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THE NAPOLEONIC
ERA
FRENCH REVOLUTION
SUMMARY
FOUR STAGES OF THE REVOLUTION:
The Reign Of Terror
The Old Regime
The Directory
A Moderate Start
The Extremists
NAPOLEON
NAPOLEON

Born in Corsica to minor nobility.
 Not a great student, but had a great
memory.
– Could remember maps, cannons,
weaknesses, etc.

Became one of youngest generals ever.
– Soldiers grew to idolize him => success.

Hated mob violence.
– After killing hundreds he once quoted “ I
put down the rebels with a whiff of
grapeshot”
NAPOLEON’S WIVES
JOSEPHINE – 1st wife.
- she was broke & married Napoleon for money.
(Napoleon had no $)
- he married an aristocrat for the prestige.
- distrust and failure to give birth to a son
led to divorce.
Marie-Louise
Josephine
Marie-Louise – Austrian princess.
- niece of Marie Antoinette.
- gave birth to Napoleon’s son.
NOTE – Napoleon still went to Josephine
for advice.
NAPOLEON’S CAMPAIGNS
ITALY
Italy was under Austrian rule and wanted the old glory
days of the Roman Empire back. Napoleon promised
the Italians freedom if they helped defeat the Austrians.
After defeating Austria, Napoleon set up new French controlled Republics.
- broke his promise of Italian freedom:
- Fr. stole the Italian valuables.
- paid his soldiers with Italian $.
- Napoleon became rich from Italian goods.
Napoleon’s Italian Lire
Napoleon crossing the Alps
NAPOLEON’S CAMPAIGNS
EGYPT
REASONS TO TAKE EGYPT
– French army was having great success.
– Cut Britain off from trade (India).
– French gov’t happy to have Napoleon “out of
the way.”
RESULTS
- beat Egypt, but lost to the British.
- Napoleon abandoned his army &
escaped back to France.
- hid the truth & his popularity
soared in France.
NAPOLEON’S CAMPAIGNS
HAITI
– French colony taken over by the
English in 1793.
– Slaves worked to produce sugar, coffee,
cocoa, & cotton.
– Hard conditions – 10 yr. lifespan.
– Napoleon wanted to take it back from British.
– Haitian leaders had to decide to fight for or
against the French.

Would you trust Napoleon?????
– Lied in Italy!?!?
– Declaration of the Rights of Man = freedom.
RESULTS – Haitians trusted Napoleon.
- Napoleon won & did not free slaves.
Toussaint L’Ouverture
Led the slave revolt & eventually
Would gain Haitian independence
NAPOLEON’S REFORMS

Rid France of the Directory and became
“First Consul”.
 Napoleonic Code – unified French laws.
 Created Freedoms => equality, property,
choice of work, etc.
– Women lost right under the code.

Public works => roads, harbours, museums,
schools.
 Low food prices.
 Tariffs to protect French goods.
PROBLEM – Did not create a strong French economy.
- most of France’s wealth was stolen from other countries.
NAPOLEON THE EMPEROR

1804 Napoleon crowned himself
‘Emperor of France’ => dictatorship.
 Established a secret police force.
 Censorship (media, laws, education)
MADAME DE STAEL – one of the few
people who criticized Napoleon and got
away with it. She was too popular for
Napoleon to just throw aside. Eventually,
he did manage to run her out of France.
NAPOLEON AND EUROPE
Napoleon placed family in
charge of Italy, Naples,
Spain, Sweden, Germany,
& Holland. Russia, Austria,
& Prussia kept their rulers
but became Napoleon’s
allies. In all of Europe,
only Britain remained
independent.
Horrible Histories
Napoleon knew that his power came from military victories.
By 1812, he had control of most of Europe.
PROBLEM – Napoleon could never defeat Britain who
was willing to help anyone who opposed the French.
France vs. Britain

In 1805, Napoleon tried to invade Britain,
but Lord Nelson captured his entire navy.
 Napoleon imposed the “Continental System.”
– Forbade anyone to trade with Britain.

Lord Nelson
PROBLEM – France had no navy to enforce.
– Backfired =>Britain imposed trade block against France.
– Britain prevented USA ships from going to France.
– One reason for War of 1812.
The Continental System
The British Navy
NAPOLEON AND EUROPE
THE RISE OF NATIONALISM
(The belief that one’s own country is the best)
THE RISE OF NATIONALISM
(The belief that one’s own country is the best)

FRANCE

– Loved the ideas of the
revolution.
– Declaration of the Rights
of Independence.
– Shared common language,
culture, & history.
– Napoleon used
Nationalism to unify his
people.

Nationalism can also be used to
split nations. (Quebec???)
SPAIN – resented the fact that the
French ruled over them.
– Viewed Napoleon as a tyrant.
– Britain would help the Spanish.

RUSSIA – once an ally, Russia no
longer trusted Napoleon.
– Broke Continental System.
– Napoleon declared war.
– Employed the ‘run and burn’
strategy.
– Proved to be the ‘beginning of the
end’ for Napoleon
ABDICATION AND EXILE


Nationalism prevailed and Napoleon’s forces
were defeated.
– Napoleon exiled to Elba.
– Louis XVI’s brother, Louis XVIII => = king.
– Louis XVIII was not popular (Divine Right).
Louis XVIII
The Hundred Days – Napoleon returned to regain
control.
– Supported by the Bonapartists.
– Managed to enlist over 300 000 soldiers to fight the
British.

The Battle of Waterloo
Napoleon
Horrible Histories
– Lasted an entire day and 50 000 soldiers died.
– Napoleon gambled everything and lost. Duke of Wellington defeated
Napoleon and his career was over.
Napoleon was exiled to Saint Helena – Died in 1821.
Duke of Wellington
CONGRESS OF VIENNA

Britain, Russia, Austria, & Prussia divided up Napoleon’s
Empire.
– France kept its original borders.
– Britain took all France’s overseas colonies.Belgium and Holland =
a new Kingdom.
– Italy was given
back to Austria.

Tried to establish a
“Balance of Power.”
Would lead to
WWI.
Congress of Vienna Map of 1815