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Napoleonic France. Post Terror. Following the Reign of Terror a new government, The Directory, is formed. There was a 2 house legislature, but the Directory was a 5 man executive branch The directors were moderates, and though sometimes corrupt restored order to France
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Post Terror • Following the Reign of Terror a new government, The Directory, is formed. • There was a 2 house legislature, but the Directory was a 5 man executive branch • The directors were moderates, and though sometimes corrupt restored order to France • They chose Napoleon Bonaparte to be the General of France’s armies
Military Rise and Conquest • Born in 1769 on Corsica, and later joined the army of the new government following the revolution • Napoleon’s first glimpse of glory happened in 1795 when he defended the National Convention from a band of royalist rebels • In 1796 he defeated threatening Austrian troops in Italy. • He later attempted to secure Indian trade routes (and disrupt the British) in Egypt, but was defeated by Admiral Horatio Nelson (remember his name)
Coup d’Etat • The Directory failed to maintain political control of France, and lost the confidence of the people • In November of 1799, Napoleon seized control of the legislature, and was “appointed” First Consul of the French Republic. • Britain consolidated the support of Austria and Russia against France, but by 1802 Napoleon had either defeated or signed peace deals with all of them, and Europe was at peace (relatively speaking).
Stability at Home • Napoleon sought to consolidate power, but to also keep the people happy and the country strong • A plebiscite was held in 1800, approving a constitution that guaranteed certain rights, but gave Napoleon all the real power • Napoleon set up a fair and efficient tax collection system and a national bank • This meant the government would be funded, and the economy would be well managed
More Improvements • To have more qualified people in government, Napoleon set up lycees, which were government run public schools attended by students from many walks of life • The idea was to get officials in the government based on merit and not heredity
Concordat of 1801 • Napoleon wanted to heal the divisions within the Catholic Church that had developed after the confiscation of Church property and the Civil Constitution of the Clergy. • But, Napoleon’s clear intent was to use the clergy to prop up his regime. The government would appoint bishops, but bishops would appoint priests This gained Napoleon the favor of the church and the peasants
Concordat of 1801 (cont.) • Catholicism was declared the religion of the majority of the French • The Pope had to accept the loss of church lands during the revolution • Eventually Pope Pius VII renounced the agreement, so Napoleon had him brought to France, and placed under house arrest
Napoleonic Code • The code put civil law into 3 divisions: personal status, property, and the acquisition of property • The code was presented to the public as eliminating injustices and making law more uniform, but it actually promoted order and authority over individual rights • Freedom of Speech and of the Press were limited, and slavery was reinstituted (in the Caribbean)
Emperor • Napoleon basically crowns himself emperor in 1804 • Wanted to control Europe and the “New World” • When he struggled to regain control of sugar producing islands in the Caribbean, he cut his losses, made money on the Louisiana Purchase, and assured England would one day be subservient to the US
French Expansion • Napoleon expanded into Italy, the Netherlands, and Switzerland (puppet govt.) • Britain organizes Russia, Austria, and Sweden against France • France defeated them all (except Britain—their power was naval), and expanded further
Battle of Trafalgar • The French-Spanish Fleet was defeated by Horatio Nelson (there he is again) • Britain remained masters of the sea, and Napoleon knew he could never invade Britain
Napoleon’s Empire Falls • The Empire became huge, but this fact basically ensured its imminent collapse (it only lasted at full strength from 1807-1812) • Napoleon made 3 mistakes that led to the fall of the Empire
Napoleon’s Mistakes • The Continental System - Napoleon blockaded all trade between England and the rest of Europe in November 1806 • This was too vast to enforce, and when it was disregarded it made Napoleon look weak • Also, Britain responded with its own blockade, and with a superior navy, it was better able to enforce it (the blockades damaged France and her allies more than it did Britain) • Side note: This was one of the causes of the War of 1812, since Britain was interfering with America’s (a neutral country) right to free trade with France
Mistakes (cont.) • The Peninsular War - “The Spanish Ulcer” Napoleon was angry that Portugal ignored the Continental System, and sent an army through Spain. This angered the Spanish, so he put his brother on the throne, angering them further • Guerrilla fighters attacked Napoleon’s armies, and were aided by the British troops who aided Portugal and Spanish guerillas (similar to fighting insurgents today)
Napoleon’s Nepotism Due to European Conquests • Jerome Bonaparte King of Westphalia. • Joseph Bonaparte King of Spain • Louise Bonaparte King of Holland • Pauline Bonaparte Princess of Italy • Napoléon Francis Joseph Charles (son) King of Rome • Elisa Bonaparte Grand Duchess of Tuscany • Caroline Bonaparte Queen of Naples
Final Mistake • Invasion of Russia - France had a massive army (not all French), and proceeded into Russia as neither side trusted the other, and Russia was still selling grain to Britain • The scorched-earth policy was put into action, as Alexander I of Russia had no desire for war • Napoleon finally won a narrow victory that allowed him to take Moscow, but as the Russians retreated they burned the city down
Russian Invasion (cont.) • Napoleon waited for a peace offering until October, but none ever came • He wanted to pursue further, but knew it would soon be too cold • As they returned home, bitter cold overtook the French army, and many died from exposure • With his army now weakened the rest of Europe turned on him, and he was quickly defeated and exiled to Elba • He escaped and became Emperor again for about 100 days, but was defeated at Waterloo, and exiled to St. Helena (and died 6 yrs later)
Congress of Vienna • Main Objective: Undo everything that Napoleon had done. • Most attendees wanted to push France back to her old boundaries, ensure she would not attack again, and restore royal rule • They thought “there is always an alternative to conflict”
Attendees • Czar Alexander I of Russia, King Frederick William III of Prussia, and Emperor Francis I of Austria were all there, as well as the foreign ministers of Britain and France, but Prince Klemens von Metternich ran the show • Containing France- He surrounded her with strong countries (consolidated smaller states into bigger powers
Vienna Resolutions (cont.) • France was returned to its 1790 size, and allowed to govern itself (the other powers feared being too strict as France may again revolt, and if they broke it up another country may take it over, and become too strong) • Many deposed kings were returned to their thrones • All of the measures ensure peace until the Crimean War in 1853
Other European Changes • For a time groups like the Holy Alliance (Russia, Austria, and Prussia) and the Concert of Europe (same 3 from above, plus UK, and in the end France herself – this lasted until the beginning of WWI in different iterations) held absolute authority over eastern Europe, but their fears were realized as the ideas of revolution continued to spread throughout the continent • When Spanish and Portugese monarchs tightened their grip, their “American” colonies revolted, and many won independence • The result of the revolutions and Napoleon were that nations would now rule themselves, and ideas about government in Europe were changed forever
