France Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleonic Era Napoleon Bonaparte 17691821
France & Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleonic Era • Napoleon Bonaparte (17691821) conquers & dominates entire Europe • Born in the island of Corsica • Attends military school (artillery) • Serves in the revolutionary army • First has success for calming a riot in Paris (1795)
Napoleonic Era • Napoleon is chosen to lead army against Austria. • Instead of attacking Austria directly, he attacks Italy which was under Austrian rule. • Uses new military tactics: - fighting on Sundays - marching at night - fighting in the rain - efficient use of artillery (canons)
III. Napoleonic Era • Napoleon is victorious against Austria which signs a peace treaty. • He becomes a war hero in France. • Next the French leaders ask General Napoleon to invade England. • Again, instead of attacking directly, he invades Egypt to cut off England’s trade with the Middle East.
III. Napoleonic Era • According to some records, he blows up the nose of the Egyptian Sphinx. • British forces led by Lord Nelson who attacks & destroys the French fleet in Alexandria, Egypt. • British also cut off supplies to Napoleon & blockade French troops in Egypt. • Napoleon slips thru the blockade and returns to Paris.
III. Napoleonic Era • Despite loss to the British, Napoleon is still regarded as a hero in France. • Using his soldiers & popularity, Napoleon stages a coup d’etat and overthrows the government.
III. Napoleonic Era • In 1799, he forms a new government called the Consulate under a new constitution. • It was a three-man consulate with Napoleon being the First Consul who had the most power.
Napoleonic Era • Napoleon increases his political power and finally becomes Emperor of France. Seizes power (1799) First Consul for life (1802) Emperor of France (1804) (n) Just 25 yrs. ago, France had a revolution to overthrow a king, and now it has an emperor!
Napoleonic Era • After becoming emperor, Napoleon turns his attention to Europe. • He conquers most of Europe including Austria, Spain, Italy, Prussia, and Holy Roman Empire. • By 1808, Napoleon is the ruler of Europe.
Napoleonic Era • Napoleon wants to conquer Britain, but cannot match British naval power at sea. French army vs. British navy • He is defeated by Admiral Lord Nelson at Cape of Trafalgar (southern coast of Spain).
Napoleonic Era • Britain, Austria, Russia, Sweden form the “Third Coalition” to defend itself from Napoleon. (1805) • Because of Napoleon, Europe is unified under one ruler, one law and one system.
III. Napoleonic Era • Russia breaks from Napoleon’s system (1810) - Czar Alexandar I is ruler of Russia. - Napoleon raises an army of 600, 000 soldiers to invade Russia. (1812) - Russia knows it cannot match French army. So it employs Scorched-Earth Policy (= slowly retreating into Russia while burning everything and leaving nothing for the enemies) - Napoleon wins battles, but can’t destroy Russian army. He finally arrives in Moscow only to find the city burned & abandoned.
Napoleonic Era • With winter coming, Napoleon has to retreat back to France. • French troops retreat, but they encounter the bitter Russian winter cold. • Russians also attack them and even burn the bridge of Berezina River to delay their retreat. • Fewer than 100, 000 soldiers return from this campaign.
• His enemies exile Napoleon to Elba Island (Western coast of Italy). • He later escapes Elba and raises another army, but he is defeated one final time at Waterloo, Belgium by British & Prussian armies led by Duke of Wellington.
Napoleonic Era • Napoleon is lastly exiled to St. Helena (island in south Atlantic) & dies on May 5, 1821.
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