Napoleon the EmperorForeign and Domestic Policy

Where we left off…Questions:1)Who is Napoleon? 2) Was he born rich or poor?3)Did he sympathize with the Enlightenment?

How so?4) How did he help the Jacobins?5)What he an awesome military general? 6) Did he crown himself?

I WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT NAPOLEON…WAS HE SMALL?

WAS HE NICE?

WAS HE WELL LIKED?

FUN FACT: Napolean Bonaparte Having Been Short is a Myth

The myth that he was short stems primarily from the fact that he is listed as 5 feet 2 inches tall at the time of his death.  However, this is 5 feet 2 inches in French units.  In modern international units, he was just shy of 5 feet 7 inches.

MYTHNow I know you are saying

“well that is still pretty short”.  That is true by modern day standards in certain places in the world, such as the United States. 

However, at the time in France, the average height for an adult male was about 5 feet 5 inches in modern international units.  So in fact, he was quite tall for his day.

SO WHAT DID NAPOLEON DO WHILE HE WAS IN POWER?

He was well liked by his people until his defeat (Both of them)

He was not nice, at least not to anyone that was not French

The ConcordatBegan Secret Negotiations with the Pope after his victories in

ItalyUnderstood that the church still played an important part of

French Culture and without church support the population would never be completely happy

Terms of the Concordat1. France would pay clergy2. Seminaries were re-opened3. Clergy was responsible to Rome4. France keeps the land seized during the Revolution5. France could choose its own bishops but Pope had veto power6. Pope would publicly support Napoleon’s rule

HOW IS THIS SIMILAR TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY?

Economic ReformsStandardized

CoinageCreated a

centralized bank for France

Balanced the Budget

Put the French economy back on track DIDN’T ROBESPIERRE DO THE

SAME THING?

Bank system- Not importantIn 1800 financial power in France was in the hands

of about ten to fifteen banking houses whose founders, in most cases, came from Switzerland in the second half of the eighteenth century. These bankers, mostly Protestant, were deeply involved in the agitations leading up to the French Revolution. When the revolutionary violence got out of hand, they orchestrated the rise of Napoleon, whom they regarded as the restorer of order. As a reward for their support, Napoleon, in 1800, gave these bankers a monopoly over French finance by giving them control of the new Bank of France

The Code NapoleonProbably his greatest

contribution to the worldHe didn’t write it but helped with

the final editsAlso, he was the only one strong

enough to push it throughThe first time a code of civil laws

was applied to a large European nation

Very influential, adopted be most of Europe in the 19th century

Fun fact: The Napoleonic code is still much revered, in a way, it is illegal for anyone to name a pig

Things in the Napoleon Code

HE BROUGHT PEACE! (AT LEAST AT FIRST HE DID)When Napoleon enter power, France was still at warNapoleon defeated the First Coalition (England, Russia,

Austria and others)1799, Second Coalition formed, France won the land war

but was losing the naval campaign1801 – Treaty of Luneville – Austria surrenders – France

takes control of Italy and ends Austria’s control of Germany – allows larger German states to form

1802 – Russia backs out of War and England negotiates with France

France gets to control Europe while England gets the seaFrance was in the best position in its history

THEN HE BROUGHT WAR TO FRANCE AGAIN

War again!Napoleon had everything – a powerful, modern nation

under his control, all of Europe under his influenceHis vision of stabilizing France and Europe had been

reachedBut his vision changes – a universal Empire with

France at the center“My power proceeds from my reputation and my

reputation from the victories I have won. My power would fail me if not supported by more glory and victories. Conquest made me what I am; only conquest can sustain me.”

In 1803, war breaks out between England and France

NAPOLEON WANTS ENGLANDDO YOU THINK FRANCE HAS THE NAVAL

POWER TO INVADE?

A) OUI

B) NON

C) JE NE SAIS PAS

D) MAYBE

THE ANSWER IS NO, well kind of

HOW DOES HE HURT THEM?

He has about 27 war ships (France and Spanish Navy combined, but theyGet massacred at the Battle of Trafalgar)by 33 British ships in 1805

The Continental SystemThe French navy was defeated at the battle of TrafalgarA direct assault on England would be impossibleWar was a stalemateNapoleon introduces the “Continental System” to

attack England through economic isolationForbids any European country from trading with

EnglandHuge mistake – England expands its trading

relationships in Asia and continues to make moneyHowever, the rest of Europe was reliant on British

products, they suffered the most

THEN HE DECIDES

The Russian Campaign (1812)Russia abandons the continental system

in 1810Napoleon gathers his grand Army –

French supported by Austrian and Prussian Troops – 600,000 men – and invades Russian in 1812

The Russians refuse to engage the French and constantly retreat – instead they burn, destroy and poison everything while they move back

In September of 1814, Napoleon reaches Moscow and rather than victory, he finds the city on fire!

He realizes that his troops would not survive the winter and he orders the retreat

RETREAT, WHAT GOES WRONG?

The Long Road Back The retreat was a nightmare Food, shelter and fresh

water were difficult to find (because the Russians burned everything and poisoned the wells)

The Grand Army was slowly picked apart by Russian hit and run tactics, Cossack horsemen, angry peasants and a brutal winter

Napoleon abandoned his men and travelled back to France

The Emperor dethronedWith the French Army in ruins, a new coalition formsIn 1813, at the battle of Leipzig, Russian, Prussian

and Austrian forces beat NapoleonEnglish forces invade France from SpainMarch 31, 1814, coalition armies take Paris and

Napoleon is dethronedThe coalition re-establishes the Bourbon monarchy

and Louis the 18th takes over (Louis the 16th brother, who was living in exile in England)

Napoleon is exiled to Elba (a small Mediterranean island)

Napoleon is exiled to Elba (a small Mediterranean island)

The Emperor Returns! In March 1815, Napoleon escapes and returns to

France He walks from the Southern coast of France to

Paris As he travels, French peasants recognized him,

grab weapons and join him Louis sends soldiers to stop him again and again However, each group of soldiers that meets

Napoleon joins him in his Quest Louis runs away and Napoleon reclaims the thrown The rest of Europe rallies against him Napoleon gathers an army and meets them at

Waterloo Napoleon is defeated by Lord Wellington’s English

troops combined with an army from Prussia Napoleon is exiled again – to St. Helena – a cold

and windy rock in the middle of the Atlantic ocean He dies there in 1821 of Stomach cancer – he was

51 years old

How does Europe react to Napoleons return?

A) Lets him take power again

B) Signs a deal with him

C) Rally against him

The Emperor Returns!The rest of Europe rallies against himNapoleon gathers an army and meets them at

WaterlooNapoleon is defeated by Lord Wellington’s

English troops combined with an army from Prussia

Napoleon is exiled again – to St. Helena – a cold and windy rock in the middle of the Atlantic ocean

He dies there in 1821 of Stomach cancer – he was 51 years old