second Coalition (countries united against France)
Coalitions were formed because other European Monarchs did not want their people to see the French get away with killing their king and starting Republics.
Loved by all of the French
NAPOLEON AS LEADER OF FRANCE
General Reforms Freedom of worship Stabilized food prices Class Equality Rebuilt Paris Got rid of 10 day week (& calendar)
Legal Reform: The Napoleonic Code – single set of laws for all of France Equality of law Basic liberties Restored slavery Limits on women’s rights Limits on political rights and freedom of speech and press NO LAWS APPLIED TO NAPOLEON
Class Reforms Clergy Improved Catholic’s status Gave back land Dropped state controls
Nobility Allowed nobility to return from exile Gave back land and political status
Bourgeoisie Stabilized markets and trade Lowered taxes Peasants Jobs Lowered food prices
Napoleon as a Military Leader Wave of victories Awesome General – People liked/loved him
THREE BLUNDERS
1. Spain – kicked out old king and put his brother, Joseph, in charge of Spain. Spanish fought back with help from the British. Guerrilla Warfare destroyed the French. Napoleon has to pull out (300,000 French killed)
Continental System Napoleon tried to isolate trade with Britain (to hurt their economy), but it backfired. Battle of Trafalgar - Napoleon lost to the British navy. This was Napoleon’s first major defeat
BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR British French Lord Nelson – Admiral Villeneuve- Crosses the T” The British More ships, slower ships have better communication Shoot chainshot into faster fire of cannons rigging and shoot the hull of the ship
Battle of Trafalgar
Russia (1812) Napoleon goes in with 400,000 + troops, comes back with 10,000
While Napoleon was “down,” the other countries ganged up to defeat him at the Battle of Leipzig (Battle of Nations) - 1813
Napoleon gives up the throne and was exiled to Elba.
100 Days - Napoleon’s return to power People didn’t like Louis XVIII (brother of the guillotined king) Napoleon escaped Elba (Louis fled) Napoleon regained full power Napoleon: best defense is a good offense. He attacked the British General Wellington at Waterloo (Belgium) Napoleon was defeated for the final time
This time he’s sent to St. Helena, between Africa and South America He died in 1821 of a stomach ailment.
LEGACY Rise of Nationalism ·Division of people by country not social class ·People willing to go to war based on love of country ·Wars to combine city-states, divide empires
LEGACY (CONTINUED) Need for: · Coalitions and alliances Diplomacy as an option to war
LEGACY (CONTINUED) Spread of ideas: Political philosophy Revolution as an option Equality, speech, voting, property Rise of a professional military