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The Rise and Fall of Napoleon
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Napoleon Serves in the French Revolution
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Napoleon Appointed as Commander in Chief of the French Army
Napoleon is praised for protecting those at the head of the French government at the time, also known as the Directory during the Revolution. His ability to protect the Directory earns him the title of the Commander in Chief of the French Army (March 2-9, 1796). With his new title, Napoleon goes on to defeat Austrian forces and acquire new territory (1796-1799). -
Napoleon's Coup D'état
Supporters of Napoleon, upset with the ineffectiveness of the Directory and scared of the opposition of other European nations, decided to gather more power for their national hero. In November 1799, they forced the Directory to give power to Napoleon. A new three party government called the Consulate is implemented, with Napoleon at the head. -
Napoleon's Declares Himself Emperor
Napoleon asks the French people if they want to make France an empire, a move called a plebiscite. The people voted in favor of Napoleon. On the day of his coronation, December 2, 1804, Napoleon takes the crown with his own hands, an act that solidifies his authority. He is now Emperor Napoleon I, the leader of the French Empire. -
Napoleon Implements the Napoleonic Code
With Napoleon at the head of the Consulate, he implemented a set of laws called the Napoleonic Code (March 1804). This eliminated a number of injustices as well as clarified and unified the laws of the nation. It also reconstructed the education system in France, allowing young men to learn so they would be better prepared for government and military positions. -
Battle of Trafalgar
The British naval fleet under the command of Admiral Nelson, decimates the French navy, which deters Napoleon from attempting to invade Britain, France's main enemy at the time. He shifts his focus to mainly land battles afterwards. This is one of the many battles fought in the Napoleonic Wars that helped grow the French Empire. -
The Continental System Blockade
After the defeat at Trafalgar, Napoleon realized that attacking Britain directly would not fare well. In 1806, he created a decree that required all French and allied ports to deny entry to British ships in an attempt to weaken the British economy. -
The Spanish Campaign
Although Spain was an ally of France, conflicts between the current leader of Spain, Charles IV, and Napoleon's son, as well as Portugal's refusal to follow the Continental System, forced him to place his brother, Joseph, at the throne. Joseph was not well received and the Spanish people began to revolt. The British took advantage of the chaos and sent their own troops into Spain to support the revolt against France. -
The Russian Disaster
Russian leader, Czar Alexander I, was unsettled by troops Napoleon had stationed near Russia and began to gather his own forces. Napoleon noticed these movements and prepared for invasion, however, Russian forces used tactics to avoid battle which dispersed and devastated French troops. When the French finally reached Moscow, the city was on fire, and the harsh winter weather was making the journey more difficult, forcing them to retreat back to France. -
The Battle of Leipzig
As French forces were returning home after their failed invasion of Russia, a coalition was formed between Russia, Prussia, Austria and Great Britain. Napoleon created a new army to face the threat in October 1813, but his forces were not very experienced and outnumbered by the allied forces. The French were defeated in March 1814 and had lost much of its territory. The allies, to limit Napoleon's power even more, exiled him to a small island named Elba. -
The Spanish Campaign Continued
Napoleon's redirected forces did score some victories in Spain, however, guerrilla warfare left the troops weakened. They were defeated at Vitoria on June 21, 1813. Soon after, Joseph was forced to give the throne to King Ferdinand VII. -
Napoleon Returns
After being exiled in Elba for around a year, Napoleon managed to take a ship that ferried him and his supporters back to France. He arrived in Europe on March 1, 1815. He finally arrived in Paris on March 20 and was able to rule for a brief period since Louis XVIII fled to Belgium. After his arrival, Napoleon put together 130,000 soldiers and invaded Belgium to one-up the allied forces. -
The Battle of Waterloo
After defeating Prussian troops at Ligny on June 16, Napoleon prepared for the final battle at Waterloo. British troops lead by the Duke of Wellington were supported by Belgian, Dutch, and German forces. Napoleon and Wellington's forces met on June 18, 1815, but the battle was delayed by heave rain. During the fighting, Prussia came to aid Wellington's forces, decimating the French army. The battle signified the end of the Napoleonic Wars. -
Napoleon's Second Exile
After being defeated at Waterloo, Napoleon attempted to escape capture. However, English and French forced worked to prevent him from leaving and he surrendered on July 14 and learned that he was to be exiled to a small island called St. Helena. -
Napoleon's Death
Napoleon later dies on St. Helena after six years in the prison at age 51.
