3- Napoleon and The Congress of Vienna

Consulate

  • 3 man governing board

Plebiscite

  • ballot in which voters decide yes or no

Napoleonic Code

  • law code that embodied enlightenment principles like equality of all citizens before the law, religious toleration, and advancement based on merit

  • women lost citizenship and men were the head of the household

  • spread through Europe destroying feudalism and inspiring Nationalism

  • equal education

Cult of Personality & Connection to Divine Right

  • situation in which a public figure (like a political leader) is deliberately presented to the people of the country as a great person who would be admired and loved

Concordat of 1801

  • made peace with the Catholic Church, however, the church was kept under state control to limit the power

  • Catholics practiced freely, and freedom of religion extended to others

  • Napolean nominated Bishops and paid the clergy

Nepotism

  • placed relatives on various thrones

  • Napolean placed Josef of Spain, Louis on Holand, and Jerome on Westphalia

Continental System

  • closed European ports to British goods. Britian responds with its blockade. France and Britian seize neutral ships. American ships seized triggered the War of 1812. The continental system fails. British exports did decline, but its navy kept open trade routes to the Americas and India which continued providing Britain with goods and markets. This however created a scarcity of goods in Europe, causing prices to skyrocket. This intensified resentment against French rule as the continental system kept goods scarce and prices high.

Confederation of the Rhine

  • states Napoleon organized into present-day Germany

Napoleon Complex

  • physiological condition often attributed to people of shorter stature, where they exhibit overly aggressive or domineering behavior to compensate for their physical shortcomings.

Napoleon’s rise to power

  • began as a strong military leader, won much territory in successive victories

  • shifts from general to politician

  • directory lost popularity with the people, created the consulate, and named himself the first consulate by overthrowing the other two

  • named consul for life done by the plebiscite: plebiscite always supported him and gave the illusion of democracy

  • people were looking for a good, stable, peaceful leader after the French Revolution

Napoleon’s supremacy over the Church

  • when crowned emperor, he crowns himself instead of the pope by taking the crown out of his hands and onto his head. This symbolizes the supremacy of his government over the papacy (church).

Events leading to Napoleon’s downfall

  • continue system fails Europe

  • Resistance from other countries Napoleon replaced rulers; felt loyalty to previous rulers

    • resented the continental system and the imposing of French culture on them

  • Russia was unhappy with France’s alliance with Austria after Napoleon married Mary Louise and was upset by his increasing territory bordering Russia so they withdrew from the continental system. Napoleon invades Russia, and Russia drags the troops out leaving them hungry for winter. Russia attacks and almost all die

  • Napoleon is exiled to Elba then to St. Helena

Congress of Vienna

  • intended to create a stable and orderly nation in Europe with equal power distribution. Balance of power, restoration of Monarchs, Alliance of Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Britian. Military containment of France. Was called by Prince Clemens Von Metternich of Austria and representatives of European states attended. This was a reactionary meeting intended to bring back Europe to its former order and stability.

Impact on Nationalism

  • By expanding his empire and imposing French customs, he created resentment and stored a cultural sense of their own cultures and loyalty to previous leaders. His spread of Enlightenment ideas created ideas of independence. The use of nepotism angered people against France and for their own country.