Napoleonic Era: 1799-1815

NAPOLEONIC ERA (1799-1815) – “Age of Voltaire”
Consulate Period: 1799-1804 (Enlightened Reform)
èNapoleon Bonaparte, First Consul: be viewed as the last of the “Enlightened Despots”
plebiscite: general referendum overwhelmingly voted for Napoleon
Code Napoleon:: legal unity provided first clear and complete codification of French law:
code of civil procedure, criminal procedure, commercial code, and penal code.
Equality before the law
“Careers Open to talent”: promotions in gov’t service based on merit
Drawbacks: denied women equal status, denied true political liberty (due to absolutism), nepotism by placing family members as heads of conquered regions
Religion
Concordat of 1801: Napoleon ended the rift between the church and the state
Papacy renouncing claims over church property seized during the Revolution;
France allowed to nominate or depose bishops.
In return, priests who had resisted the Civil Constitutions of the Clergy would
replace those who had sworn an oath to the state
Extended legal toleration to Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and atheists who all received
same civil rights
Bank of France: served interests of the state and financial oligarchy
educational reform: public education under state control
Creation of new imperial nobility to reward most talented generals & officials
police state: Led by Joseph Fouchè, a former Hèbertist
Duke of Enghien (related to Bourbons) arrested and shot though innocent
Brittany and the Vendèe dealt with ruthlessly
War of the Second Coalition: 1798-1801
Battle of the Nile
Treaty of Lunèville (1801)
Resulted in Austria’s loss of her Italian possessions.
German territory on west bank of the Rhine incorporated into France
Britain isolated
Peace Interim:
Treaty of Amiens (w/ Britain) 1802
Britain returned some French islands; France kept conquered European territories
Britain dismayed treaty didn’t yield commercial benefit; broke treaty and war renewed
French forces defeated in Haiti by disease and Toissant L’Overture; Louisiana Territory sold

Empire Period, 1804-1814
Napoleon crowned Emperor
Grand Empire: consisted of an enlarged France and satellite kingdoms
War of the Third Coalition: (1805-1807)
Napoleon planned to invade Great Britain
Alexander I (Russia): joined Austria and Great Britain
La Harpe: Swiss tutor and pro-French revolution who educated Alexander
Battle of Trafalgar (1805), Horatio Nelson: Britain destroyed French navy
Established supremacy of British navy for over a century
Napoleon forced to cancel invasion of Britain
Battle of Austerliz (Dec. 1805): Napoleon smashed Austrian army and gained more territory
Third Coalition collapsed
Battle of Jena: Napoleon defeated Prussia in 1806
Treaty of Tilsit (1807): symbolized height of Napoleon’s success
Face to face negotiations between France & Russia on Niemen River while Prussia
waited eagerly
Provisions:
Prussia lost half its population.
Russia accepted Napoleon’s reorganization of western and central Europe.
Russia also agreed to accept Napoleon’s Continental System.
Germany in 1806
è Consolidation of 300 states into 39
Confederation of the Rhine: 15 German states minus Prussia, Austria, and Saxony
Napoleon became “Protector” of the Confederation
Holy Roman Empire abolished
Feudalism abolished






è Continental System: aimed to isolate Britain and promote Napoleon’s mastery over Europe
Berlin Decree, 1806: British ships not allowed in European ports
“order in council”, 1806: Britain proclaimed any ship going to Europe had to stop there first
Milan Decree, 1807: Napoleon proclaimed any ship stopping in Britain would be seized
when it entered the Continent.
These edicts eventually led to U.S. declaring war on Great Britain: War of 1812
Continental System a major failure: failed to hurt Britain; European countries grew tired of it
Napoleon’s empire by 1810: included
Confederation of the Rhine
Joseph Bonaparte: King of Spain
Jerome Bonaparte: King of Westphalia
Caroline Bonaparte: Queen of Naples
Duchy of Warsaw
Kingdom of Italy
(Independent but allied states of Austria, Prussia and Russia)
The Peninsular War (1808-1814) in Spain: first great revolt against Napoleon’s power
guerrilla war against France aided by Britain led by Duke of Wellington
War of Liberation (1809): Austria declared war against France but lost more territory
Russian Campaign (1812):
Battle of Borodino (1812): ended in draw but Napoleon overextended himself
French troops invaded all the way to Moscow but eventually driven back and destroyed
War of the Fourth Coalition (1813-1814): Britain, Prussia, Austria, Russia
Battle of Leipzig (“Battle of Nations”), Oct. 1813 – hitherto, largest battle in world history
Most of Napoleon’s Grand Army destroyed
Frankfurt Proposals: Austrian minister Metternich demanded France return to historic
borders; Napoleon refused
Quadruple Alliance: created against France; lasted 20 years
Napoleon abdicates April, 1814; Bourbons restored to throne
King Louis XVIII creates Charter of 1814: constitutional monarchy; bicameral legislature
“first” Treaty of Paris (1814)
France surrendered all lands gained since 1792
Allies imposed no indemnity or reparations (after Louis refused to do so)
è Congress of Vienna (1814-1815)
Klemens Von Metternich: dominant figure at the Congress; conservative
Alexander I
Principles of Settlement: Legitimacy, Compensation, Balance of Power
“Hundred Days” (March 20-June 22, 1815): Napoleon returns from exile and organizes new army
Capitalized on stalled talks at Congress of Vienna
Battle of Waterloo, June 1815: Napoleon defeated by Duke of Wellington
Napoleon exiled to St. Helena
“2nd” Treaty of Paris: dealt more harshly w/ France; large indemnity, some minor territories