Section 4 – The Age of Napoleon Begins
Napoleon Bonaparte I (1769-1821)
Emperor of France

Setting the Scene
Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica, a
French-ruled island in the Mediterranean.
His family were minor nobles, but had little money. At age nine, he was sent to France to be trained for a military career. When the revolution broke out, he was an ambitious
20-year-old lieutenant, eager to make a name for himself.

I. Napoleon’s Rise to Power
During the revolution, Napoleon rose quickly after winning major battles against the British and Austrians

I. Napoleon’s Rise to Power
In 1799, he helped overthrow the Directory and set up a three-man government known as the Consulate
A portrait of the three Consuls (between 1799 and
1804 ), with Napoleon in the center

I. Napoleon’s Rise to Power
By 1804, Napoleon had acquired enough power to assume the title Emperor of France
Napoleon on His Imperial Throne by Jean Auguste Dominique
Ingres (1806)

II. France Under Napoleon
Napoleon consolidated his power by strengthening the central government
"A Grateful France Proclaims Napoleon the First Emperor of the French"

II. France Under Napoleon
Napoleon controlled prices, encouraged new industry, and built roads and canals

II. France Under Napoleon
He made peace with the Catholic Church in the Concordat of 1801, recognizing religious freedom for Catholics
Vers le retour à la paix religieuse
Towards the return to religious peace

II. France Under Napoleon
Napoleon's most lasting reform was a new law code, which became known as the Napoleonic
Code

III. Building an Empire
From 1804 to 1814, Napoleon won many battles and created an empire

III. Building an Empire
In 1805, Napoleon tried to invade England but his fleet was destroyed at the Battle of
Trafalgar

III. Building an Empire
Napoleon waged economic warfare through the Continental System, which closed
European ports to British goods

Section 5 - The End of an Era
Napoleon watched the battle for the Russian city of Smolensk from a chair outside his tent. As fires lit up the walled city, he exclaimed: "It's like
Vesuvius erupting. Don't you think this is a beautiful sight?“ "Horrible, Sire," replied an aide.
"Bah!" snorted Napoleon. "Remember, gentlemen, what a Roman emperor said: The corpse of an enemy always smells sweet“ In 1812, Napoleon pursued his dream of empire by invading Russia.
The campaign began a chain of events that eventually led to his downfall. Napoleon's final defeat brought an end to the era of the French
Revolution.

I. Challenges to Napoleon's Empire
Many Europeans saw Napoleon’s armies as foreign oppressors
Napoleon and his Staff

I. Challenges to Napoleon's Empire
They resented the
Continental System and
Napoleon's effort to impose French culture
Napoleon in His Study by Jacques-Louis David,
1812

I. Challenges to Napoleon's Empire
Throughout Europe, nationalism unleashed revolts against France

I. Challenges to Napoleon's Empire
In 1812 the czar of Russia withdrew from the
Continental System and Napoleon responded by invading
French in Moscow, 1812 (Artist unknown )

I. Challenges to Napoleon's Empire
The Russians retreated, burning crops and villages as they went - the "scorched earth" policy

I. Challenges to Napoleon's Empire
Napoleon entered Moscow in September, but because he couldn’t supply his army through the winter, began his withdraw in October
Napoleon's retreat from Moscow (Adolph Northern)

II. Downfall of Napoleon
In 1813, Napoleon was defeated in the Battle of the Nations at Leipzig. He abdicated and was sent into exile

II. Downfall of Napoleon
Louis XVIII returned as king of France, but many remained loyal to Napoleon
Louis XVIII, King of France (1814 –24)

II. Downfall of Napoleon
In March 1815, Louis XVIII fled as Napoleon returned to Paris in triumph

II. Downfall of Napoleon
On June 18,1815, the French were defeated at the Battle of Waterloo and Napoleon was again forced into exile

III. The Congress of Vienna
European leaders met at the Congress of
Vienna to restore stability and order
The Great Powers of Europe met at Vienna from September 1, 1814, to June 9, 1815 to settle the future boundaries of the continent