Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte Buonaparte Born in 1769

Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte / Buonaparte • Born in 1769 on the French controlled • • • island of Corsica Family – minor nobles, but they had very little money At age 9 he was sent to a military academy Graduated academy as an artillery officer At age 20 the French Revolution breaks out – he like other military officers wanted to make a name for himself Napoleon changed his name because he was treated like a foreigner

Napoleon’s Rise to Power • Favored the Jacobin party • • and republican rule Gained many promotions during the Revolution Defeated the British in the French port city of Toulon in 1793 Defeated several Austrian armies and captured much of northern Italy. Napoleon was commended by Robespierre for his “merit” • Napoleon was arrested • • • when Robespierre lost power After his release he was instrumental in defeating a Royalist coup against the National Convention in 1795 Married Josephine de Beauharnais in 1796 Helped to overthrow the Directory in 1799 and he helped to set up a three man consulate

Napoleon’s Rise to Power Napoleon Bonaparte, ruthlessly ambitious, rose from army captain to ruler of France in a very short time. He took advantage of the turmoil of the French Revolution. Opportunities for Glory • Napoleon, brilliant military leader • In charge of French interior at the age of 26 • Invaded Italy and Egypt • Defeat by Admiral Horatio Nelson kept from newspapers • Became national hero Napoleon Seizes Power • Directory weak and • • • ineffective Fear of royalists and of European opposition November 1799 coup d’état France to be led by Consulate • Napoleon voted first consul in 1802, in effect a dictator

Emperor Napoleon promised order and stability, pledging to uphold key reforms. The French gave up some freedoms for peace and prosperity Once France under control, and stable Napoleon turned his sights to ruling all of Europe • Napoleon crowns himself in 1804 – Submitted a plebiscite before voters – Emperor Napoleon I • Desire for empire – Wanted to rule Europe and the Americas – French expedition to Saint Domingue (Haiti today) failed – Napoleon sold Louisiana Territory and turned his focus to Europe

France under Napoleon • Plebiscite – ballot in which voters say yes or no to • • an issue Order, security and efficiency, replaced liberty, equality and fraternity as France’s national slogan Napoleon built new roads, canals and regulated the French economy by controlling prices and encouraging new industry He made peace with the Catholic Church - religion was still under state control but Napoleon recognized the religious freedom for Catholics Napoleon made “all careers open to talent”

Napoleonic Codes • Also instituted the Napoleonic Codes – which were used as guidelines to govern France • equality of all in the eyes of the law • no recognition of privileges established by birth • freedom of religion • separation of church and state • freedom of occupation • strengthening of the family • Codes did several things – preserved social aims of revolution – protected interests of the rising middle class – guaranteed civil liberties

Weakness in the Codes • Woman could not vote • Wife owed obedience to husband • Unmarried woman had little rights and could not be a legal guardian • Illegitimate children had no rights of inheritance • Easier for man to divorce a his wife than and woman divorcing her husband

France Building an Empire • With issues and revolutions calming on the • • • home front Napoleon and France look to defeat those European powers that fought against them during the previous decade By 1807 Austria, Prussia, and Russia had been defeated and driven back to their own borders Annex – adding territory - Belgium, the Netherlands and parts of Italy and Germany were added to France Napoleon placed friends and family on the thrones of Europe to ensure their loyalty to him

British Survival • Britain was the only nation that remained • • outside Napoleons grasp British Naval Fleet was the biggest and strongest in the world French army could not invade mainland Britain Blockade – shutting off ports to keep people and supplies from moving in or out British Blockade of European ports was very successful in keeping vital trade routes open and limited Europe’s supplies in French controlled territories

Napoleon’s Policies Church-State Relations • Antireligious nature of French Revolution over • Concordat recognized influence of Roman Catholic Church Legal and Educational • Napoleonic Code developed • Order and authority over • individual rights Built and provided schools for government and military positions Economic Reforms • Established the Bank of France to regulate economy • More efficient tax-collection system Legacy—Age of Napoleon • Democratic ideas spread • Equality before law, representative system • Spread of nationalism – devotion to France

Challenges to Napoleon • Under Napoleon French armies spread the ideas • • • of the revolution across Europe – the Napoleonic Code was carried across Europe as a symbol of change Nationalism that had spurred French victories was also helping to spur revolution in the countries that the French were occupying Guerrilla Warfare – hit and run attacks or little war Spanish revolutionaries continually attack French forces undermining French authority and government

Path Towards Exile Portugal • Napoleon surprised by inability to control Portugal - Peninsular campaign was a complete failure Russia • Czar Nicholas I didn’t like French troops on western border • Continential System – blocking British trading goods to the continent of Europe • Russia hurt by Continental System; country needed imports Costly Mistake • Napoleon turned east in 1812 towards Russia - Hoped to teach Russia a lesson

Napoleon invades Russia • In 1812 Napoleon decides to attack Russia – over 600, 000 French troops begin the invasion • To avoid the massive French army the Russians continue to retreat eastward and as they retreat they burned crops and villages as they went • This “scorched earth” policy left the French army clod and hungry as the harsh Russian winter approached • Russian troops pulled east, a small French victory at Borodino, but Russian army still strong. Napoleon pushed to Moscow but found city in flames

Napoleon’s Defeat Fall of the French Army • New recruits with no loyalty • Supplies lost or spoiled • Disease, desertion, and hunger all plagued Napoleon’s troops on the return trip and after returning • In October Napoleon began his 1, 000 mile retreat back to France – only about 94, 000 soldiers of the original 600, 000 would survive the trip back to France

Defeat and Exile to Elba • Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Great Britain allied against France • Napoleon raised another army, but troops inexperienced • In October 1813 Napoleon defeated at Battle of the Nations near Leipzig • In March 1814, victorious allies entered Paris. • Terms of surrender—Napoleon gave up throne and went into exile on tiny island of Elba

The Last Campaigns The Hundred Days • French monarchy restored with King Louis XVIII • King unpopular; Napoleon returns after year in exile – return would be short • Louis panicked and fled; Napoleon declared outlaw by allies • Paris cheered Napoleon’s return • Brief period of renewed glory-the Hundred Days

The Last Campaigns Battle of Waterloo • Duke of Wellington led final confrontation • Battle of Waterloo - British and Prussian armies • Crushing defeat for Napoleon all hope of a return to glory was lost • End of the Napoleonic Wars Napoleon’s Final Days • Tried to escape capture, sent to exile in Saint Helena • Volcanic island in South Atlantic • Remained imprisoned for six years • Died at 51; cause of death never determined

The Congress of Vienna Negotiators • Lord Castlereagh of Great Britain • Czar Alexander I of Russia • Prince Klemens von Metternich of Austria • Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand of France Prince Metternich • Distrusted democracy and political change • Dominated the congress, wanted to restore the balance of power Goals for Other Decision Makers • Make sure France could not rise again to such power • Put down revolution wherever it might appear • Remove traces of French Revolution and Napoleon’s rule

Redrawing the Map National borders • Congress changed many borders • Wanted to strengthen nations surrounding France New Countries • Union of the Dutch Republic and the Austrian Netherlands as the Kingdom of the Netherlands • Austria and 38 German states in German Confederation Process • Countries that aided France lost territory • Countries that fought France gained territory France’s loss • Was not allowed to keep any conquered territory • Boundaries back to 1792 • Forced to pay indemnity, or compensation for damages

Monarchies Return Restoring Monarchies • Napoleon had eliminated royal control in many countries. • Members of the old Bourbon royal family were returned to the thrones of Spain and Sicily. • Monarchies were restored in Portugal and Sardinia. Metternich’s Influence • His reactionary attitudes influenced politics and society. • Wanting a return to absolute monarchy, he despised constitutions, voting rights, and freedom of religion and the press. • Liberal ideas were suppressed in Austria, the German states, and northern Italy.

The Revolution’s Legacy Was the French Revolution a failure? • After Congress of Vienna, monarchs ruled again – Citizens’ rights restricted – Nobles returned to their previous lifestyles • French Revolution changed Europe – Monarchies no longer secure – Common people learned they could change the world – Ideals of human dignity, personal liberty, and equality – Enlightenment crossed the Atlantic to Latin America, eventually inspired political movements in Asia and Africa