The French Revolution. Napoleon

France 1788/89 Ruler: Louis XVI. State bankruptcy Intervention by elites, esp. Nobility, enforce calling of Etats Generales Social crisis: rising bread prices, interacts with financial crisis of state Etats Generales: clergy, nobility, commoners Commoners leave Etats Generales, form „National Assembly“ (June 1789), create constitution

The Revolution „National Assembly“ storm on Bastille Creation of revolutionary army Louis XVI. accepts constitutional monarchy New constitution: abolition of privileges, „liberté, fraternité, egalité“ Rights of Man and the Citizen

The Constitutional Monarchy Fear of restoration of old regime Notion of counter- revolutionary conspiracy by foreign powers 1791 King tries to escape from France, captured After end of Russian- Turkish war 1792 increasing foreign interest in French affairs

Reactions of the Revolutionaries Increasing republican movement Execution of the King declaration of war on Austria, later on Britain, Dutch Rep., Spain Coalition Wars (until 1815) Jacobin Terror, revolution loses legitimacy

Military Dictatorship Ongoing warfare: defeats of Dutch, Prussia, Spain, invasion to Italy 1796, Egypt 1798 Propaganda: export values of revolution Militarization of French society, strengthens authority of army 1799: coup d‘état by General Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon 1799 Consule, 1802 Consul for life, 1804 Emperor Efficient government: reorganisation of French administration, Code Civil Defeats Austria, Britain (1801/03), loses naval war (Trafalgar 1805), defeats Prussia 1806 (end of HRE), Russia 1807 Treaty of Tilsit 1807: French hegemony accepted

Napoleon‘s Europe

Napoleon‘s Decline Overstretching French potential by invading Russia 1812 French defeat against coalition of Austria, Britain, Prussia, Russia October 1813: Battle of the Nations at Leipzig, allied „Liberation Wars“ 1814 invasion of Paris, Napoleon exiled to Elba 1815 returns for 100 days, defeated at Waterloo Exiled to St. Helena, dies : Congress of Vienna