The Rise of Napoleon Bonaparte

Where was Napoleon born?

In Corsica to an impoverished noble family

Who did Napoleon marry? And why did he divorce her?

Napoleon married Josephine, but divorced her to marry a Habsburg to get a claim to Austria.

Key events that lead to Napoleon's rise in power

• attended military school where he excelled, but was bullied for his birthplace

• became a lieutenant in French artillery in 1785

• converted to revolutionary cause + got control of French forces in Italy

• won major victories in Italy in 1796 and 1797, set up a republic in Italy

• ousted the Directory in 1799

What titles did Napoleon hold over his whole life?

• lieutenant

• general, commander

• First Consul

• Consul for life

• Emperor

What did Napoleon like?

• power

• nobles: brought the emigres back

• military

• winning

• meritocracy: he didn't come from much

• Frederick the Great: inspired by him

• Louis David: his court artist, assisted him in his make believe

• Roman Empire: also an inspiration of his

What did Napoleon dislike?

• Bourbon Dynasty

• losing

• his Egypt Campaign (1798-1799): was a disaster + they lost to Britain BUT stole lots of artifacts which were placed in Louvre museum, he told the STORY like it was a victory because they discovered lots

• Britain: waged the Continental System to hurt them

• Directory, National Convention, Terror

• reality so he creates his own

Treaty of Campo Formio (1797)

• ended War of First Coalition

• Napoleon beat Austrians in the Alps → got Italy + left bank of Rhine

Coup d'etat Fructidor (1797)

• issue: the Royalists won the elections! Did not go the way the government wanted it to

• Directory needed help overturning the election results, so they turned to the Army (under Napoleon)

• result: government depends on Napoleon

Coup d'etat Brumaire (November 9, 1799)

• issue: Directory was failing! Napoleon was popular (after his expedition to Egypt!)

• Napoleon and conspirators ousted Directors, the next day soldiers disbanded the legislature at bayonet point

• result: Napoleon named First Consul of republic, a new constitution consolidated by national vote in December 1799

Government/Political Reforms under Napoleon

• help political suspects in state prisons

• created satellite kingdoms by placing relatives on throne → upheld the Continental System

• new Constitution created the Consulate (1799)

• declared himself Consul for life in 1802

• created a modern, central, hierarchal French state

• SECOND Constitution to create "The Empire" in 1804

• December 2, 1804: crowned himself Emperor Napoleon I of France with Pope in the room (but he did not place the crown on Napoleon's head → secular, distance from Church)

• network of ministers, prefects, and centrally appointed mayors consolidated his rule

• manipulated voting in elections

• established a meritocracy, brought it everywhere he went (international)

• redrew map of German lands to create the German Confederation of the Rhineland → weaken Austria and encourage secondary German states to side with France

• rigged plebiscites

• 1800 + 1802: granted amnesty to 100,000 emigres if they pledged loyalty to France and returned → many posts in centralized state filled

• unified the legal system, updating it from the days of the Old Regime, and even created a new unified civil code

• put interests of state over the individual

• reaffirmed revolutionary principle of equality of all citizen before the law

• established a highly centralized administration and protected most revolutionary rights through freedom of expression where "served to encourage anarchy" was restricted

Religious Reforms under Napoleon

• Concordant of 1801: Pope got French Catholics the freedom to practice, government could appoint bishops, pay the clergy, and have an influence over Church

Economic Reforms under Napoleon

• Bank of France: a national bank that served the interests of the state and financial oligarchy, was modern
• secured security of wealth + private property
• Continental System: blockade against British ships and good from French controlled ports → hurt people in the Empire too
• imposed drafts
• sold territory of Louisiana to USA

Social Reforms under Napoleon

• before Napoleon there were 60 newspapers/pamphlets, after Napoleon there were 4
• equality of all male citizens before the law
• Napoleonic Code made women dependent on husband/father, unable to make contracts or bank accounts under their name
• reduced free speech and freedom of press
• defended the land + status peasants won during French Revolution
• 1800 + 1802: granted amnesty to 100,000 emigres if swore loyalty to France and returned
• abolished feudal dues and serfdom → benefits middle class and peasants
• establishes a meritocracy where people get jobs through skill not birth
• put the interests of male over wife and children
• established lycées, secondary schools under control of the state