Napoleon Bonaparte Ambition is never content even on

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: q. The Napoleonic Code – single set of laws for all of France q. Equality of law q. Basic liberties q. Restored slavery q. Limits on women’s rights q. Limits on political rights and freedom of speech and press q. NO LAWS APPLIED TO NAPOLEON

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)

2. 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 Lord Nelson – French Admiral Villeneuve- 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

3. 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 ØPeople didn’t like Louis XVIII (brother of the guillotined king) ØNapoleon escaped Elba (Louis fled) ØNapoleon regained full power ØNapoleon: best defense is a good offense. He attacked the British General Wellington at Waterloo (Belgium) ØNapoleon 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 Ø·Division of people by country not social class Ø·People willing to go to war based on love of country Ø·Wars to combine city-states, divide empires