British History (1793–1832)

Beginning of the French Revolutionary Wars

• 1793 – 1802• Begins with the execution

of King Louis the 16th of France

• Britain fears invasion by France

• Treason to support French Revolution

• Parliament suspended civil rights– Habeas corpus

French Revolutionary Wars

• 1795, the Dutch enter the war• 1796, Spain enters the war• 1799, Britain blockades Dutch

coast• 1800, Britain captures Malta

– Trade threatened by armed neutrality of the north

• Prussia, Russia, Denmark and Sweden

• 1801, treaty of London signed• 1802, Peace of Amiens

formally ends the war– All conquests given back,

except Trinidad and the West Indies

Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars

• France’s interference in Italy’s and Switzerland’s affairs

• Britain’s refusal to return Malta to the knights of Malta

• War resumes– Called the Napoleonic

wars

Napoleonic Wars• 1804, Spain rejoins the war• 1806, Britain blockades the

French coast– November, Napoleon issues

the Berlin Decrees• Creates the continental

system• 1814, Paris is occupied

– Napoleon goes into exile on the isle of Elba

• 1815, Napoleon returns from exile– Defeated at Waterloo– Exiled to St. Helena– War ends, Britain keeps all

colonial gains

Regency (1811 – 1830)

• King George went insane (1811)

• Son, prince George, became regent

• Ruled as regent until 1820– King George the third died

• Ruled as King from 1820 – 1830

• Gothic revival• Arts and architecture

flourished