Transcript Age of Napoleon File

The Age of Napoleon
PSIR205
The Rise of Napoleon
• The threat of royalists to the Directory:
• Coup d’etat on 18 Fructidor (September 4,
1797) aimed to aimed to preserve the
monarchy
Early military victories
• The Treaty of Campo Formio (October 1797):
– Napoleon’s army defeated the Austrian and Sardinian armies.
– France dominated all of Italy and Switzerland.
• After the Treaty of Campo Formio was being signed, the
greatest challenge for France remained Britain.
– It was not possible for France to invade Britain; therefore
Napoleon decided to threaten the British interests in the Middle
East. He decided to invade Egypt, the country that was under
the Ottoman control at that time.
– In so doing, Napoleon intended to achieve the following:
• End the British naval presence in the Mediterranean
• Interrupt Britain’s communications with India
• The both would damage British trade and the British Empire.
• The invasion of Egypt was a failure:
– The Russians, the Austrians, and the Ottomans
joined Britain to form the second coalition against
France.
• A significant milestone: Napoleon’s campaign
in Egypt was the first Western attempt that
challenged the territories of the Ottoman
Empire.
– (Russia had taken the control of Crimea in the
Treaty if Kuchuk-Kainardji)
The Constitution of the Year VIII
•
Abbe Sieyes (one of the Directors) proposed a new constitution, which would
establish a new executive body free from the destabilizing influences of electoral
politics.
•
This proposal required a new coup d’etat (as constitutional change could only be
made by a coup, or by a revolution.
•
Napoleon supported the revolution and returned from Egypt. His support
guaranteed the success of the coup on 19 Brumaire (November 10, 1799).
•
The new constitution established the rule of one man: the First Consul, Bonaparte.
– This new position can be associated with Caesar and Augustus in ancient Rome, to the to
ancient Greek tyrants.
– “He was the first modern political figure to use the rhetoric of revolution and nationalism’ to
back it with military force, and to combine these elements into a mighty weapon of imperial
expansion in the service of his own power” (Kagan et al 2007, p. 629)
The Consulate in France (1799-1804)
• Supressing Foreign Enemies and Domestic
Opposition
• France tranquilized its relations both at home and
abroad.
• Treaty of Amiens with Britain in 1802 brought
peace to Europe.
• Napoleon suppressed opposition.
Concordat with the Roman Catholic
Church
• The revolution’s approach to revolution
polarized the society; one camp being
attached to de-christianization passionately,
the other being fiercely critical of this policy.
• 1801 a concordat with Pope Pius (VII):
“Catholicism is the religion of the great
majority of French citizens”.
Napoleonic Code
• In 1802 Napoleon declared himself to be
consul for life, an act that was also ratified by
the people.
• Yet another constitution.
• The code brought universality of the law.
Establishing a dynasty
• In 1804 Napoleon capitalized an attempt on his
life by declaring a dynasty. His justification was a
dynasty would secure the regime because further
attempts on his life would become useless (i.e.
his rule would continue through his sons)
• Yet another constitution.
• Napoleon even invited the Pope to his
coronation, who refuted to come at the last
minute.
Napoleon’s Empire
• Napoleon as an emperor conquered most of
Europe until his final defat at Waterloo (1815).
• The wars put an end to the Old Regime, and
Napoleon’s advance paved the way for the
emergence of nationalism
Conquering an Empire
• British naval supremacy:
– Third coalition under William Pitt the Younger (1805) (Britain, Russia, Austria)
– Battle of Trafalgar (1805) (Lord Nelson)
• Napoleonic victories in Central Europe:
– Napoleon’s armies surrendered Ulm and occupied Vienna
– Greatest victory: against the combined Austrian and Russian forces at
Austerlitz. Napoleon became the King of Italy, as Austrians had to make
concessions on their controlled territories in Italy.
– Germany. Confederation of Rhine, which contained most of the western
German princes
– Prussia. The country went to war against France—not a well-thought act. Jena
and Auerstadt defeats in 1806.
– Berlin Decrees: Napoleon forbid his allies importing British goods.
– On June 13, 1807: Napoleon defeated the Russians at Friedland and occupied
East Prussia. He was now the master of all Germany!
• Treaty of Tilsit: Between France and Russia
(Tsar Alexander I). Prussia lost half of its
territories.
• Napoleon appointed his family to the
administration of new territories.
The Continental System
• Napoleon intended to damage the British
economy because he could not challenge the
naval forces of Britain.
• The Continental System was about to cut off all
British trade with the European continent.
• The system could not work because Britain could
access to her colonies, and the decision of France
not to create a free trade area among the
participants of the system turned out to weaken
the economies of these countries.