Napoleon Bonaparte
Emperor of France
1769 - 1821
Learning Objectives for the Unit
 Describe Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power
 Identify the characteristics of Napoleon
 Recognize the military tactics that Napoleon used
to conqueror and annex land
 Analyze the painting by Jacque Louis David,
“Napoleon in his Study”
 List the political reforms that Napoleon
established in French Society
 Describe the rise and fall of Napoleon – causes
for the downfall and defeat at Waterloo
Napoleon’s Rise to Power
 Military Training – 9 yrs
 Lieutenant – 20 yrs. Old
 Brigadier General –
24 yrs. Old
– Capture of Toulon
– Military Success
 1795 – Saves the
Directory –
nicknamed the
“Savior of France”
Napoleon Gains
Political Control
 1798 – Egyptian
Campaign is a failure
 Arrives in France to
find out he is still a
hero of France
 1799 – Plans to
overthrow Directory
and later names
himself “first consul”
“Napoleon in his Study”
by Jacque Louis David
 Characteristics of
Napoleon Bonaparte
– Determined
– Power Hungry
– “Military Genius”
– Dedicated to his Work
– Meticulous
– Self- Sufficient
– Demanding
– Highly Respected by his
Soldiers
Josephine & Napoleon
 Napoleon “truly”
loved Josephine
 While Napoleon was
on his Military
Campaigns she was
unfaithful to him
 However, he did take
her back for a period
of time.
Military Strategies
 Napoleon Bonaparte
– Adapted to battle field
– Use tactics that would
work best
– Make offensive moves
– Keep the army wellsupplied and
encourage them that
they will win the fight!
Napoleon’s Tactics
“Military Genius”
 Divide and Conquer – Split the enemy in
two and flank them from one side.
 The enemy will be literally half the size
after the one side is annihilated
 Reconnaissance – Search for gaps
 Concentrate artillery fire on these gaps
 Napoleon increased the use of artillery
Napoleon – Building an Empire
 Annexed Land – added
areas to France
 Netherlands, Belgium,
parts of Italy, and
Germany
 Napoleon conquered most
of Europe
 Was this enough
for Napoleon?
Coronation of Napoleon
Bonaparte
 Napoleon’s actions
during the Coronation
were very symbolic
 He took the crown off
of the Pope and
placed it on himself
 Symbolized that he
does not owe his
success to anyone
Napoleon’s Problems with
Great Britain
 Battle of Trafalgar –
Goal – End trade
between England and
Europe
 Heratio Nelson –
British admiral of
Navy
 Great Britain’s Navy
was too strong
The Napoleonic Code
Political Reforms in France
 Equality of all in the eyes of the law
 No recognition of birthright (nobility)
 Freedom of Religion
 Freedom to find an occupation of choice
 Strengthened the role of the family
– Emphasis on the husband/father as the head of
the family
Napoleonic Code
Strengths and Weaknesses
 Strengths
 Weaknesses
– Guaranteed civil
– Women could not vote
liberties
– Continued the social
aims towards the
French Revolution
– Protected the interest
of the middle class
– Wife owed obedience
to her husband
– Minors had few rights
– Males were given
more freedoms than
Women in French
Society
Napoleon in Power
“Order, Security, and Efficiency”
 Concordat of 1801 – Peace with the Church
– Recognizes Catholic Church and religious toleration
 Napoleonic Code – Reflects Enlightenment ideas
– All MEN are Equal
– The state is more important than one man
– Order and Authority over individual rights.
 Economic Reforms in France – Controlled prices – Improved Transportation
– Public Schools – Abolished Serfdom
Napoleon’s Empire 1812
Napoleon’s Downfall
 Russian Campaign –
– Failure (500,000 lives)
– Lacked Supplies
– Harsh Russian Winter
 Napoleon Exiled to
island of Elba
 Forced to abdicate the
throne to King Louis
XVIII
Napoleon Invades Russia
Napoleon Escapes from Elba
“Last 100 Days”
 Napoleon escapes from
Elba and returns to
France
 Rebuilds Military
 Soldiers are Loyal to
Napoleon not the King
 King Louis XVIII flees
and Napoleon regains
power
Battle of Waterloo - 1815
 Town in Belgium
named Waterloo
 Napoleon’s army –
short lived triumph
 British and Prussian
forces crushes France
 Napoleon forced to
exile in St. Helena
Success or Failure?
Hero or Villain?
 Won many victories
at the tactical and
strategic level
 Strategic Greed may
have caused his
downfall
 Rise of Nationalism in
French Society
Napoleon the “True Leader”
 Morale – Napoleon knew his soldiers on a first
name basis – He gained their respect by fighting!
– “All men who value life more than the glory of the
nation and the esteem of their comrades should not be
members of the French army.”
– “If you should see for the moment uncertain of
victory, your emperor will be on the front line.”
“Control man’s imagination & you
control their heart and soul..”
Napoleon Bonaparte
Legacy of the Revolution
 Influenced other
countries to demand:
– Constitution
– Individual Rights
– Liberty and Equality
– Strong beliefs in
Nationalism
– Desire to break away
from foreign rule
Other Influences of the
Napoleonic Era and French Rev
 Serfdom and
Feudalism abolished
everywhere (ex.
Russia)
 Religious Toleration ^
 Modern Warfare
“nations at arms”
 Louisiana Purchase
 LA fights for indepen.
 In France– Public Schools
– Merit
– Law codes (civil rights
– National bank
– Public Works
– Draft for national
army