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Napoleon’s Empire Collapses

Napoleon’s Empire Collapses . Napoleonic mistakes. First mistake: Continental System Napoleon sets up a blockade to prevent all trade between Europe and Great Britain Self sufficiency Led to smuggling cargo Britain then stops all ships coming to countries controlled by Napoleon

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Napoleon’s Empire Collapses

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  1. Napoleon’s Empire Collapses

  2. Napoleonic mistakes • First mistake: Continental System • Napoleon sets up a blockade to prevent all trade between Europe and Great Britain • Self sufficiency • Led to smuggling cargo • Britain then stops all ships coming to countries controlled by Napoleon • India, African colonies, United States, Canada • Ends up hurting Napoleon more than Britain • Also causes the War of 1812 between the US and Britain

  3. Napoleonic mistakes • Second mistake: Peninsular War • Invades Portugal and Spain • Napoleon makes his own brother King of Spain • Spanish resist, start guerrilla warfare • Peasant fighters, hid in the hills, not an organized army – but VERY effective • Ended up costing Napoleon 300,000 men • Starts to inspire others across Europe to rebel

  4. Biggest mistake of all • Russia was Napoleon’s ally, but they continued trade with Britain • Napoleon decides to invade in June 1812 • Sends 420,000 troops into Russia • Czar Alexander of Russia retreats, burning everything he can (grain fields, livestock) • Scorched earth policy – why did they do this? • Battle of Borodino – two armies finally fight a battle, Napoleon wins • March to Moscow – down to 100,000 soldiers

  5. Russia • Napoleon marches into Moscow, only to find it totally ablaze • Alexander destroyed it rather than let the French “win” it • In October Napoleon decides to take his troops back to France • They get caught in the winter, most freeze to death or die from enemy attacks • Only 10,000 make it back alive

  6. Napoleon’s downfall • Now Britain has Russia, Prussia and Sweden allied against him • Austria now declares war on France • Napoleon raises a new army • October 1813 defeated at Leipzig (Germany) • January 1814 – allies invade France • March 1814 – King Frederick William of Prussia and Czar Alexander lead troops in a parade through Paris

  7. Exile • Napoleon surrenders in April 1814, goes into exile on island of Elba off coast of Italy • Louis XVI’s brother Louis XVIII becomes king, monarchy restored • Started to undo most of the reforms of the revolution • Becomes very unpopular

  8. The Hundred Days • Napoleon returns from exile • Marches from Elba through Italy and over the Alps into France • Crowds cheer him, Louis’s army deserts him and join Napoleon • Napoleon is emperor once again • Europeans quickly get their armies back together

  9. Waterloo • British led by the Duke of Wellington masses troops near Waterloo (in Belgium) • Napoleon attacks, but British defend their ground • Prussian troops arrive to help British • Two days later, French troops start to collapse • Napoleon surrenders • British send him to St. Helena, an island in the South Atlantic and the middle of nowhere • He dies there in 1821

  10. Result of Waterloo • “He was as great a man can be without virtue” • Opened the door for the victorious European powers to establish a new order in Europe

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