GFPA 2043

Modern World History

Week 09 (10 Dec – 16 Dec)
Napoleonic Wars
 Introduction
Napoleone Buonaparte
Name
Napoleon Bonaparte @ Napoleon I
Date & 15 August 1769
Place of Birth Corsica, Kingdom of France

Date & 5 May 1821

Place of Death Longwood, St. Helena, United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland
Nationality Italian French

Achievement(s) 1784 Went to French military college

1785 Received commission as an officer

1795 Helped end Reign of Terror

Staged a coup and introduced the Consul
1799
System
1799 Became First Consul of France

1802 Became First Consul for Life

Introduced the Civil Code of the French
1804
(Napoleonic Code)
1804 Crowned self as Emperor Napoleon I

1805 Became King of Italy

Became Protector of the Confederation of

1806
the Rhine
Became France’s national hero
 1796 Napoleon gets command of the French Army of Italy

1798 Battle of the Nile, the British annihilate Napoleon’s fleet

10th November 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte seizes power in a coup d’etat, overthrowing the Directory’s rule

1799 Napoleon is "First Consul" in French government called the Consulate;

1801 Napoleon's Concordat with the Roman Catholic Church

1802 Became First Consul for life. Peace restored with Austria and Britain

21st March 1804 Civil Code (called Code Napoleon in 1807)

2nd December 1804 France becomes an empire under Emperor Napoleon I

1799-1801 Second Coalition (Austria, Russia, Britain) wages war with France

1803 Napoleon's army is defeated in Haiti and France sells Louisiana to the United States

1805-1807 Third Coalition (Austria,-Russia, Britain) wages war with France

October 1805 French forces occupies Vienna

21st October 1805 Battle of Trafalgar: French and Spanish fleets are defeated by the British

December 1805 Battle of Austerlitz: Napoleon defeats Russia-Austrian forces

1806 War against Prussia and Russia

October 1806 Napoleon defeats Prussian armies at Jenna and French forces occupies Berlin

1806-1825 Latin American countries pursue successful campaigns for national independence from Spain and Portugal

June 1807 French victory over Russians at Friedland

July 1807 Treaty of Tilsit creates French-Russian alliance; Napoleon proclaims "Continental System" to exclude trade with Britain

1808-1814 Peninsular War: The Spanish aided by the British fight against French occupation resulting in French defeat

1810 Napoleon marries Marie Louise, daughter of Austrian Emperor

14th September 1812 La Grande Armée reaches Moscow

October-December 1812 La Grande Armée retreats from Russia
October 1813 French army loses decisive battle of Leipzig in Germany

1814 Paris is captured. Napoleon abdicated, exiled to Elba and restoration of Bourbon monarchy in France

1814-1815
2022

Napoleon’s Art of War

• Rapid attack instead of static defensive war.

• Preparation for contingencies.
• Surprise and speed
• Disinformation campaign.
• Living off the fields to reduce the burden of logistics.
• Pincer movement & heavy use of artillery barrages.
• Annihilation/decapitation strike instead of rout.
• Maintain high morale - nationalism.
War of the First Coalition (1792-1797)
• War with Austria started in 1792 at
Lodi, Arcola and Rivoli
• In December 1793, Napoleon
prevented the English from
controlling the French port of
Toulon.
• France also threatened England’s
trade by controlling important
ports of Antwerp, Rotterdam and
Amsterdam.
• The war ended through the
signing of Treaty of Campo
Formio in 1797.
• Ordered to plan an invasion of
England in November 1797 but
postponed it for an operation in
the Near East, successfully
capturing Cairo.
 War of the Second Coalition (1798-1802)

• In 1798, Napoleon conquered

Egypt, then Syria.
• French military were beaten by
the British Admiral Horatio
Nelson at the Battle of the Nile.
• He escaped Egypt and returned
to France a hero, conquer of
Egypt.
• In 1800 he invaded Prussia and
overthrew its government in
1806.
• Again in 1800 after the battle of
Marengo and in 1805 at
Austerlitz, Austria was forced to
sign treaties.
 War of the Third Coalition (1805-1806)

• Napoleon was determined to invade Britain but bidding his time.

• He deployed French army to Haiti to suppress rebellion.
• Britain was worried that Napoleon was expanding to the Western hemisphere.
• Napoleon’s intervention in the Dutch Republic, Italy, Switzerland and the re-organization
of Germany worries Britain.
• British issued an ultimatum, which was ignored resulting to declaration of war in May
1803.
• Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger construct the Third Coalition.
• By August 1805, Russia and Austria joined in the coalition.
• On 21st October 1805, the French-Spanish combined fleet was destroyed by Admiral
Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar.
 The Continental System (1806-1814)

• Britain ruled the waves, so he turned to economic warfare.

• He introduced the continental system in 1806 for the purpose of crushing Britain.
• Through this system he forbid the importation of British goods, especially cotton
goods to any part of Europe allied to him.
• However the measure also
affects European market as
hundreds of ships lay idle
in European ports.
• The Confederation of the
Rhine was established in
1806.
• By 1810, Napoleon
dominated the Continental
Europe except the Balkan
peninsula.
 French Invasion of Russia (1812)

• 1810 – Russia formally withdrew from

the Continental System. Anglo-
Russian trade relations resumed.
• Napoleon decided to crush the Tsar
with 700,000 troops to invade Russia
in June 1812 – the biggest ever
assembled.
• 1/3 of the La Grande Armée was
French, 1/3 ware Germans and the
remaining from other conquered
countries.
• Wanting a quick victory, he mobilized
with only 3 weeks of supplies.
• In September 1812, he entered a
Moscow, a city in flames. Winter sets
in and he was forced to withdraw.
• Only 20,000 reached Paris.
 War of the Sixth Coalition (1813-1814)

• The destruction of La Grande Armée during the Russian campaign left

Napoleons with French youths and over-age veterans.
• In October 1813, Austria, Russia, Prussia and Sweden attacked France. They
were joined by the Anglo-Spanish forces coming from the Pyrenees.
• Paris was captured, Napoleon abdicated and exiled to the island of Elba.
• The Bourbon dynasty was restored with Louis XVIII ascending to the throne.
 Treaty of Vienna (1815)

• Napoleonic Wars ended with the Treaty of Vienna in 1815.

• No states are allowed to dominate Europe.
• Elder brother of Louis XVI was made King Louis XVII.
• Borders were drawn as buffer against potential expansion and
reward victors.
• Republican and democratic ideals were culled.
• Settlements for Eastern Europe is more complicated and the Polish-
Saxony question almost trigger a new war.
• The Treaty was meant to restore countries in Europe to the status-
quo before Napoleon’s conquest.
• It acts as a precursor for the Concert of Europe.
 100-Days Return

• Upon his defeat, he was exiled

to the Italian island of Elba but
he escaped.
• 1st March 1815 – Landed on the
French coast with a thousand
soldiers, faced the King’s troop
and won their support.
• 20th March 1815 – Entered Paris
to a hero’s welcome.
• Raised a new army and
mobilized east to Belgium
facing the British and Prussian
forces. Defeated at the Battle of
Waterloo by the English in
1815.
• He was once again exiled to the
island of St. Helena where he
expired.
 Napoleon’s Reform
• In 1801, Napoleon made an agreement with the Pope – the Concordat.
• Through this the clergy becomes servant of the state but may take instructions
from the Pope on religious matters.
• In 1804 he introduced the Napoleonic Code, a form of standardized laws for
the whole France.
• These laws upheld basic rights of individuals (Everyone being equal under law,
freedom of religion, safety to property, rights of women etc.)
• The Napoleonic Code was also introduced in countries under French rule –
Italy, Germany, Holland, Spain and others.
• Centralization of the government took place as Napoleon divide the country
into administrative departments, each other a prefect and each township with
its own mayor.
 Napoleon’s Reform – Cont.
• All appointments were made by Napoleon and answerable to him.
• Government posts were no more confined to nobles but open to all citizens
irrespective of social status.
• Ended feudal tax collected by the church, and limits the powers of the church.
• Built schools called Lycées, Technical School and the University of Paris.
• Encouraged business organization and built the Bank of France.
• Gave France and other countries democratic and nationalist aspirations.