The Age of Napoleon

Section 18-4pp. 592-601

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

• Rose to power during the French Revolution – Defended National Convention from Royalists – Fought against Austria and Italy

• Staged a coup d'état of Directory in 1799 – Established the Consulate – Takes title “First Consul”– Declared self “Consul for Life” in 1802

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

• Crowned Emperor of the French in 1804

• Citizens cast ballots called plebiscites, giving approval for each of Napoleon’s steps to power.

France Under Napoleon

• Replaced “Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity” with order, security, and efficiency

• Napoleon’s Reforms – Established equal taxation and stable economy– Made peace with the Catholic Church – Welcomed émigrés back to France– Established lycees, government run public schools– Based government jobs on merit– Won support across class lines

France Under Napoleon

• Napoleonic Code– Most significant reform – Contained Enlightenment ideas– Women lost rights and couldn’t become citizens

Building an Empire

• Napoleon’s Methods– Annexed land and redrew boundaries in Europe– Put friends and relatives into power throughout

Europe – ex: brother Joseph in Spain– Forces alliances among European powers

Napoleon Strikes Britain

• Britain remained outside Napoleon’s control – Tries to invade by sea – Defeated by Admiral Horatio Nelson at Battle of

Trafalgar

• Established the Continental System– Britain responded by blockading European ports– Scarcity of goods in France led to high prices

Challenges to Napoleon’s Empire

• Impact of Nationalism– French seen as foreign invaders

• Resistance in Spain– Spanish led a guerilla war against the French

• War With Austria– Austria attacked France in 1809– French defeated Austria and annexed their lands– Napoleon married Austrian princess to cement

ties

Challenges to Napoleon’s Power

• Defeat in Russia – Russia was unhappy with France• Continental System • Alliance between French and Austrians• Expanding Duchy of Warsaw

– Russia withdrew from Continental System and France attacked them

Challenges to Napoleon’s Power

• Defeat in Russia (continued) – Russians adopted scorched earth policy to leave

the French cold and hungry – Napoleon began 1,000 mile retreat from Moscow

in October and lost many soldiers to the harsh Russian winter

Downfall of Napoleon

• Napoleon abdicated and was exiled to Elba • Louis XVIII restored as monarch– Agreed to follow Napoleonic Code– Economic depression and fear of return to ancien

regime restore support for Napoleon• Napoleon returns from exile and becomes

ruler again

Downfall of Napoleon

• Battle of Waterloo – Britain led army of allies in attack against France– Napoleon defeated by Duke of Wellington at

Waterloo in Belgium • Napoleon abdicated and exiled for good

Downfall of Napoleon

• Napoleon’s Legacy – Supporter or traitor to French Revolution?– Centralized government power– Reformed laws – Provided stability – Took away rights guaranteed by National Convention– Sparked nationalistic feelings across Europe – Abolished Holy Roman Empire

Congress of Vienna

• Held to restore order & stability to Europe• Led by Clemens von Metternich of Austria• Goals– Create lasting peace by establishing a balance of

power– Protect the system of monarchy

Congress of Vienna

• Balance of Power– Created Luxembourg, Holland, and Belgium – Gave Prussia land along Rhine River – Austria given control over Northern Italy

• Restoration of Monarchs– Urged restoration of hereditary monarchs – Louis XVIII restored in France

Congress of Vienna

• Problems of the Peace – Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, extend their

wartime alliance– Redrew national boundaries without considering

ethnic and cultural ties – Created a weak German Confederation