AP EURO

Unit #4 – French Revolution and the Era of Napoleon

Lesson #404Rise and Fall of Napoleon

Essential Questions

• 19. Why was Napoleon so able to gain so much power so quickly?

• 20. What was Napoleon’s greatest weakness?

Who was Napoleon?

1. An artillery commander2. A Corsican born nobody3. And… he knew that4. Was called “the Corsican upstart”5. He spent his life proving his worth6. Boundless energy7. High expectations8. Amazingly successful9. Amazingly arrogant10. not really a tiny man…

Rise to power in military• 1769 - born in Corsica to lesser Nobles

– France had annexed Corsica in 1768• Educated in France• 1785 - Commissioned artillery Captain (16 years old)

– Became a Jacobin early in revolution– supported revolution

• 1793 - Leader in recovering port (Toulon) from British – Appointed Brigadier General

• 1795 - Supported Directory in coup (Vendemiraire Coup)– Reward - won command in Italy– To attack Austrians in Lombardy– Crushed Austrian & Sardinian armies

• (only Britain now remained an enemy

Early Successes by Napoleon• 1797 – returned to Paris a national hero

– New strategy – cut off British trade to India– Attacked British in Egypt– Successful army attack

• 1798 - French navy failed – defeated by Nelson @ Abukir– Napoleon was cut off – This whole campaign had the Russians alarmed– (French invasion of Ottoman Empire)– Russia had wanted to chew away at Ottomans

• 1799 - SECOND COALITION– Austria, Russia, Turkey, the Vatican, Portugal, Naples and Britain

• Threatened invasion of France• Led to Brumaire Coup (1799)• Napoleon defeated enemies – forced them into peace

Brumaire Coup• Emmanuel Sieyes –

– called for a stronger executive – Strong, trusted, reliable

• He asked Napoleon to help him in a new coup• Sieyes invited Napoleon to rule with him as

consuls (dictators) • Then…• One month later, Napoleon pushed Sieyes

aside, and declared himself the sole consul

Napoleon as the leader• Issued Constitution of Year VIII • Held a Plebiscite

– 3 million– 1500 against

• Three house legislature– full male suffrage

• Napoleon had all real power

Domestic Policy

• Used generosity, flattery and bribes to win peace with top leaders in nation

• Centralized governance of departments• Central bank• New tax code• Sewer system• Legion of Honor

– Reward for exceptional public service

Code Napoleon

• Safeguarded property• Reaffirmed abolition of privilege by birth• Reaffirmed conservative attitude with women• Promotions based on merit• No purchasing of office• Free public education• Rights and liberties guaranteed

Concordat with Pope

• Look at primary source document• Fired all revolution clergy• New hires appointed by Pope• Bishops to be chosen by Napoleon• Pope agreed to surrender all land taken by

revolution• Clergy still had to swear allegiance of loyalty

to government and the Church

Napoleon consolidated all power

• 1802 – Constitution of the Year X– Napoleon first consul

• 1803 – Napoleon planned to invade Britain• 1804 - Napoleon declared emperor• Assassination plot• Crowned himself• In Notre Dame• Plebiscite

5m

Everyone liked Napoleon

• Soldiers were always winners• Peasants retained land legally• Nobles invited back safely

– given government positions• Middle class given economic stability• City workers got price stability for bread

– And jobs were plentiful

Napoleon victories• 1802 – defeated Second Coalition

– Austria had retaken Italy while Napoleon was in Egypt

– Napoleon won it back, and annexed the land• 1804 – defeated Third Coalition

– Britain, Russia, Austria and Sweden• 1805 – Battle of Austerlitz

– Battle of the Three Emperors– France victorious –– restructured Germany– CONFEDERATION OF THE RHINE

• 1806 – Battle of Jena – Forth Coalition– Prussian defeat – reduced to half its size– Russia saved Prussia

Grand Empire starts to crumble• Napoleon’s reorganization crumbled

–He had been forcing Code Napoleon on conquered lands

• Resentment vs. France increased nationalism• Germans started pulling together

• Restrictions on Prussia of 42,000 man army bypassed–240,000 men by 1814

Continental System

• 1807 – Continental System– To destroy Britain financially– Plan: cut off trade with Britain

• Most allies suffered• Smuggling became normal• Britain still controlled the seas

– Increased trade with USA– Increased trade with Latin America

Peninsular War

• France invaded Spain to end trade with Britain• French army remained in Spain• Spanish peasants still loyal to Church

– Attacked by guerilla bands– SPANISH ULCER

• British Duke of Wellington – openly attacked France

• Napoleon had left his brother, Joseph• Joseph’s army defeated

Napoleon takes another wife• Needed an heir – Josephine too old (46)• Fifth Coalition attacked Napoleon

– Britain and Austria inspired by Spain– Quickly defeated

• France annexed more of Austria• GRAND DUTCHY OF WARSAW• Napoleon (44) “took” Marie Louise (18)

– Daughter of Emperor– She bore him a son

• Also annexed Holland

Invasion of Russia, 1812• Relationship with France deteriorated• Russia withdrew from Continental System• Napoleon – GRAND ARMY

– 680,000 allied troops (2/3 non French)– To crush Russia in a single battle

• Russia refused to engage• Scorched earth policy • Burned down Moscow• Napoleon stuck in unfriendly territory with no

food or shelter

Battle of the Nations• Napoleon defeated by Russian winter• Retreated and attacked

– 360,000 died– 200,000 taken prisoner– 100,000 deserters– 120,000 survived

• Battle fought at Leipzig• Russian army pursued

– Joined by Prussia and Austrian, British $$• Napoleon defeated by Sixth Coalition

Napoleon exiled to Elba

• Napoleon Forced to abdicate• Island near Corsica• Emperor of island• Needed more• Escaped to retake France• 100 DAYS• Promised a liberal constitution and peace• Seventh Coalition formed to defeat France

Final Defeat of Napoleon

• Napoleon’s promise for peace ignored• Napoleon marched to Holland to hit first• Faced Prussia first in Belgium, 1815• Fought armies of all nations• Defeated at WATERLOO• Exiled to St. Helena

– A craggily rock off Africa• Died six years later