Chapter 21 Part 6

1. Chapter 21Part 6 The French Revolution The Age of Voltaire

2. Napoleon 1799-1815 Italian descent: August 15, 1769 Born to a poor, but prominent, family on Italian Corsica (recently acquired by French) Military genius: specialized in artillery (Oct 1795 gave rioters “whiff of grapeshot” to save Nat. Conv.) A big fan of the Enlightenment and the Revolution Supported Jacobins (Brig. Gen. when Robsp. killed) Advanced rapidly in the army: talented AND many vacancies due to the emigrees

3. Early Army Career 1796 marries Josephine; goes to Italian Front & stunning victories Takes art, imposes Fr. Const. wherever he goes Takes care of his soldiers: “Old Guard” begins Ignores orders; Austrians (& others) ‘treaty’ w/ Nappy b/c he beat them Egyptian Campaign: goes badly; comes home for damage control

4. Two distinct periods of rule 1799-1804: Was First Consul during the Consulate Period 1804-1814: The Empire Period 18 Brumaire (Coup of Nov. 9, 1799) invited in to rule

5. The Consulate Period 1799-1804 Took power December 25, 1799 Title: First Consul Constitution gave him supreme power (passed 3+ million to 1,592) Acted as a dictator Demanded loyalty to the state, rewarded ability, created an effective hierarchical bureaucracy BUT wealth determined status

6. Napoleon: the last and the greatest Enlightened Despot Because his reforms were widespread and long-lasting (as he conquered Europe he brought the Napoleonic Code with him)

7. Early Nappy in power Had the mind/memory of Louis XIV Unexpectedly hard-working, conscientious, thorough (& expected same of others) Followed “Roman Model” of giving reforms quickly

8. Early Nappy in power, cont. Revised tax laws (lowers on farmers), revalued currency, establ. Bank of France Restructured all branches of National Gov. & put reorganized Local Govt. under strong centralized Gov. Political Amnesties brought capable people back “Legion of Honor”:civil/military order created new ‘aristocracy of ability’

9. Religious Reforms • Napoleon wanted to make peace with the Catholic Church to weaken its link with the monarchists • Understood religion would help the French people accept economic inequities • presages Marx: “Religion is the opiate of the masses”

10. The Concordat of 1801 Pope renounced claims to the Church property lost in Revolution (settled the issue of the peasant-landowners’ divided allegiances—jbut people loyal to Nappy who got land) Bishops nominated & paid by State, consecrated by Pope Remaining Refractory Clergy (non-juring) replaced juring priests

11. The Concordat of 1801 Catholics could worship in public Church seminaries reopened Legal toleration extended to: Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Atheists …all had the same civil rights Replaced “Revolutionary Calendar” w/ old Christian Calendar

12. Separation of Church and State Napoleon made certain to appoint as many Protestants & others to high government positions as Catholics

13. Napoleonic Code1804 Provided legal unity First clear & complete codification of French law Longest-lasting of his reforms Included a civil code of criminal procedure, a commercial code, & a penal code Emphasized “absolute security of wealth & private property”

14. The Napoleonic Code Provided for a strong central government and administrative unity Included many reforms of the Revolution: Equality before the law: no more estates, legal classes, privileges, hereditary offices, guilds… Freedom of religion: State will be secular Property rights Abolished serfdom Women given inheritance rights but . . .

15. Women Were denied equal status with men Women & children legally dependent on husband/father Divorce more difficult to obtain than during Rev. Women couldn’t buy/sell property, begin a business w/o consent of their husbands Wives’ incomes belonged to husbands Penalties for adultery more severe for women than men

16. Careers open to talent Theoretically citizens were able to rise in government offices according to their abilities (but wealth was really the key to status) Napoleon created a new imperial nobility for talented generals and government officials

17. The New Imperial Nobility Government rewarded wealthy people who served the state with pensions, property or titles Middle Class DID benefit Over ½ of the titles granted went to those in military Between 1808-1814 Napoleon awarded 3,6000 titles BUT the # of nobles in France only 1/7 of what it was before the Revolution

18. Offices Could Not be Bought or Sold Amnesty was granted to returning emigrees in exchange for loyalty oath Many were given important posts in government Foreign “notables” were also able to serve (Italy, the Netherlands)

19. The Working Class Le Chaplier Law of 1791 was maintained: denied the right to strike or unionize/guilds But now…not politically significant

20. Economic Unity The Bank of France (est. 1800) served the interests of the state and financial oligarchy: Balanced the national budget Estab. sound currency Made public credit available Increased employment Lowered taxes on farmers

21. Economics under Napoleon Guaranteed that seized Church property sold to peasants would remain in the hands of the peasants Created an independent peasantry…this would become the backbone of French democracy and make France a nation of small landowners Tax collections became more efficient

22. Education Established a system of public education under state control Rigorous standards Available to the masses Secondary and higher education was to prepare young men for professions/government service

23. Education Education became a key in determining social standing One system for those who could spend 12+ years at school The other for boys who would enter the work force at age 12 to 14

24. A Police State Citizens were under continuous surveillance by government spies After 1810 political “suspects” were held in state prisons…. like during Reign of Terror By 1814 2,500 political prisoners being held

25. A Police State The most notorious incident: 1804 arrest (crossed borders) & execution of a Bourbon: the Duke of Enghien He was accused of taking part in a plot to overthrow Napoleon There was absolutely no evidence of his involvement

26. Problems with Napoleon’s Reforms Women did not benefit…serious gender inequity Workers denied unions Individual liberty was repressed in favor of absolutism and the creation of a police state Much nepotism (Nappy had lots of brothers/sisters/relations)

27. Napoleonic Wars during the Consulate Era Generally short and distinct Only England was at war with France continuously All four Great Powers did not fight Napoleon TOGETHER until 1813 (Russia, Prussia, Austria, England) after Napoleon conquered Italy Above nations were sometimes compelled to ally with Napoleon

28. 1798-1801 The War of the Second Coalition The Second Coalition: Austria, England, Russia 1798 Napoleon’s navy had been destroyed by the English (Lord Nelson) in the Battle of the Nile But in the end, Napoleon’s army was victorious

29. The Treaty of Luneville Britain moved off of the European continent Austria lost its Italian possessions to Napoleon German territory on the west bank of the Rhine became part of France Russia had tried to take advantage of the turmoil by gaining a foothold in the Mediterranean but withdrew from western Europe due to a British blockade

30. 1802 The Treaty of Amiens France and Britain Brits agreed to return Trinidad and some Caribbean islands to France that it had taken in 1793 Had hopes that peace with France would enable Britain to increase its trade with the European continent

31. Treaty of Ameins By this time Napoleon had the former Austrian Netherlands, the West bank of the Rhine, the Netherlands and most of Italy The Brits were unable to increase their trade with the European continent The Brits violated the treaty by failing to evacuate Malta causing the truce to end (1805)

32. In the meantime Napoleon reorganized The confederation of Switzerland Sent a large army to Haiti to re-enslave the population French forces were devastated by disease Napoleon sold Louisiana to the United States