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5.6 Napoleon's Rise, Dominance, and Defeat

5 min readjanuary 24, 2023

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

From the chaos of the French Revolution, a new leader rose in France to take Europe and the world by storm: . (On a side note, he wasn’t really that short.)

Napoleon's Ascendence

was celebrated as a national hero after almost single-handedly getting Austria to surrender and sign a peace treaty. In addition, he also stopped a royalist revolt during the

He found himself becoming incredibly popular with the people during a time when the weak and corrupt Thermidorians were. . . not. Under the pretense of supporting revolutionary ideas, Napoleon acted to assert himself in a position of power.

A politician by the name of helped Napoleon conduct a military coup d’état. He intimidated the government into creating yet another new constitution. This one, however, made Napoleon effectively the dictator of France under the title of .

Napoleon's Reign

Napoleon was able to stabilize French society in ways that the Thermidorians never could, particularly through extensive domestic reform. However, his efforts to retain authority often curtailed rights and manipulated popular impulses behind a façade of representative institutions.

Domestic Reform

Religious Reform

Napoleon reinstated the Christian calendar and restored the Catholic Church to its former glory. Through the , also known as the Concordat of Paris, Napoleon formed an agreement with to reconcile the Catholic Church with the state. This agreement recognized the Catholic Church as the official religion of France while also granting the state some control over the Church, such as the appointment of bishops and high-ranking officials.

Previously, the Church had been largely independent. Under the Concordat, the government achieved significant control.

The Napoleonic Code

The , also known as the , made everyone equal in the eyes of the law, separated the Church and the state, guaranteed civil liberties, and ensured freedom of religion. By abolishing feudal privileges and legal distinctions between classes, the became a model for many other countries. It included provisions for marriage and divorce, inheritance, and the rights and obligations of parents and children, even establishing the principle of freedom of contract, which allowed individuals to enter into agreements with one another without interference from the government.

Military Strength

Despite being , he was hungry for power. Napoleon made himself the . His appetite for expansion eventually resulted in a series of conflicts known as the .

Napoleon was able to use new military tactics, which allowed him to take direct or indirect control over a significant portion of the European continent, spreading French Revolution ideals. In particular, he created a more efficient and professional army, introduced conscription, and formed military schools to train officers for combat.

Suppressing Dissent

Under 's rule, censorship and secret police maintained control and suppressed political opposition.

Censorship

Napoleon implemented strict censorship laws to control the flow of information and prevent the spread of ideas threatening to his regime. The government controlled the press and established a system of censorship that eliminated criticism of the government or the military. Books, newspapers, and other publications were heavily censored, and those deemed critical of the government were banned.

Secret Police

Additionally, Napoleon established a secret police force, known as the "," which was responsible for monitoring and suppressing political dissent. The secret police were given wide-ranging powers, including the authority to arrest and detain individuals without trial, to intercept correspondence, and to conduct surveillance of suspected dissenters. Moreover, the secret police infiltrated and disrupted political organizations to silence voices of opposition.

The secret police were often criticized for their brutality and seen as a symbol of oppression and repression.

While these measures were used to maintain control and suppress political dissent, they also had a chilling effect on freedom of speech and the press, and they were not well received by the French people!

Napoleon's Fall

The Invasion of Russia and the War of the Sixth Coalition

Napoleon and the French Empire launched a massive in the summer of 1812. Although they were able to destroy several Russian cities, much of the Grand Army collapsed. The saw the combined forces of Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Great Britain challenge Napoleon and his remaining forces. Napoleon's armies were defeated in several major battles, and by early 1814, the coalition forces had entered Paris, forcing Napoleon to abdicate the throne.

Napoleon was exiled to the island of , off the coast of Italy. The coalition powers then re-established the Bourbon monarchy under .

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2Fi53ddzzn4b801.jpg?alt=media&token=27604cc1-019c-438d-b849-3e7ce5a7c124

The Hundred Days' War

Napoleon escaped from in February of 1815. He was able to return to France, mass his supporters, and take control of France once again. The Bourbon monarchy, which had been established after his abdication in 1814, was quickly overthrown, and Napoleon resumed his role as Emperor of France.

The coalition of European powers, led by Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria, which had defeated Napoleon in 1814 and exiled him to , responded by forming a new coalition and declaring war on France yet again in the or War of the Seventh Coalition. Although Napoleon's forces were able to score some early victories, they were ultimately defeated at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. Napoleon abdicated the throne again, and he was exiled to the remote island of in the South Atlantic, where he later died.

The marked the end of Napoleon's rule and the final defeat of the French Empire. It also led to the , which redrew the political boundaries of Europe and helped to restore the pre-revolutionary monarchies, which resulted in the weakening of France.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F2f2jhg.jpg?alt=media&token=6dcb1365-49b0-441d-bda1-248ff2940028

Napoleon's second exile, this time to the remote island of St. Helena, is where Napoleon lived out the remainder of his life until passing in May of 1821.

🎥 Watch: AP Europe - Napoleon

Key Terms to Review (18)

Concordat of 1801

: An agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII that reestablished relations between France and the Roman Catholic Church after years of disruption caused by the French Revolution.

Congress of Vienna

: The Congress of Vienna was a conference held among the major European powers from 1814-1815 to redraw the continent's political map after the defeat of Napoleonic France.

Elba

: Elba is an island in Italy where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled after his forced abdication following the War of the Sixth Coalition in 1814.

Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes

: A French Roman Catholic abbé, clergyman and political writer who was one of the chief political theorists of the French Revolution; he also held offices in the French Consulate and First French Empire.

Emperor of the French Empire

: The title given to Napoleon Bonaparte as head of state after he seized power during a coup d'etat in 1799. He ruled as Emperor from 1804 until his defeat at Waterloo in 1815.

First Consul

: The title assumed by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799 after the fall of the Directory government in France. It marked his rise to power and was a step towards his later self-declaration as Emperor.

Fouché police

: The secret police force established by Joseph Fouché during Napoleon’s reign. They were responsible for maintaining public order, suppressing opposition to Napoleon’s regime, and ensuring state security.

French Civil Code

: Another name for the Napoleonic Code; it was a fundamental change in French law because it discarded all earlier legal systems and applied equally to all individuals regardless of status or wealth.

Hundred Days' War

: The Hundred Days' War, also known as Napoleon's Hundred Days, refers to the period between Napoleon Bonaparte's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815 (a period of about 111 days). During this time, Napoleon made a bid to regain his empire but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

Invasion of Russia

: A disastrous military campaign led by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1812 where he invaded Russia with his Grand Army. The harsh winter and Russian tactics decimated his forces and marked a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars.

King Louis XVIII

: King Louis XVIII (1814-1824) was the king of France who assumed the throne after Napoleon's abdication. He was known for his constitutional monarchy rule during the French Restoration period.

Napoleon Bonaparte

: Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution. He became the first emperor of France, his legal reform, the Napoleonic Code, has been a major influence on many civil law jurisdictions worldwide.

Napoleonic Code

: The Napoleonic Code is a civil law code established under Napoleon I in 1804. It served as the model for many later civil-law codes across numerous countries around the world.

Napoleonic Wars

: A series of major global conflicts from 1803 to 1815, led by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte against various European powers. These wars reshaped the political structure of Europe and spread revolutionary ideas across the continent.

Pope Pius VII

: The head of the Roman Catholic Church from 1800 to 1823. He is best known for his Concordat with Napoleon, which reestablished relations between France and the Church after they were disrupted by the French Revolution.

Saint Helena

: Saint Helena is a remote volcanic tropical island in the South Atlantic Ocean, belonging to the United Kingdom. It's most famous as the place of Napoleon Bonaparte's exile and death.

Thermidorian Reaction

: The Thermidorian Reaction was a revolt in the French Revolution against the excesses of the Reign of Terror. It led to the fall of Maximilien Robespierre and marked an end to radical Jacobin rule.

War of the Sixth Coalition

: The War of the Sixth Coalition (1812-1814) was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars where an alliance of European powers, including Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom and several German States defeated Napoleon's French Empire.

5.6 Napoleon's Rise, Dominance, and Defeat

5 min readjanuary 24, 2023

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

Jillian Holbrook

From the chaos of the French Revolution, a new leader rose in France to take Europe and the world by storm: . (On a side note, he wasn’t really that short.)

Napoleon's Ascendence

was celebrated as a national hero after almost single-handedly getting Austria to surrender and sign a peace treaty. In addition, he also stopped a royalist revolt during the

He found himself becoming incredibly popular with the people during a time when the weak and corrupt Thermidorians were. . . not. Under the pretense of supporting revolutionary ideas, Napoleon acted to assert himself in a position of power.

A politician by the name of helped Napoleon conduct a military coup d’état. He intimidated the government into creating yet another new constitution. This one, however, made Napoleon effectively the dictator of France under the title of .

Napoleon's Reign

Napoleon was able to stabilize French society in ways that the Thermidorians never could, particularly through extensive domestic reform. However, his efforts to retain authority often curtailed rights and manipulated popular impulses behind a façade of representative institutions.

Domestic Reform

Religious Reform

Napoleon reinstated the Christian calendar and restored the Catholic Church to its former glory. Through the , also known as the Concordat of Paris, Napoleon formed an agreement with to reconcile the Catholic Church with the state. This agreement recognized the Catholic Church as the official religion of France while also granting the state some control over the Church, such as the appointment of bishops and high-ranking officials.

Previously, the Church had been largely independent. Under the Concordat, the government achieved significant control.

The Napoleonic Code

The , also known as the , made everyone equal in the eyes of the law, separated the Church and the state, guaranteed civil liberties, and ensured freedom of religion. By abolishing feudal privileges and legal distinctions between classes, the became a model for many other countries. It included provisions for marriage and divorce, inheritance, and the rights and obligations of parents and children, even establishing the principle of freedom of contract, which allowed individuals to enter into agreements with one another without interference from the government.

Military Strength

Despite being , he was hungry for power. Napoleon made himself the . His appetite for expansion eventually resulted in a series of conflicts known as the .

Napoleon was able to use new military tactics, which allowed him to take direct or indirect control over a significant portion of the European continent, spreading French Revolution ideals. In particular, he created a more efficient and professional army, introduced conscription, and formed military schools to train officers for combat.

Suppressing Dissent

Under 's rule, censorship and secret police maintained control and suppressed political opposition.

Censorship

Napoleon implemented strict censorship laws to control the flow of information and prevent the spread of ideas threatening to his regime. The government controlled the press and established a system of censorship that eliminated criticism of the government or the military. Books, newspapers, and other publications were heavily censored, and those deemed critical of the government were banned.

Secret Police

Additionally, Napoleon established a secret police force, known as the "," which was responsible for monitoring and suppressing political dissent. The secret police were given wide-ranging powers, including the authority to arrest and detain individuals without trial, to intercept correspondence, and to conduct surveillance of suspected dissenters. Moreover, the secret police infiltrated and disrupted political organizations to silence voices of opposition.

The secret police were often criticized for their brutality and seen as a symbol of oppression and repression.

While these measures were used to maintain control and suppress political dissent, they also had a chilling effect on freedom of speech and the press, and they were not well received by the French people!

Napoleon's Fall

The Invasion of Russia and the War of the Sixth Coalition

Napoleon and the French Empire launched a massive in the summer of 1812. Although they were able to destroy several Russian cities, much of the Grand Army collapsed. The saw the combined forces of Russia, Prussia, Austria, and Great Britain challenge Napoleon and his remaining forces. Napoleon's armies were defeated in several major battles, and by early 1814, the coalition forces had entered Paris, forcing Napoleon to abdicate the throne.

Napoleon was exiled to the island of , off the coast of Italy. The coalition powers then re-established the Bourbon monarchy under .

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2Fi53ddzzn4b801.jpg?alt=media&token=27604cc1-019c-438d-b849-3e7ce5a7c124

The Hundred Days' War

Napoleon escaped from in February of 1815. He was able to return to France, mass his supporters, and take control of France once again. The Bourbon monarchy, which had been established after his abdication in 1814, was quickly overthrown, and Napoleon resumed his role as Emperor of France.

The coalition of European powers, led by Great Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria, which had defeated Napoleon in 1814 and exiled him to , responded by forming a new coalition and declaring war on France yet again in the or War of the Seventh Coalition. Although Napoleon's forces were able to score some early victories, they were ultimately defeated at the Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815. Napoleon abdicated the throne again, and he was exiled to the remote island of in the South Atlantic, where he later died.

The marked the end of Napoleon's rule and the final defeat of the French Empire. It also led to the , which redrew the political boundaries of Europe and helped to restore the pre-revolutionary monarchies, which resulted in the weakening of France.

https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/fiveable-92889.appspot.com/o/images%2F2f2jhg.jpg?alt=media&token=6dcb1365-49b0-441d-bda1-248ff2940028

Napoleon's second exile, this time to the remote island of St. Helena, is where Napoleon lived out the remainder of his life until passing in May of 1821.

🎥 Watch: AP Europe - Napoleon

Key Terms to Review (18)

Concordat of 1801

: An agreement between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII that reestablished relations between France and the Roman Catholic Church after years of disruption caused by the French Revolution.

Congress of Vienna

: The Congress of Vienna was a conference held among the major European powers from 1814-1815 to redraw the continent's political map after the defeat of Napoleonic France.

Elba

: Elba is an island in Italy where Napoleon Bonaparte was exiled after his forced abdication following the War of the Sixth Coalition in 1814.

Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes

: A French Roman Catholic abbé, clergyman and political writer who was one of the chief political theorists of the French Revolution; he also held offices in the French Consulate and First French Empire.

Emperor of the French Empire

: The title given to Napoleon Bonaparte as head of state after he seized power during a coup d'etat in 1799. He ruled as Emperor from 1804 until his defeat at Waterloo in 1815.

First Consul

: The title assumed by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799 after the fall of the Directory government in France. It marked his rise to power and was a step towards his later self-declaration as Emperor.

Fouché police

: The secret police force established by Joseph Fouché during Napoleon’s reign. They were responsible for maintaining public order, suppressing opposition to Napoleon’s regime, and ensuring state security.

French Civil Code

: Another name for the Napoleonic Code; it was a fundamental change in French law because it discarded all earlier legal systems and applied equally to all individuals regardless of status or wealth.

Hundred Days' War

: The Hundred Days' War, also known as Napoleon's Hundred Days, refers to the period between Napoleon Bonaparte's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815 (a period of about 111 days). During this time, Napoleon made a bid to regain his empire but was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo.

Invasion of Russia

: A disastrous military campaign led by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1812 where he invaded Russia with his Grand Army. The harsh winter and Russian tactics decimated his forces and marked a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars.

King Louis XVIII

: King Louis XVIII (1814-1824) was the king of France who assumed the throne after Napoleon's abdication. He was known for his constitutional monarchy rule during the French Restoration period.

Napoleon Bonaparte

: Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution. He became the first emperor of France, his legal reform, the Napoleonic Code, has been a major influence on many civil law jurisdictions worldwide.

Napoleonic Code

: The Napoleonic Code is a civil law code established under Napoleon I in 1804. It served as the model for many later civil-law codes across numerous countries around the world.

Napoleonic Wars

: A series of major global conflicts from 1803 to 1815, led by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte against various European powers. These wars reshaped the political structure of Europe and spread revolutionary ideas across the continent.

Pope Pius VII

: The head of the Roman Catholic Church from 1800 to 1823. He is best known for his Concordat with Napoleon, which reestablished relations between France and the Church after they were disrupted by the French Revolution.

Saint Helena

: Saint Helena is a remote volcanic tropical island in the South Atlantic Ocean, belonging to the United Kingdom. It's most famous as the place of Napoleon Bonaparte's exile and death.

Thermidorian Reaction

: The Thermidorian Reaction was a revolt in the French Revolution against the excesses of the Reign of Terror. It led to the fall of Maximilien Robespierre and marked an end to radical Jacobin rule.

War of the Sixth Coalition

: The War of the Sixth Coalition (1812-1814) was a major conflict during the Napoleonic Wars where an alliance of European powers, including Austria, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom and several German States defeated Napoleon's French Empire.


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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.


© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.

AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.