The Collapse of the Empire

Question 1

When did the Allies enter Paris? Who did they invite to take the throne? - Collapse of the Empire

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) - Collapse of the Empire

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

How did Louis XVIII seek to qualify the provisions of the charter which set out the offerings made to the French people? What was Louis’ intentions from this? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 3

Louis XVIII included a preamble to the charter which made evident that all freedoms and offerings in the charter were his personal gift to the people and not a right guaranteed. This was intended to preserve Louis’ position as a monarch with a divine right.

Question 4

When was the First Peace of Paris signed? What did this agree? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 4

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 5

How many more people lived in France under the First Peace of Paris than did in 1790? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 5

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

Question 6

When did the Congress of Vienna occur? What was this intended to achieve? - Collapse of the Empire

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 the Hundred Days take place from-until? What were these? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 7

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 8

When did news reach the Congress of Vienna that Napoleon had escaped from Elba? What was the response of the Congress to this? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 8

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 9

When did Napoleon land in France? How many supporters did he initially have and what groups were these from? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 9

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

Question 10

How many supporters did Napoleon have by the point that the Vienna Congress knew of his presence in France? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 10

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

Question 11

On what date did the royal army defect to Napoleon? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 11

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

Question 12

What reasons are there for the army and the general population to offer support to Napoleon? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 12

The army was disgruntled as they were being paid half, the army still contained Republicans and Bonapartists, taxes were high and had not been lowered as promised due to debts, conscription was continuing, fears that biens nationaux owners would be forced to return their lands to original owners.

Question 13

What was the Acte Additionel? What did this aim to propose? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 13

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 14

What was the turnout on the plebiscite for the Acte Additionel? What does this indicate? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 14

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 15

How many troops did Napoleon manage to raise to challenge the Fourth Coalition? What issue was there with this? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 15

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 16

What was the aim of Napoleon’s military tactics against the Fourth Coalition? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 16

Napoleon was focussed on preventing the joining up of the troops from individual countries into a large army, hoping to preserve their independence from each other to capitalise upon a lack of cooperation and defeat armies one by one and conclude peace deals.

Question 17

When did the Battle of Waterloo take place? What was the outcome of this? Describe the events of the battle - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 17

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 18

When did Napoleon abdicate from his position? When did he surrender to the British? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 18

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

Question 19

When did Louis XVIII issue a proclamation pardoning all but those involved in leading Napoleon’s Hundred Days? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 19

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

Question 20

When was the Second Peace of Paris signed? What did this intend to avert? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 20

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

Question 21

What were the terms of the Second Peace of Paris? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 21

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 22

What was the Cordon Sanitaire? What countries made up this body? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 22

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 23

What may have influenced the decisions of the Vienna Congress to inflict such punitive measures upon France? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 23

It may have been that a determination to restore the monarchy and control instead of democracy influenced the Vienna Congress, aiming to avert the progress of the revolution.

Question 24

What changes were made to Europe by the Vienna Congress in terms of Poland, Galicia and Italy? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 24

Poland - much of Poland granted to Russia.
Galicia - most of Galicia granted to Austria.
Italy - divided into separate states following creation of Republics by Napoleon.

Question 25

What controversial actions did the restored Bourbon monarchy take upon returning to the French throne? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 25

The Bourbon Monarchy chose to restore France’s old Bourbon monarchy flag and to reform the Household Guard under new officers drawn from the ranks of the old nobility.

Question 26

What changes remained in place from the revolutionary and Napoleonic period following the Bourbon restoration? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 26

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 27

What was the size of the electorate under the restored Bourbon monarchy? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 27

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

Question 28

What was the state of France’s economy under the Bourbon restoration? Why? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 28

France’s economy appeared to significantly recover under the Bourbon restoration with this a consequence of being freed from the continental system and the positive economic reforms made under Napoleon. Agriculture began to prosper more also.

Question 29

What suggestions are there that the Napoleonic regime embodied the principles of the revolutionary period? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 29

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 30

What suggestions exist that Napoleon’s regime did not embody revolutionary principles? - Collapse of the Empire

Answer 30

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.