Napoleon's European EmpireIn the first decade of the new century Napoleon built Europe's greatest empire since Romantimes" His victory over the Third Coalition gave him mastery over most of Europe The lands hecontrolled fell into three main categories:The lands that Napoleon annexed directly to France were close to France - along the Atlantic allthe way to Prussia, in northern Italy and around Rome, across the Adriatic sea. Dependant stateswere kingdoms under Napleon's relatives;~these came to include Spain, the Netherlands, thekingdom of the Swiss Republic, the Grand Duchy of Warsaw which was formed from territorywhich Prussia had taken from Poland. and the Confederation ofthe Rhine. To create the last

Napl. combined the many German kingdoms into larger piece{"In the inner core and dependantstates he destroyed the old feudal order.

Map of French Empire at its Height

Map of French Empire at its Height

Napoleon's most enduring achievement was the codification oflaws. He preserved most of thegains of the revolution: equality before the law, abolition of feudalism, religious toleration,property rights. Yet he brought back slavery to the colonies, women could not vote, nor get adivorce as easily as their husbands. A woman's property came under the control of theirhusbands, and in a lawsuit women were treated as children. However the Code

allowed sons and daughters to inherit property equally.

Napoleon centralized power and used a bureaucratic machine to execute laws. In the military andin the bureaucracy, merit counted. In domestic policy then, Napoleon both preserved anddestroyed certain aspects of the revolution.

Two major reasons for defeat of Napoleon: Great Britain and Nationalism. As long as Britainruled the sea it could not be defeated. A combined British and French fleet defeated Napoleon atthe Battle of Trafalgar. Napoleon then turned to blockade. This Continental System attempted toprevent British goods from reaching the markets in Europe. Allied states such as Russia resentedit Hrit~in f()lmn npUT m"rJ,.-pt" in T "tin L1mpr;,..."

The second important factor was nationalism. A new identity arose based on hatred for theFrench. In Spain Napoleon lost 200,000 men to Spanish. Napol. made hisbrother,Joseph, kingof Spain. In 1808 the Spanish people revolted. The British sent an army to help ung_erAurthurWellesley, the future Duke of Wellington. In 1814 the Spaniards, with British aid, captured

:;"2.•!\,1'-!5":'\('X Madrid and drove out the French King. They proceeded to draw up a new constitution thatw "".R. provided for a monarchy limited by the rights of the people:" Jhe Spanish revolt showed the

tremendous influence of the ideals of the French Revolution~ It also showed the spirit ofnationalism.

The final mistake was the invasion of Russia. The refusal of Russia to remain in the Continental

system caused Napoleon's attack:/He led his Grand Army of more than 600,000 men intoRussia. The Russians drew him in deeper into Russia. Finally, as winter set in the Russiansabandoned Moscow and burned it so as to prevent supplies and shelter to Napoleon's troops.Napoleon abandoned Russia in retreat. Only 40,000 of the 600,000 managed to survive. Most ofthe Grand Army by that point had been forced to join Napoleon's army~ They were Italian,Swiss and Polish. The Russian Army followed the French and invaded Napoleon's Empire, andthe Prussians joined the attack. Everywhere in Western Europe people were rising up to throwoff the French. Napoleon abandoned his army and hurried off to France to raise new forces.Prussia, Austria, Great Britain and Sweden joined Russia in a new alliance. At Leipzig in 1813the French were defeated. The allies captured Paris in March 1914 and forced Napoleon toabdicate (give up the throne). He retired to a small island of Elba with a small pension to live on.

The victorious allies restored the Bourbon monarchy in the person of Louis XVIII, brother of theexecuted king Louis XVI.

The Hundred Days: Naloleon escaped Elba. He entered Paris in triumph. The [people lovedhim. Under the Duke of Wellington another alliance formed to oppose N's new army. On June18,1815, the Allies met at Waterloo in the Austrian Netherlands. The French were badlydefeated. Again Napoleon abdicated. Again the Bourbon monarch was restored. Napoleonsurrendered to the British, asking to be allowed to live in England. Instead they sent Napoleon tothe dismal island of St. Helen where he died of stomach cancer, or::--rffayhave been poisoned.

In every sense of the word France from 1789 - 1815 constituted a revolution. French societychanged permanently. The ideals of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (known as Liberalism) werespread through Europe by Napoleon's armies. Nationalism too became a major political force.Various countries reacted to the French conquest by attempting to unify their nations. Thevarious groups in the Austrian Empire-Czechs, Hungarians, Slavs, Italians -carved independenceand self-government. Germany and Spain would do the same. The French Revolution andNapoleon had changed the face and values of Europe.