Napoleon Forges an Empire Ch. 23.3/23.4

1. Napoleon Forges an EmpireCh. 23.3/23.4

2. Essential Questions • How did Napoleon Bonaparte become a hero in France? • How was Napoleon able to conquer such a large empire? • What forces led to the eventual collapse of Napoleon’s empire? • Was Napoleon a hero of the French Revolution or a dictator interested in only in glory for himself?

3. Napoleon’s rise to power • Born in 1769 on the Mediterranean island of Corsica (France seized Corsica from Italy) • Attended a French military academy @ age 16; becomes a lieutenant in the artillery • Fought on the side of the revolutionaries during the French Revolution • October 1795, Napoleon “saves” the revolution by protecting the National Convention from royalists. Becomes the hero of the hour!

4. Victories abroad! • 1796- Napoleon takes a ragtag French army, whips them into shape, and defeats superior Austrian forces in northern Italy

5. Victories abroad…egypt??? • 1798-1801 Napoleon goes to Egypt in order to: • protect French trade interests • disrupt British trade in India • establish scientific enterprise in the region-the Rosetta Stone is discovered!

6. Victory on land; defeat at sea • Napoleon and French forces defeat enemy forces at the “Battle of the Pyramids” • Napoleon’s forces continue to occupy Egypt but never really control it completely • British Navy defeats the French fleet at the Battle of the Nile • 13 out of 17 French ships either captured or destroyed; remaining four ships put to flight • Napoleon abandons his army and returns to France “a hero” LAND SEA

7. Time for change • By 1799, France is facing inflation, corruption, and inefficiency under the Directory government • Napoleon returns France from Egypt as a hero and is urged by his friends to seize power • Coup d'état- a sudden seizure of power • Napoleon and two others name themselves “consuls” with Napoleon taking the title of First Consul. He basically assumes dictatorial power! • Many consider this the unofficial end of the French Revolution

8. War and Diplomacy equals Peace • From 1799 to 1802, Napoleon leads French forces to victory over British, Austrian, and Russian forces. • War and Diplomacy allows France to have temporary peace for the first time in ten years! • 1802- Napoleon can now focus on his domestic agenda for France

9. Napoleon rules France • Napoleon does everything under the guise of constitutional power • Uses the plebiscite (vote of the people) to get a new constitution approved • Napoleon is named Consul for Life (the other two consuls are discarded!) • Napoleon does everything in the name of the Revolution. Three areas to be addressed: • The economy • The Catholic Church • The System of Law

10. Economic changes • Napoleon sets up an efficient system of tax collection • Builds up France’s infrastructure- roads, sewers • A national banking system is established • Ends corruption and inefficiency in government by dismissing corrupt officials • Lycees (government-run public schools) are set up to provide educated, well-trained officials for the government. • Open to males of all backgrounds • Appointed to government position based upon merit, not family connections.

11. Religious changes • Position of the Church is restored • The Concordat of 1801 (agreement) is signed, establishing a new relationship between the church and state. • The government recognizes the influence of the Catholic Church, but rejects Church control in national affairs • When Napoleon abolished serfdom he took church-owned lands and distributed it to the peasants

12. Changes in law • Napoleon creates a comprehensive system of laws, the Napoleonic Code • All men are equal under the law (sorry ladies  ) • The new law system, however, restricts freedom of the press and freedom of speech • The new law code also restores slavery in French colonies, something that had been eliminated by the Revolution • And of course…

13. “Rules do not apply to me!”

14. Napoleon crowned as emperor • Napoleon becomes so popular, he decides to make himself emperor (so much for the Revolution!) • December 2, 1804- Napoleon is crowned emperor. • He did take the crown out of the pope’s hands and place it on his own head (symbolizing that the Church had no control over him); but this part of the coronation ceremony had already been pre-arranged and was not a surprise

15. Consecration of the Emperor Napoléon & the Empress Josephine,” 1806 by Jacques Louis David

16. Time for Empire building! French Colonies in the Americas: • Guiana (S. America - still a French colony) • Saint-Domingue (Haiti) (Caribbean) • Enslaved Africans in Haiti fight for their freedom (influence of the French Revolution) • Toussaint L’Ouverture leads a successful rebellion; French soldiers ravaged by disease • Louisiana territories (N. America) • Napoleon cuts his losses in America and sells the Louisiana Territory to the United States • Money is used to finance his European wars

17. Haitian Independence, 1792-1804 Toussaint L’Ouverture

18. Louisiana Purchase, 1803 $15,000,000 (Less than 3 cents per acre!)

19. Conquering Europe • Napoleon annexed the Austrian Netherlands and parts of Italy; also set up a puppet government in Switzerland • Britain persuades Russia, Austria and Sweden to join the Third Coalition against France • Battle of Austerlitz, 1805 • Napoleon at his best • Use of artillery and the “divide and conquer” tactic in order to defeat a force much larger than his own • Austria, Prussia and Russia are forced to sign peace treaties with France • But the thorn in Napoleon’s side-Great Britain- remains!

20. Napoleon’s Family Rules! • Jerome Bonaparte - King of Westphalia. • Joseph Bonaparte - King of Spain • Louis Bonaparte - King of Holland • Pauline Bonaparte - Princess of Italy • Napoléon Francis Joseph Charles - King of Rome • Elisa Bonaparte - Grand Duchess of Tuscany • Caroline Bonaparte - Queen of Naples

21. Napoleonic Europe

22. Battle of Trafalgar, 1805 • Napoleon amasses an army of 180,000 men and plans to invade Great Britain • However, before he can invade, he must achieve naval superiority!

23. Battle of Trafalgar, cont. • Admiral Horatio Nelson of Great Britain defeats the combined French and Spanish fleets • Nelson uses the Napoleonic tactic of “divide and conquer” • Results: • French navy is destroyed • Any hope of invading Britain is dashed • Britain gains naval supremacy for the next 100 years

24. Napoleon Reaches His Peak from 1807-1812… But, Problems Are Forming: • Napoleon’s control over other countries makes them realize that they are more loyal to their own people than Napoleon (nationalism) • France’s Empire is huge and difficult to control • Napoleon was his own worst enemy- Had an insatiable appetite for glory!

25. …And Then Things Fall Apart! Three Costly Mistakes: • The Continental System • The Peninsular War (Spain) • The Invasion of Russia But before we get to that…

26. What would happen to my empire if I die? No male heir means “Au revoir, fair Josephine” Bonjour, Marie Louise!

27. Now on to the collapse! • Mistake #1- The Continental System • Napoleon sets up a blockade of Europe’s ports, called the Continental System • It was designed to destroy Great Britain’s commercial and industrial economy • It was also supposed to make Europe more self-sufficient • Couple of problems, though… • The Blockade wasn’t tight enough, smugglers got through and Napoleon’s “allies” didn’t always enforce the blockade (even his own brothers!) • Great Britain responded by setting up a naval blockade of Europe which was much more effective. • All of Europe suffered shortages, and blamed Napoleon

28. The collapse, continued… • Mistake # 2- The Peninsular War • Napoleon tried to force Portugal to enforce the Continental System, and attempted to invade them by going through Spain (Iberian Peninsula). • When the people of Spain resist, Napoleon removes the Spanish king and places his brother Joseph on the throne • Spanish peasants (with a lot of help from the British) fight a guerilla war against the French for six years, pinning down tens of thousands of French troops. • Eventually, Napoleon loses about 300,000 men • Encouraged nationalism in other conquered countries like Germany and Italy

29. The collapse continued… Mistake #3- The Invasion of Russia, 1812 Invading Russia = Losing Prospect! • Napoleon and Czar of Russia were allies • Napoleon thought that Czar Alexander was selling grain to Britain behind his back • Napoleon and Czar Alexander both wanted Poland • Napoleon decided to invade Russia

30. Napoléon Invades Russia: 1812 614,000 French troops

31. Invasion of Russia, cont’d. • June, 1812: 420,000 Grand Army leaves for Russia • All drafted from throughout Europe and not loyal to Napoleon • Russians refuse to engage Napoleon head-on and retreat deeper and deeper into Russia, extending Napoleon’s supply lines • Scorched Earth Policy: Russians destroyed EVERYTHING in Napoleon’s path: How do you feed an army of almost ½ million men?

32. Invasion of Russia, cont’d. • Russians finally engage Napoleon’s troops at the Battle of Borodino • Approximately 44,000 Russian deaths; 35,000 French losses (Maybe the bloodiest day in history up to that point!) • Russian Army loses, but manages to withstand the French onslaught • Napoleon: “The most terrible of all my battles was the one before Moscow. The French showed themselves to be worthy of victory, but the Russians showed themselves worthy of being invincible.”

33. Napoleon’s army at the gates of moscow

34. I’m waaaaaaaiting… • Napoleon’s forces enter Moscow on September 14, 1812 • Retreating Russian cossacks provide Napoleon with an empty victory- they burn the city! • Napoleon waits one month for the keys to the city and a negotiation to end the war • But nobody shows up-except … “General Winter”

35. Napoleon’s Retreat from Moscow October 18, 1812 100,000 French troops retreat—10,000 survive!

36. The retreat from Russia • Oct./Nov. 1812 - Ordered retreat from Moscow • Snows began to fall • Barefoot, starving soldiers attacked by Russians • Temperature: on one day, -30º: Birds fell dead from sky • Mid-December 1812: Remaining 10,000 soldiers left Russia

37. Napoleon’s downfall • Sensing Napoleon’s weakness, Britain, Russia, Prussia, Sweden and later Austria, join forces and go on the attack! • Battle of Leipzig, October 1813 • Perhaps the largest of the Napoleonic Wars • Most of Napoleon’s troops are untrained and ill-prepared conscripts • Napoleon gets crushed and retreats to France • Paris is captured by Coalition forces in March 1814!

38. Goodbye, Napoleon (for now!) • April 11, 1814- Napoleon is forced to abdicate (give up his throne) • The Treaty of Fontainebleau exiles Napoleon to the tiny island of Elba (off the coast of Italy) with a force of 1,000 men • Royalists assume control of France and install Louis XVIII (the brother of Louis XVI) as the new King of France

39. Napoleon in exile on Elba

40. A door opens for Napoleon to return… • Louis XVIII becomes very unpopular because he tries to undo many of the changes brought about by the French Revolution • Sensing a window of opportunity, Napoleon escapes Elba in March 1815 and returns to France • Louis sends forces to intercept Napoleon but each time they end up joining him instead! • Napoleon marches on to Paris; Louis XVIII flees. His return to power is known as “The Hundred Days”

41. Napoleon’s return from Elba

42. The Battle of Waterloo • Napoleon reaches out with a peace offer to his former foes, but they reject it and gather their armies to face Napoleon • On June 18, 1815, Napoleon meets the combined forces of Prussia and Great Britain (led by Duke of Wellington -Lord Arthur Wellesley) at Waterloo, Belgium and is defeated. A severe rainstorm the night before created muddy conditions and did not allow Napoleon to maneuver as easily

43. Gone for good • Napoleon abdicates a second time, this time to the island of St. Helena, off the west coast of Africa • He died six years later (1821) of “stomach cancer”- many believe it was arsenic poisoning! • After all of this, what was Napoleon’s legacy?

44. Napoleon’s Legacy: Hero of the revolution or dictator? • Hero • Conquered most of Europe and redrew its map • Brought stability to France after the revolution • Created a new code of laws still in use today • Villain • Did not allow freedom of speech or press • Took France to war to satisfy his desire for glory • Wreaked havoc on Europe, causing millions of deaths

45. He was “A Great, Bad man”