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Napoleon. Rise to Power. October,1799-Napoleon returned to France from Egypt and overthrew the government Led by three consuls (what does this remind you of?) Napoleon was First Consul (had the most power)
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Rise to Power • October,1799-Napoleon returned to France from Egypt and overthrew the government • Led by three consuls (what does this remind you of?) • Napoleon was First Consul (had the most power) • 1802-First Consul for Life (affirmed by a plebiscite—what are people willing to do for security?) • 1804-Crowned himself emperor (who does this remind you of?)
Domestic Policies • Napoleonic Code • Regarded all French men as equals • Religious toleration • Abolished serfdom and protected property rights • Workers were not protected (treated as inferior to employers) • Husband had almost total control of family property and finances • Bank of France created • All paid taxes • Made loans to businesses • Decreased inflation
Domestic Policies (con’t) • Controlled public opinion • Newspaper • Education—lycees • Punished critics • Created peace with the Catholic Church—Concordat of 1801 • Affirmed that Catholicism was majority religion • Religious toleration • Napoleon named bishops and state paid clergy salaries • Church did not get land lost back • Did not favor political liberty-He believed that his absolute rule was best for France • SPECTRUM???
Empire Building • Defeated Italy and Austria • 1802- Treaty of Amiens w/ Britain • 1804- Crowned Emperor by Pope Pius VII • Many military successes on the Euro. continent • 10/1805- Napoleon lost @ Trafalgar to the British Navy • Therefore, France will never invade Britain • Beginning of the Continental System
More Empire Building • Continental System • All European nation that had been conquered by France (+ Russia & Prussia) had to stop trade w/ G.B. • British demanded all trading ships had to stop at British port first (Napoleon says he will seize those ships!) • An eventual failure b/c G.B. navy stronger • US and other neutral nations suffered • 1812- Napoleon controlled most of Europe, became king of Italy • See map, p. 595 • People resented paying France taxes and giving soldiers • Resentment= building nationalism in occupied areas (i.e. Spain)
Downfall • Czar Alexander I (Russ.) saw Napoleon as a threat and resumed trade w/ G.B. in 1811 • Napoleon invaded Russia. Unsuccessful. • Scorched earth • Russian winter • 400,000 of 600,000 French troops died • Napoleon attacked by other national groups after failing in Russia Russia and Prussia announced War of Liberation and defeated him at Leipzig in 1813
Napoleon’s End • March 1814- Paris taken, Napoleon abdicated to Louis XVIII (Louis XVI’s brother) • French Bourbon monarchy restored • Napoleon exiled • French boundaries shrunk • Napoleon returned in 1815 • Bourbon troops rejoined w/ Napoleon • Reigned again—Hundred Days • 6/1815- Defeated at Waterloo by G.B., Prussia, and Netherlands • Napoleon under house arrest on St. Helena until death in 1821.
How tall was Napoleon really? 5’ 2” (French feet) = 5’ 6.5” (English feet) “History is a set of lies that people have agreed upon.” -Napoleon Bonaparte, ironically