The Age of Napoleon & the Napoleonic Wars, 1804-1815

The Emperor Napoleon

• After his self-coronation in 1804, Napoleon set out to make himself into an emperor and France into the “Grand Empire”

• In the process, he redrew the map of Europe, rewrote the rules of warfare and created a hegemony

The Grand Empire

• Annexed Netherlands, Belgium, & parts of Italy & Germany

• Abolished Holy Roman Empire & set up 38-member Confederation of the Rhine

• He cut Prussia in half, creating Grand Duchy of Warsaw out of part of old Poland

• Forced alliances on Spain, Austria, Prussia, Russia

Napoleonic Europe, 1804-1815

France versus Britain

• Britain alone remained outside Napoleon’s empire, so he prepared to invade England

• Waged economic warfare through the Continental System

• Britain responded with a blockade of ports• British & French seized neutral ships—

precursor to War of 1812• In the end, Napoleon failed vs. Britain

Challenges to Napoleon

• Nationalism—many who had welcomed the ideas of the French Revolution saw Napoleon & his grand armee as oppressors

• Resistance in Spain—Napoleon had made his brother king of Spain, but the Spanish revolted using guerrilla warfare

• 2-front war and forcing the continental system

Major Events

• Austerlitz, Austria—1805• Defeat in Russia--1812-13• Battle of the Nations, Leipzig—1813• Exile to Elba—1814• Return to Power—1814• Battle of Waterloo—1815• Exile to St Helena—1815• Death of Napoleon—1821