6. The Impact of Napoleon's Rule on Europe

Question 1

When did the Allies enter Paris? Who did they invite to take the throne? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 1

The Allies entered Paris in April 1814, inviting Louis XVIII to take the throne.

Question 2

What were provisions of the charter accepted by Louis XVIII as a condition for him taking the throne? (Constitutionally, economically, legally, militarily, politically, religiously) - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 2

Louis XVIII was forced to accept a constitution with a bicameral assembly, fair taxation, equality before the law, a pardon to revolutionaries, abolition of conscription, the opening of all careers to talent, a free press, freedom of worship and guarantees of biens nationaux lands.

Question 3

When was the First Peace of Paris signed? What did this agree? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 3

The First Peace of Paris was signed on the 30th May 1814, agreeing for the allies to withdraw from French soil. This saw France’s borders return to their state in 1792, losing Belgium, Holland, Italy and Germany. It also saw France maintain their looted artworks.

Question 4

How many more people lived in France under the First Peace of Paris than did in 1790? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 4

500,000 more people lived in France under the First Peace of Paris than in 1790.

Question 5

When did the Hundred Days take place from-until? What were these? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 5

The Hundred Days took place from the 20th March until the 22nd June 1815. This was the period in which Napoleon retook control of France until his 2nd abdication.

Question 6

When did the Congress of Vienna occur? What was this intended to achieve? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 6

The Congress of Vienna occurred in November 1814, lasting for 8 months before attentions were diverted to Waterloo. This was intended to confirm the First Treaty of Paris and work out its details through representatives from the allies and France.

Question 7

When did news reach the Congress of Vienna that Napoleon had escaped from Elba? What was the response of the Congress to this? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 7

On the 11th March 1815, news reached the Congress of Vienna that Napoleon had escaped from Elba. This led to a declaration being produced which stated that Napoleon was an outlaw and that Louis XVIII would be assisted in any attempt made by Napoleon to regain power.

Question 8

When did Napoleon land in France? How many supporters did he initially have and what groups were these from? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 8

Napoleon landed in France on the 1st March 1815. He had 1000 supporters from the peasantry and labouring classes.

Question 9

How many supporters did Napoleon have by the point that the Vienna Congress knew of his presence in France? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 9

Napoleon had 12,000 supporters at the point the Vienna Congress knew of his presence in France.

Question 10

On what date did the royal army defect to Napoleon? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 10

The royal army defected to Napoleon on the 19th March 1815.

Question 11

What was the Acte Additionel? What did this aim to propose? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 11

The Acte Additionel was an attempt to introduce new constitutional measures in France during the Hundred Days to appeal to liberals. This proposed free elections, a free press, a constitutional monarchy and a bicameral legislature (with peers appointed by Napoleon and representatives elected for 5 years).

Question 12

What was the turnout on the plebiscite for the Acte Additionel? What does this indicate? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 12

The Acte Additional’s plebiscite returned a turnout of only 22%, with this suggesting widespread apathy at Napoleon’s attempts to reinvigorate his power in France and appeal to a wider support base.

Question 13

How many troops did Napoleon manage to raise to challenge the Fourth Coalition? What issue was there with this? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 13

Napoleon raised 300,000 troops to challenge the Fourth Coalition, however this was not enough when faced with the numerically superior forces of the Fourth Coalition.

Question 14

When did the Battle of Waterloo take place? What was the outcome of this? Describe the events of the battle - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 14

The Battle of Waterloo took place on the 18th June 1815, with Napoleon defeated by the British, leading to him and his troops withdrawing. Wellington had managed to coordinate his troops in a good strategic position to attack the French, succeeding in combining with the Prussians to overwhelm Napoleon’s forces.

Question 15

When did Napoleon abdicate from his position? When did he surrender to the British? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 15

Napoleon abdicated from his position as Emperor on the 22nd June 1815, surrendering to the British on the 10th July 1815.

Question 16

When did Louis XVIII issue a proclamation pardoning all but those involved in leading Napoleon’s Hundred Days? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 16

Louis XVIII issued a pardon to all but those who led the Hundred Days on the 26th June 1815.

Question 17

When was the Second Peace of Paris signed? What did this intend to avert? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 17

The Second Peace of Paris was signed in November 1815, aiming to prevent France from threatening European peace in the future.

Question 18

What were the terms of the Second Peace of Paris? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 18

The Second Peace of Paris reduced France’s borders to those of 1790, a payment of indemnities of 700 million francs, forced France to return all looted artworks, France would have an army of occupation under Wellington for 5 years or until the payment of indemnities.

Question 19

What was the Cordon Sanitaire? What countries made up this body? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 19

The Cordon Sanitaire was a series of buffer states set up between France and the rest of continental Europe and prevent France from being a direct threat to this region. These countries included Prussia, the Netherlands, the confederation of Swiss cantons and Northern Italian republics.

Question 20

What changes remained in place from the revolutionary and Napoleonic period following the Bourbon restoration? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 20

France retained the département system of administration, prefects, reformed tax systems, the Bank of France, the Napoleonic Civil Code, careers being open to talent/meritocracy and legal system changes.

Question 21

What was the size of the electorate under the restored Bourbon monarchy? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 21

The restored Bourbon monarchy had an electorate of 100,000 people in a population of 29 million.

Question 22

What suggestions are there that the Napoleonic regime embodied the principles of the revolutionary period? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 22

Napoleon advanced the principle of equality of opportunity, promoted liberty and religious toleration, codified the constitution and legal system on multiple occasions, abolished feudalism and created a stable government.

Question 23

What suggestions exist that Napoleon’s regime did not embody revolutionary principles? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 23

Napoleon’s regime was authoritarian and infringed upon liberty, exploiting plebiscites and blocking the wishes of the Senate through using senatus consultum. He also created a heavy system of press censorship, propaganda, policing and observation of suspect groups. Men were the main beneficiaries of his reforms, as were the bourgeoisie, limiting equality.

Question 24

When did the Continental Blockade take place from-until? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 24

The Continental Blockade took place from 1806 until 1810.

Question 25

When did the Peninsular War take place from-until? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 25

The Peninsular War took place from 1807-1814.

Question 26

When did the Austrian Campaign take place from-until? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 26

The Austrian Campaign took place from February 1809 until October 1809.

Question 27

When did the Russian Campaign take place from-until? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 27

The Russian Campaign took place from June to December 1812.

Question 28

When did the War of the Fourth Coalition take place from-until? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 28

The War of the Fourth Coalition took place from 1812-1814.

Question 29

What were the impacts and outcomes from the Continental Blockade? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 29

Impacts - created domestic unpopularity as the French economy suffered (lack of tobacco, sugar, coffee and tea), created discontent among allies such as Tsar Alexander who withdrew from this, leading to the Russian Campaign.
Outcomes - crippled France’s economy, eventually ended in 1810.

Question 30

What were the outcomes and impacts of the Peninsula War? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 30

Outcomes: saw British gradually gain control under Wellington and was a significant drain on French military due to costs of guerilla warfare. Largely fruitless campaign.
Impacts: saw Joseph and then Napoleon installed as King of Spain but gradually being worn down. Increased military expenditure and led to loss of Spain in 1813.

Question 31

What was the Austrian Campaign? Why was it launched? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 31

The Austrian Campaign was a conflict with Austria which began after the Austrians invaded French-controlled Bavaria, which was perceived to have been a weak point in the Empire.

Question 32

What were the outcomes and impacts of the Austrian Campaign? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 32

Outcomes: Napoleon was victorious over the Austrians, concluding the conflict through the Treaty of Schöbrunn which saw France gain 83,000 km^2 of land.
Impacts: Napoleon lost 34,000 men and had his tactical deficiencies exposed. It also identified weaknesses in using troops from the Empire’s satellite states.

Question 33

What were the outcomes and impacts from the Russian Campaign? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 33

Outcomes: Napoleon was forced to withdraw from Moscow having advanced through Russia after failing to sustain his army, leading to his forces being pushed back across Russia to France.
Impacts: saw hunger, disease and illness strike his troops, essentially decimating the Grande Armée and causing the complete failure of his campaign.

Question 34

How many troops set out in Napoleon’s Russian Campaign as part of the Grande Armée? How many returned from the campaign? How many were fit for further military service? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 34

600,000 set out in Russian Campaign
10,000 returned to France
1,000 fit for further service.

Question 35

When did the Battle of Nations take place? What was the outcome? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 35

The Battle of Nations took place in October 1813 at Leipzig, with the Fourth Coalition’s troops succeeding over the French and pushing them back across Germany.

Question 36

When was the Treaty of Fontainebleau signed? What did this determine for Napoleon? - Impact of Napoleon’s Rule on France

Answer 36

The Treaty of Fontainebleau was signed in April 1814, seeing Napoleon agree to give up his throne and be exiled to the island of Elba as his own kingdom. This saw him remain as Emperor, however.