The Collapse of the Napoleonic
Empire
• Lost 500,000 of his 600,000 Grand Army
• October 1813—defeated at the Battle of Nations
by Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Britain
• April 4, 1814—Napoleon abdicates
• Napoleon exiled to island of Elba
(#17) The Congress of Vienna (18141815)
• Quadruple Alliance – Britain, Austria, Russia,
and Prussia meet to decide new European
borders and restore the social and political
order of Europe prior to 1789
– French Foreign Minister Tallyrand present
• Austrian Chancellor, Prince Metternich, was
leading architect of a redrawn Europe
• Alexander of Russia reluctantly gets only part of
Poland
Bourbon Restoration
• Louis XVI’s brother restored to throne as Louis
XVIII (r. 1814-1824)Treaty of Chaumont
• The Congress did not want punish France to
harshly
– Allowed to keep all lands gained prior to 11/1/1792
• France surrendered all territory gained since
1792, but maintained Napoleonic Code,
concordat, and abolition of feudalism
The Settlement
• Strong barriers were created around France as
a form of protection for Europe
• establishment of kingdom of Netherlands
(Austrian)
• Prussia and Austria gain territory east of France
and in Italy
• Napoleon’s reorganization of German states
from 100 to 39 remained intact
• Holy Roman Empire was not reestablished
The Hundred Days
• Napoleon returns to France
on 3/1/1815 and reinstated
as emperorLouis XVIII
flees
– Napoleon defeated at
Battle of Waterloo
(6/18/1815) by
Wellington and Blucher
(Prussia)
– exiled for good to tiny
island St. Helena (died in
1821)
A Lasting Peace
• Austria, Prussia, and Russia form the Holy
Alliance based on Christian principles
• Quadruple Alliance reforms in 1815 promoting
the monarchies of Europe
• New Congress of Vienna remains intact and
prevents general war for about 100 years
Essay: Napoleon
• Explain how, although he was an autocrat,
helped to put into practice many of the ideals
of the French Revolution.
• What does the question want to know?
• What do you know about it? Autocrat, ideals
of French Rev.
• How would you put it into words? Connection
between the ideals of Revolution and the
implementation of goals by Napoleon