French Revolution, Points Test 11 - Rise of Napoleon Flashcards
How long did Napoleon rule over France, as Consul and then Emperor?
Established himself as consul (1799-1804) and in turn, Emperor (1804-1815).
• Forced to abdicate in 1814, returned to power for 100 days in 1815.
• Defeated at Waterloo and exiled to St Helena.
Where was Napoleon born, and what was his background?
- Born in Corsica just one year after the French were given the island by the Genoese.
- Father’s family (Buonaparte) of ancient Tuscan nobility, brought up as one of 8 children, speaking Italian.
In what circumstances did Napoleon come to France?
- In 1778, 9-year old Napoleon (and elder Joseph) gained admission to the Collége d’Autun, where they learned to speak French.
- Spent 5 years at military college of Brienne.
- One year (1784) on a scholarship, at Ecole Militaire in Paris.
- Became 2nd lieutenant of artillery.
How did Napoleon become involved in the French revolution?
- Played no part in early revolution, although he read Voltaire and generally favoured reform.
- In 1791 he joined a Jacobin club in Valence, in SE france, where he was based.
- Later that year, the NG in Corsica.
When did Napoleon’s career truly begin to become noteworthy?
- However, his career really took off with the coming of war and his need to fight counter-revolution within France.
- Between August and December 1793, he helped drive the British from Toulon.
- In recognition of his success, rewarded by promotion to Major in September.
- Made adjutant-general in October and brigadier-general in December, still only 24.
Why did Napoleon nearly perish during the terror?
- Napoleon’s career briefly threatened by the fall of Robespierre.
- Robespierre had appointed him commandant of the artillery in the French army of Italy in 1794.
- He was a close friend of Robespierre’s brother Augustin, and was tried for conspiracy and spent a month in gaol.
- Spared the guillotine, though he lost his position.
How was Napoleon able to take advantage of the Vendémiaire rising of Oct 1795?
- Was able to take advantage of being in Paris at the time of the royalist Vendémiaire Rising (Oct 1795).
- As reward for saving the republic, made commander of the army of the interior and adviser on military matters to the Directory.
Why did Napoleon then leave France after the Vendémiaire rising?
- Appointed commander-in-chief of the army of Italy in March 1796.
- This was seven days before his marriage to a 33 year-old divorcee, Josephine Tascher de la Pagerie.
- Two days after the ceremony, the ambitious 27 year old left for Italy.
Why did Napoleon become involved with Josephine?
- In 1795, Napoleon became involved with Josephine.
- She was the widow of General Alexandre de Beauharnais, guillotined during the Terror.
- The mother of two children, and experienced in love affairs.
- A friend of Barras (with whom she had had an affair), known for her beauty and charm.
- Though six years older than him, Napoleon fell madly in love and married her on 9 March 1796.
Why was Napoleon not expected to do much in Italy?
- His appointment given in recognition of his talent.
- However, as a young and inexperienced general, hadn’t been expected to take the main thrust of the attack against Austria in spring of 1796.
- Hoche was given that honour in Germany.
Why did the failure of the Rhine Campaign of 1796 help Napoleon?
• In campaigning in the north along the Rhine in 1796, Jourdan and Moreau succeeded in crossing the river and advancing into German states.
• Jourdan advanced as far as Amberg in Late August.
• Moreau reached Barvaria and the edge of Tyrol by September.
• However, Jourdan defeated by Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen.
• Both armies forced to retreat back across the Rhine.
(Made Napoleon’s victories in Italy more significant and crucial by comparison).
What was the Directory’s plan with the Rhine and Italian campaigns?
- Directory authorised a drive by Moreau and Jourdan north of the alps along the Rhine.
- Meanwhile Napoleon would have the limited objective of holding back the Austrians in Italy by way of a diversion.
Why was the Army of Italy not expected to achieve much, and what did Napoleon do to change this?
- According to the propaganda which later exalted Napoleon’s achievements in Italy, the ambitious young general transformed the army of Italy.
- Found them demoralised, poorly-equipped, under-nourished and unpaid.
- From 1792, it was true that it had been confided to the mountains and coastline, with little opportunity for glory.
- In 1796, it numbered c.7,000, against Austria and Piedmont-Sardinia’s c52,000, and it was poorly provided for in comparison to more prestigious areas where French armies fighting.
- Supposedly, Napoleon made them courageous and capable fighting force, which rapidly won military glory.
- The truth probably less impressive: he did arrange for troops to be paid in silver (rather than paper money), the soldiers’ confidence boosted by some rapid victories against Austrian’s allies the Piedmontese, which gave opportunities for spoils.
How did Napoleon knock Piedmont-Sardinia out of the war?
- The Montenotte Campaign had begun after the Winter.
- Lasted only from 10th April 1796 to 28th April.
- In April 1796, Piedmont-Sardinia withdrew from the 1st Coalition, by the Armistice of Cherasco.
- Brought a boost to the republic, and to Napoleon.
What did Piedmont-Sardinia surrender to France as a result?
- Confirmed in Paris, the following month, it gave Savoy and Nice, along with some lesser territories, to France.
- It also provided France with supplies and munitions and the guarantee of safe passage through Piedmont for French troops.
How did Napoleon begin to seize the treasures of Italy?
- Indeed, tales of napoleon’s exploits persuaded the Pope and King of Naples to sign rapid treaties with the French.
- This involved them paying indemnities (protection money) to avoid French conquest.
- The seizing of artworks (as plunder or in treaties) became the norm as Napoleon’s armies swept across Italy, and later Europe.
- Napoleon even established the first official military division dedicated to the seizure of cultural objects, with trained personnel to record, pack and ship art.
- These acquisitions filled the Louvre and also added to the personal collections of officers and Napoleon himself.
- The Treaty of Tolenine (June 1796) with the Pope provided innumerable artworks, Laocoon the Apollo Belvedere and Raphael’s Transfiguration.
- The Pope also paid an indemnity of 21 million livres ($60million today) and 800,000 livres shipping costs ($2.3 million today).
Describe how Napoleon drove the Austrians out of Italy.
- Napoleon went on to face the Austrians at Lodi in May.
- Although this was essentially a fight with the Austrian rear-guard, Napoleon’s bravery well-publicised.
- Milan occupied and its art treasures pillaged.
- Napoleon continued his run of spectacular success as he advanced southwards into the ‘quadrilateral’ framed by Mantua, Peschiere, Verona and Legnago.
- These 4 fortresses commanded the southern end of the Austrian supply line over the Brenner pass.
- He captured three of them easily, but struggled to take Mantua.
- The Austrians sent 4 successive armies against him as he besieged the city.
- Showing his skill as a military tactician, Napoleon won victories at Arcola (November 1796), and Rivoli (January 1797), and Mantua fell.
- By May 1797 Napoleon’s forces occupied Venice.
How did Napoleon reorganise Italy politically?
• Napoleon dominated Italy and enjoyed creating a new French republic out of his conquests.
• Initially, in May 1796 after the Battle of Lodi, established 2 client states.
- The Cispadane Republic, south of the Po.
- The Transpadane Republic, north.
• Later, after further victories, these extended and merged to create the Cisapline Republic of June 1797.
• Capital in Milan, where he created a Directory, appointed ministers and set up a two-chamber legislature of his own nominees.
• Also established the Ligurian Republic in June 1797, based around Genoa in NW Italy.
• It too had a republican constitution and directory.
How did Napoleon knock Austria out of the war?
- Napoleon’s next step to advance into the Austrian Empire itself.
- Took his armies as far as Leoben (within 96km of Vienna).
- Here, in April 1797 and with tired men and dwindling supplies, he dictated terms to the Austrian CnC, Archduke Charles.
What were the terms of Campo Formio?
• Terms formed the basis for the Treaty of Campo Formio of 17 October 1797.
• Negotiated by Napoleon without seeking the prior authority of the Directory.
• The final treaty, signed by Napoleon and Count Philipp von Cobenzl, representing the Austrian Monarchy, agreed…
1. Recognition of French control over former Austrian Netherlands (renamed Belgium after annexation in 1795).
2. Austrian acceptance of French Cisalpine and Ligurian Republics, in return for recognition of Austrian influence over parts of the Venetian Republic (divided between the two countries).
3. Recognition of the French Rhine Frontier (with provision for further congress to negotiate a peace for the HRE).
4. French possession of several islands in the Mediterranean and Venetian Islands in the Adriatic.
Why was the Italian campaign so beneficial to Napoleon’s career?
- Napoleon returned to Paris, where he formally presented his treaty, in triumph.
- It reshaped the map of Europe to French design.
- It also ended the War of the 1st Coalition, leaving only Britain to fight.
- It marked a major step in Napoleon’s fame.
- However, in practice it proved only a respite in the course of the wars.
- No final peace between France and the HRE was reached.
- The War of the 2nd Coalition broke out in 1799.
Why were the Directors now nervous of Napoleon after the Italian campaign?
- Napoleon’s ambitions frightened the Directors.
- He had shown ability not only as a general but as a diplomat and state-maker.
- His new client-republics giving him a taste of political leadership and law-making.
- He was also steadily creating his own image with carefully worded press releases and propagandist reports which thrilled the public.
- Furthermore, the only General to rival him, General Hoche, died in September 1797.
- 27 year old Napoleon sufficiently confident to conduct his own foreign policy without directives from Paris.
- Utterly convinced of his own powers of leadership.
- Not only did he negotiate the acquisition of territory in Italy, in direct contradiction to the Directory’s policy, at Leoben.
- He then went on to sign a peace treaty with the Emperor’s envoy in October without any reference to his political masters.
How did Napoleon save the Directory during the coup of fructidor?
- Furthermore, he again came to the rescue of the Directory during the Coup of Fructidor, sending Augereau and troops.
- Such actions made Napoleon a hero within France and showed the power of the army in internal politics
What new role did Napoleon receive and why did this planned invasion never come to pass?
- In October 1797, Napoleon appointed to command an army to carry out an invasion of England.
- However, Napoleon had good reason to shelve this enterprise.
- Hoche’s attempts to invade Ireland to destabilise England in December 1796 had had to be abandoned.
- Moreover, the strength of the British Navy made any seaborne invasion extremely difficult, particularly since the fleets of the French allies, Spain and the Batavian Republic (formerly United Provinces) had been defeated at Cape Saint Vincent (February), and Camperdown (October) in 1797.
