Topic Nine: Napoleonic France and The Congress of Vienna
One of the few people known by one name only
A. Early Life
1. Born 15 August, 1769 on Corisica, on year after it becomes French
2. Son of a minor Italian noble family, had a good education, excelled at
math,
but was good at other subjects
3. In 1784 went to the Ecole Militaire, prestigious military academy in Paris, studied
to be an artillery officer, completed the two years of study in one
4. Napoleon Bonaparte was a product of the French Revolution. Education shows
his talent and genius, but without the Revolution, would not be able to rise so far
B. Revolutionary Career
1. First Coalition 1793-1797, Britain-Prussia-Austria
a. Siege of Toulon
i. Napoleon promoted to Brigadier General
b.Levee En Masse instituted 1793
c.Batavian Republic (Jan 1795-June 1806)
i. William V of Orange overthrown
2. Napoleon saves the Directory from a royalist insurrection in 1795
“a whiff of grapeshot” (Thomas Carlyle)
a. given command of the Army of Italy
3. Italian Campaign
a. Battle of Lodi May 1796, Le Petit Corporal
b. Battle of Arcola, November 1796, takes war to Austria
c. Treaty of Campo Formio October 197, ended First Coalition
i. Austrian Netherlands, Corfu given to France
ii. Northern Italy divided into several republics (Liguria, Cisalpine
Republic and others), but in actuality they become satellites of France
iii. France in control of the Rhineland
4. Second Coalition 1799-1803, Britain-Austria-Russia
a. Europe again tries to contain the French, having success
b. Napoleon in Egypt (Rosetta Stone)
c. In November 1799 he overthrew the Directory, which had recalled Napoleon to
Paris to actually save it
C. The Consulate (1800-1804)
1. New Constitution written with executive with three consuls
2. Napoleon is First Consul, given the most power
3. Also have legislative bodies but elections controlled by Napoleon
4. In 1802 Napoleon elected Consul for life (by a unanimous vote)
meanwhile
5. Battle of Marengo, June 1800 (Napoleon) and
6. Battle of Hohenlinden, December 1800 (Moreau) lead to
7. Treaty of Luneville, February 1801 and end of 2nd Coalition
8. Treaty of Amiens, March 1802, peace with Britain
9. May 1803 Britain declares war against France, and
10. In December, Third Coalition is formed 1803-1806
Britain-Austria-Russia (hint: it doesn’t succeed either)
D. The Empire (1804-1814)
1. In 1804 Napoleon disbands the Consulate, is ELECTED emperor
2. The pope comes to Paris to crown him, but he crowns himself
3. Serious naval defeat at Trafalgar in 1805 means cannot invade
Britain
rd
4. Battle of Austerlitz , December 1805, end of 3 Coalition
5. Treaty of Pressburg, December 1805, end of “Holy Roman Empire”
(British continue to fight)
a. add Austrian holdings in Italy to the Kingdom of Italy, created by
Napoleon in 1805
b. Austria had to give up German states to France, Napoleon created the
Confederation of the Rhine, a military alliance and buffer zone
c. the Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist, the emperor was now the Austrian
emperor
d. Prussia was exceedingly alarmed at the creation of the Confederation and a new
coalition is formed, the Fourth 1806-1807, Britain-Russia-Prussia
6. Battle of Jena, October 1806, defeat Prussians, moved on to Berlin (took him 19
days to take out Prussia)
7. Battle of Friedland, June 1807, defeat the Russians
8. Treaty of Tilsit, July 1807
a. Prussia loses half its territory, to Saxony (new kingdom) and to Warsaw (new
Duchy)
b. Russia loses territory also
9. Britain still fighting the good fight
10. The Peninsular War 1807-1814, in Spain and Portugal
a. gives us the term “guerrilla” warfare (Spanish for “little war”)
11. Fifth Coalition in 1809 ends in another defeat for Austria
12. In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia, Sixth Coalition is created
a. invasion was a disaster, French army could not feed itself
b. by October Napoleon has to retreat and the remnants of the Grande Armee
trying to flee the Russian winter
c. Napoleon’s reputation as being invincible is shattered
13. Napoleon raised another army but is defeated in October 1813 at Leipzig
14. By March of 1814 the Coalition Army is outside Paris, and Napoleon is forced to
abdicate in accordance with the Treaty of Fountainbleau (April 1814)
15. Exiled to Elba, but in early 1815, escapes and returns to France
16. Is eventually defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815
E. Napoleon the Good
1. Domestic Policy
a. very complex and efficient bureaucracy created to govern France, right down to
the local level
b. this will provide taxes to support the economy and army
c. anyone with talent can rise in government and everything is controlled by
Napoleon
d. public welfare to alleviate poverty, gangs and beggars
e. vaccination programs, hospitals, requirements for doctors and midwives
f. IMPORTANT distinction, first time people are treated as citizens, not as subjects
g. creates a Council of State, experts in various departments who advise him
2. Law-The Napoleonic Code 1804
a. equality before the law
b. freedom of religion
c. protection of private property
d. abolish serfdom
e. SECULARIZE the state
however
f. outlawed labor unions
g. stripped women of rights
3. Religion, Concordat of 1801
a. use religion to promote national unity, not salvation
b. Concordat makes Catholicism the “favored” religion, not the “official” religion
c. Catholic Church consecrates priests, but the state pays their salaries and the
state collects tithes
d. people get their religion, France gets their money
e. other religions are also free to worship in France, even Jews
f. all religions are under state control
4. Education, The University of France
a. established a state run education system
b. needed not only for the bureaucracy but also for the military (officer corps)
c. also provides indoctrination
d. science academies created, metric system is created
5. Economy
a. established the Bank of France (similar to the Bank of England)
b. built up France’s industry through government sponsorship and protection
c. huge public works projects provide jobs and grow the economy
- in Paris build sidewalks, a new sewer system, a new water supply system,
Les Halles (markets), new slaughterhouses (sanitation), widened the streets
(easier for the army to march down), house numbers, fire department
- also built the Arc de Triomphe, expanded the Louvre, numerous fountains,
bridges
6. Social
a. “it is by baubles that people are led”, created a new kind of aristocracy, one of
merit, the Legion of Honor
b. supported and helped by the middle class (Bourgeoisie) because his reforms
helped them most of all (support of industry, protection of private property
and equality before the law)
c. lower classes also helped by his measures because now have more economic
opportunities for advancement, not tied to the land
F. Napoleon the Bad
1. No real political liberty. Although he kept the trappings of constitutional
government, all power was in his hands
a. elections were held, but they were carefully manipulated and of course
Napoleon always won
b. suppressed all political dissent, newspapers were under state control and
publishers/printers had to swear an oath of loyalty to the state
2. Use of secret police and arbitrary arrests/executions to get rid of enemies
3. Strict control of the education system meant indoctrination of the population
4. Keep the people happy and they will love you
a. Napoleon had a brilliant propaganda machine
b. kept bread prices low and provided entertainment, i.e. bread and circuses (or
Taco Bell and Monster Truck Rallies)
G. Results of Napoleonic Rule
Revolutionary ideals spread wherever Napoleon’s armies marched. Napoleon
insisted that the ideas of the French Revolution be implemented in conquered
territories…equality under the law, freedom of religion, elective government,
equitable tax systems, abolition of serfdom and aristocratic privilege, responsive
government. After Napoleon, Europe cannot go back to the absolutists monarchial
systems of 17 and 18th centuries…but they try…