“…the Revolution, like Saturn, devouring successively all her children, will produce at last a

despotism with the calamities that accompany it....”

-Pierre Vergniaud (Girondin 1793)

The French Revolution,Part 3: Rise of Napoleon to 1804

Personal Background

• Born Napoleon Bonaparte in Corsica, 1769, soon after France conquered the island

• Father, Carlo, was an ambitious aristocrat & member of parliament

• Sent Napoleon to school in Paris on scholarship

Young Napoleon

• At 15, Napoleon promoted to Royal Military Academy

• At 16, trained with best artillery unit in French army

• In 1789, Revolution began • At age 20, Napoleon was

stationed far from Paris – saw revolutionary changes as a chance for personal gain

Rising Through the Ranks

• 1792—when France became a republic, returned to Corsica with intent of rising to power; fails & banished

• 1793-94—during Reign of Terror, as other nations try to attack France, he drives British from ToulonNapoleon at Toulon, 1793

Becomes Full General

• In 1795, after fall of Robespierre’s govt., he is promoted to full general when he used cannons on crowds in Paris to stop a royalist, pro-monarchy rebellion

• Seen as “hero” of the revolution by masses

Napoleon Marries Josephine

• Wed Josephine de Beauharnais in 1796, seen as marriage of convenience

• After marriage, he was given command of the army in Italy

                                 

Napoleon’s Rise to Power

• 1796-7—wins victories vs. Austria

• 1798—colorful expedition to Egypt; loses to British

• 1799—overthrows Directory & sets up 3-man government known as Consulate

• 1800—names himself “first Consul,” then “Consul for Life”

Napoleon Crowns Self Emperor

Emperor Napoleon I

• After crowning self emperor, he held a plebiscite (vote) and majority of French supported him

• Policies of “order, security, efficiency” replaced “liberty, equality, fraternity”

Reforms Under Napoleon

• Economic—controlled prices, encouraged new industry, built roads/canals; jobs open to “all talent”

• Social—made peace with Catholic Church by allowing religious freedom

• Legal—”Napoleonic Code” embodied justice/equality

Summary• Napoleon was the ultimate

“Enlightened despot,” who pushed the ideals of the Enlightenment of liberty & equality while assuming complete authority in the name of order & security

• His ambitions, left unchecked, would spell his downfall as he overextended his power