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The Napoleonic Era. I. Napoleon Bonaparte. War w/Brit., Austria, & Sardinia gave opps. for rising leaders 1795-1799: Napoleon Bonaparte Suppressed uprising in Paris Corsican Military school in Fr. (artillery officer) Ambitious & military genius Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815).
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I. Napoleon Bonaparte • War w/Brit., Austria, & Sardinia gave opps. for rising leaders • 1795-1799: Napoleon Bonaparte • Suppressed uprising in Paris • Corsican • Military school in Fr. (artillery officer) • Ambitious & military genius • Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815)
Could move troops rapidly to critical pts. • 1796: Directory appointed Nap. to lead army against Aust. & Sardinia • Defeated Aust. 4 times • Took control of northern Italy • Directory worried about his rising status • Nap. cont’d to seek new conquests (Egypt) • 1798: Nap. failed near Alexandria (Brits.) • Lied about successes—still the hero!! • Second Coalition: Brit., Aust., & Russia • Drove Fr. out of Italy
A. Napoleon’s Seizure of Power • Poor domestic conditions gave Nap. opp. • By 1799: people had lost confidence in Directory • Plot to place Nap. in power • Drove out 4 directors • Dissolved Directory • coup d’etat (seizure of power by force) • Nap. became dictator of Fr. • 1799-1814: Napoleonic Era or Age of Napoleon • People accepted this • He supported changes by Fr. Rev.
II. Napoleon & the Consulate • Nap. reorganized admin. of Fr. • Executive branch (3 Consuls) –the Consulate • Nap. = “First Consul” • None of Consulate’s legislative bodies had real power • Nap. submitted his const. to people for vote thru a plebiscite • People approved • Fr. laws revised into the Napoleonic Code • Promoted authority over individual rights
Nap. est. Bank of Fr. • Public education • Civil Rights of the Clergy (1790) • Nap. signed the concordant w/Pope (1801) • Restored position of Church in Fr. • Nap. destroyed the Second Coalition • He kept his promises for peace, govt., & economic prosperity
III. Napoleon as Emperor • 1804: people declared Fr. an empire & Nap. as Emperor • Coronation at Cathedral of Notre Dame • Nap. undermined Pope’s authority • Fr. Empire was great! • Was Brit. next? • Third Coalition
Battle of Trafalgar (1805) • Brit. destroyed Fr. & Spanish fleets • Brit. no longer in danger
A. The Continental System • Nap. sought to disrupt Brit. trade • The Continental System = Fr. blockade of Brit. Isles • Brits. imposed blockade against Fr. • Hurt Fr. • Nap. cont’d to win • Dec. 1805: Third Coalition collapsed
B. The Reorganization of Euro • by 1808: Nap. dominated Euro • Aust. & Prussia signed treaties • Russia allied w/Fr. • Confederation of the Rhine • Abolished H.R. Emp. • Unified all northern Italian states • Placed members of fam. on conquered thrones • Napoleonic Code, abolished feudalism & serfdom • Awakened a nationalist spirit in those conquered • Opposition copied Nap’s military strategies
C. The Peninsular War • 1807: Port. refused to observe Continental System • Fr. occupied Port. • Nap. conquered Spain • Placed Joseph Bonaparte (bro) on throne • 1808: Spanish revolt • Brits. sent army to Spain & Port. • Peninsular War—1808-1814 • 1814: Spain gave Joseph the boot • New const. = limited monarchy
D. Catastrophe in Russia • Czar Alexander I = alarmed w/Nap’s domination • Continental System disrupted Russian/Brit. Trade • 1812: Russia ignores it • Nap. invaded Russia w/his Grand Army • Not as “driven” as earlier Fr. armies • Spring 1812: Nap. marched into Russia • Russian approach = scorched-earth policy • Fall 1812: Fr. captured Moscow • Russians burned it • Harsh Russian winter
Oct. 19, 1812: Fr. Retreat • Nap’s retreat = one of greatest military disasters • By Dec. = Grand Army lost over 2/3 of troops • Russians pursued Fr.
E. Final Defeat • W. Euro. monarchs broke ties w/Nap. • Prussia, Aust., G.B. joined Russia (alliance) • Nap’s old strategy failed • Oct. 1813: Nap. defeated at Saxony • March 1814: allies captured Paris • Nap. gave up claims to throne • Retired to Elba
Allies = Fr. will NEVER disrupt Euro again! • Restored Bourbon monarchy (Louis XVIII)
F. The Hundred Days • Restored Bourbons made many enemies • Nap plotted his return (escaped from Elba) If there be one among you who wishes to kill his Emperor, he can. I come to offer myself to your assaults. • Nap triumphed in Paris—began prd. called the Hundred Days • Louis = fled
Prussia, Brit., & Netherlands moved into Fr. • June 18, 1815: Fr. army defeated at Waterloo • Nap. abdicated, Bourbons returned • Nap. sent to St. Helena (d. 1821)