The napoleonic era
Napeoloen’s Rule of France
Napoleon Bonaparte: born an impoverished noble, became a lieutenant in french artillery. commanded forces in italy and won, but failed in egypt
learned people were were plotting against the directory (french executive branch, 5 voters)
why? the dictatorship was weak, and people wished to return to firm rule
Abbe Siyes: used to be against absolutism, but now is pro-absolutist
Nov 9, 1799: napoleon and conspirated oust the directors
soldiers disbanded legislature
Napoleon becomes the first consul
ratified by the new, overwhemingly approved, constitution
republican appearance remained, but napoleon was the real ruler
Napoleon’s policy centered on charisma: apeased powerful groups through favors for service and loyalty
1804, Napoleonic Code: reassreted 1789 principles of equality for all (males) before law and absolute security of wealth and private property, restricted rights for women
established private-owned bank of france in 1800, won over state and financial oligarchy
defendant peasants land and wins of status from the french revolution
consolidated rule: recruited dissapointed revolutionaties to make a network of ministers, prefects, and mayors
pardoned emigeres (people who fled during revolution) if they returned to france and took a loyalty oath, occupied many poasts
made imperial novility to reward generals and officers
healed french catholic church → social stability
concordat of 1801: between france (napoleon) and roman catholic church (pope pius vi)
french catholics got religious freedom, french gov nominated bishops, paid vlergy, high influence
womens loss of rights → return of familial monarchy
restricted free speech and press, manipulated voting, polities suspects returned to state prisons
Napoleon’s expansion in Europe
sent peace feelers to great britan and austria: rejected due to opposition during 2nd coalition
austria: treaty of luneville lost most of italy and west germany holdings
great britan: treaty of aminest lost dutch republic, netherlands, rhine, and italy
peace, honor, and profit increase populatiy
wanted germany to weaken austria and encourage germans to side with france
→weakened great britan’s trade with europe
plotted attack, stopped at bo trafalgar → invasion became impossible
→ wartime made first consul proclaim napoleon emperor (1804)
→ 3rd coalition (austria, russia, sweden, geat britan) formed
napoleon seen as a threat to power balance
napoleon won at austerlitz → russia pulled back, austria accepted loss, 3rd coalition collapsed
napoleon reorganized germany: abolished small sattes and holy roman empire
established german confederation of the rhine: 15 german states minus austria, prussia, and saxony.
napoleon became “protector” of the union
→ prussia was alarmed and fought, napoleon won twice (prussia was outnumbered 2:1)\
war continued: russia and prussia. napoleon won again → negotiation
→ treaties of tilist: russia accepted napoleon, prussia lost ½ population
the grand empire and its end
grand empire: napoleon and allies ruled, almost all of europe (minus great britan and russia_
core: france
satellite kingdoms: ruled by family
indipendent allied states (austria, prussia, and russia)
expected allies and stelite to support continental system: blockade to stop all trade between europe and great britan, weakening its economy and military)
core and satellites: abolished feudal dues and serfdom
heavy taxing → regard of napoleon as a tyrant, → uphevals, encouraged growth of reactive nationalism
→ 1808: spain coalition rebelled when napoleon tried making it a satellite
foes of napoleon fled to the hills and waged uncompromising guerilla warfare
1810: great britian aided the guerillas (continental systemprovoked great britan to make a blockade, → hard times in france)
→ napoleon turned on alex i of russia (1811) as a scapegoat
june 1812: invasion begins (600K soldiers, only 1/3 french, satellites and allies drafted)
pressed toward Moscow, tied at battle of borodino
→ alex i ordered evacuation, russians burned moscow, napoleon retreated
→ 370k dead, 200k prisoner
russian winter, starvation, russian amry
→ napoleon wanted to raise a new army → austria and prussia joined great britan and russia
→ treaty of chaumont: allegeiance to defeat napoleon
austria’s foreign minister proposed reducing france’s size
→ called for war of liberation
april 4, 1814: napoleon renounced throne
allies gave napoleon island of elba: small state he could rule, kept imperial title, france paid him 2mil francs every year
→ restored burboun dynasty: louix xviii promised leniency + peace settement
sought support from ppl thru constitutional charter: accepted revolutionary changes and guarenteed civil liberties
1815: napoleon heard of unrest and tension in vienna → escape from elba
marched on paris w/ small band of followers
french officers responded + joined napoleon (because of his loyalty)
xviii fled, napoleon took command
allies united against napoleon
100 days later: alliex arrestednapoleon at waterloo
imprisoned him on island of st helena
→ xviii returned, allies dealt more harshly w/ france
Hero or tyrant?
hero:
overthrew unpopulary directory
repaired relationship with catholic church
man of the people and well-loved
napoleonic code → economic development
encouraged education through funding and lycees (high school)
restored titles and aristocracy
fought alongside his armied
ended serfdom
added religious toleration
accomplished education, science, equality, revoltuion of cultural glory, french victories
napoleonic code has been imitated worldwide
tyrant
worked for commitee of public saftey which killed people
stole and desecrared egyptian and european artifacts
added papal lands for france
napoleonic code → lost rights for women
became subordinate again
dictatorship → roman empire
promoted virtu: sacrafice for good
absolutist
exiled enemies
colonized most of europe
destoryed roman empire
war in russia killed many soldiers
waited for alex to surrencer, shouldve sent solider back sooner
most soldiers were satellite or allies