1. French Absolutism, Enlightenment, & Revolution
Napoleon Bonaparte

2. Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte: Who was he?
He was born in 1769 on the Mediterranean Island of Corsica.
He was a short guy – he was only 5 feet, 3 inches tall.
He is considered to be one of the greatest military leaders of all time.

3. Napoleon Complex “Napoleon complex"
A theorized condition occurring in people of short stature. It is characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior, and carries the implication that such behavior is compensatory for the subject's stature.

4. Successes and coup d’etat
October 1795 rebels marched on the National Convention where Napoleon and his gunners successfully forced rebels to panic and flee. He was hailed a hero in France.
In 1796, Napoleon was appointed to lead the French army against Austria and the Kingdom of Sardinia and he swept into Italy and won a series of victories.
He tried to achieve repeat success in Egypt but was defeated by Horatio Nelson. Napoleon kept this news out of the newspapers and he was still a hero to France.

5. Successes and coup d’etat, contd.
By 1799, The Directory had lost political confidence within the people and after Napoleon’s return from Egypt, he was urged to seize political power.
Napoleon became the first consul and assumed the power as the dictator.
coup d’etat: sudden seizure of power or blow to the state.

6. Napoleon’s Rise to Power
The beginning of his military career – The Egyptian Campaign:
1798: Napoleon was defeated by the British Navy under Admiral Horatio Nelson, who destroyed the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile.
Abandoning his troops in Egypt, Napoleon returned to France and received a hero’s welcome.

7. Napoleon Rules France
In 1800, a plebiscite (vote of the people) approved a new constitution which gave all the real power to Napoleon as the first consul; he kept many changes from the Revolution.
He righted the economy by creating a national banking system and efficient tax collection.
He signed a concordat (an agreement) with the Pope. The government recognized the influence of the Church, but rejected Church control in national affairs.
He created the Napoleonic Code: This was a uniform set of laws that eliminated many injustices.

8. Napoleon Rules France, contd.
He crowned himself as emperor in 1804 – he took the crown from the Pope and placed it on his own head.
He sold the Louisiana Territory to President Jefferson in 1803 for $15 million.
He created the largest empire in Europe since the Romans.
He lost the naval Battle of Trafalgar to the British and Horatio Nelson which had 2 effects:
This ensured the supremacy of the British Navy for the next 100 years.
This forced Napoleon to give up plans for Britain.
By 1812, Napoleon controlled Spain, Grand Duchy of Warsaw, the German Kingdoms, as well as France.

9. The Empress Josephine
First wife of napoleon

10. Josephine’s Bedroom
Château de Malmaison, located a few miles west of Paris, was once home to Josephineand Napoléon Bonaparte, and, briefly, the seat of the French government. 

11. Three Costly Mistakes Continental System:
To crush Great Britain, Napoleon used a blockade to prevent trade and communication between Great Britain and Europe.
The blockade wasn’t tight enough – smugglers still got through.
Great Britain responded with their own blockade – it was more effective.
This led to the War of 1812 (Great Britain vs. America)

12. Three Costly Mistakes, contd.
The Peninsular War
Guerilla fighters in Spain resisted Napoleon’s forces who were trying to enforce the Continental System on Spain.
Napoleon lost 300,000 men which then weakened the French Empire.

13. Three Costly Mistakes, contd.
Invasion of Russia
The breakdown of the Russian-French alliance caused Napoleon to invade Russia.
Napoleon brought 420,000 soldiers.
Russians used the Scorched Earth Policy – burning supplies to hinder the enemy.
Czar Alexander destroyed Moscow by the time Napoleon took the city.
The Russian army attacked Napoleon’s troops on the way back, and only 10,000 were left.

14. Napoleon’s Empire in 1810

15. Napoleon’s Troops at the Gates of Moscow
September 14, 1812: Napoleon reached Moscow, but the city had largely been abandoned.
The Russians had set fire to the city.

16. Napoleon’s Downfall
The Army defeated the ally army of European powers and by early 1814, the leaders of Prussia and Russia marched triumphantly through the French capital.
By April 1814, Napoleon accepted the terms of surrender and gave up the throne.
Napoleon was banished to the tiny Italian island of Elba.
Louis XVI’s brother took power, but was very unpopular.

17. Napoleon’s Downfall Continued…
Napoleon escaped from Elba and in March 1815, he landed back in France.
Joyous crowds welcomed him back and within days, he was the emperor of France again.
Europe responded: Britain and Prussia attacked at the Battle of Waterloo.
The defeat at Waterloo ended the second bid for power known as the Hundred Days.
Napoleon was then exiled to St. Helena, an island in the South Pacific.
He then died of a stomach ailment in 1821.

18. Napoleon’s Tomb

19. Hitler Visits Napoleon
June 28, 1940

20. Result
Napoleon was a military genius but millions of lives were lost during his wars. The British would become the dominant force in Europe and European countries were freed to establish a new order.