The impact of Napoleon's rule on France - 1799-1815 - NEEDED FOR EXAM COPY COPY COPY Flashcards
The collapse of the Empire; the first Peace of Paris; the 100 days; Napoleon's abdication and second Peace of Paris; treatment of France by the Vienna settlement; the condition of France in 1815; Napoleon's reputation and legacy Have a mindmap on
Who formed the 6th Coalition and why was it formed?
Alexander I determined to force Napoleon from power and looked to create 6th coalition against him
When were the Prussians won over?
Prussians won over - signed separate armistice with Russia on 30 Dec 1812
When did Frederick William declare war on France?
March 1813
When did Britain join Prussia and Russia in the 6th Coalition against France?
June 1813
Within how many months of the Russian campaign did Napoleon create an army and how many men were in it?
Napoleon created new army of 250,000 within 3 months of Russian campaign
When did Napoleon declare war on Prussia?
April 1813
How many battles did the French win at Bautzen, and what did they do?
Won three battles at Bautzen but failed to follow up a Prussian retreat and agreed to an armistice
What did France face in October 1813 and where?
Napoleon faced joint forces of Prussians, Austrians, Russians and Swedes at ‘Battle of the Nations’ at Leipzig
What country did Napoleon have on his side at Leipzig?
Denmark
At Leipzig, what was the ratio of allied to French soldiers?
3 allied soldiers : 2 French
What was Napoleon forced into at Leipzig?
After nearly 3 days of fighting, Napoleon forced into retreat across Germany, pursued by allied forces
What happened at the battles at Victoria?
Napoleon fought series of battles - won a good number but forced back due to overwhelming odds
Who commanded the British army at Victoria?
Wellesley
What did the British do during the battle of Victoria?
Captured Madrid and expelled Joseph from Spain after Battle of Victoria in June 1813
When was the Battle of Victoria?
June 1813
What offer did Napoleon refuse from the 6th Coalition?
A peace deal that would’ve allowed France to keep natural frontiers of the Rhineland and Belgium
When Napoleon issued a decree for conscripts after the battle of Victoria, how many men did he try and get and how many did he actually get?
Napoleon issued decree for 900,000 conscripts but only a fraction raised
When was the Treaty of Chaumont?
March 1814
What was agreed in the Treaty of Chaumont?
Allies agreed to preserve their coalition until Napoleon had been totally defeated and the future of Europe was settled
When did the Coalition countries enter Paris?
30 March 1814
What did Napoleon’s marshals do when the coalition entered Paris in March 1814?
Marshals persuaded Napoleon to accept the terms the coalition wanted
When was the Treaty of Fontainbleau?
April 1814
What did the Treaty of Fontainbleau decide? 4 things
- Napoleon forced to give up throne but
- allowed to keep title of Emperor
- income of £200,000
- island of Elba as his own kingdom
What happened in France after the Treaty of Fontainbleau?
The Prussians, Russians and British encamped in Paris, Napoleon departed for his life in Elba and Napoleon’s wife (Marie-Louise) left Napoleon and went to Vienna
What 6 countries made up the allies?
Austria Britain Prussia Russia Portugal Sweden
After Napoleon was exiled to Elba, what did the allies do?
Enter Paris in April 1814 and invited Louis XVIII to take the throne
What was the condition of which Louis XVIII had to accept in order to take the throne?
Accept a charter of 74 articles - drawn up by a committee comprising Louis’ own advisors, Charles Talleyrand and other leading Napoleonic ministers
Name 7 things did the charter of 74 articles guarantee?
- A constitution with a two chamber assembly - an elected Chamber of Deputies and a Chamber of Peers (nobles) elected by Louis XVIII
- Fair taxation (controlled by Chamber of Deputies)
- Freedom of the individual and careers open to talent
- Equality before law
- Abolition of conscription
- Relatively free press
7 . Freedom of worship (Catholicism to be the state religion)
Who was Louis XVIII?
Louis, comte d’Provence, Louis XVI’s younger brother
Where did Louis XVIII live after the revolution?
Louis lived in exile in Russia, Prussia and Britain after revolution
When was Louis XVIII crowned as monarch?
In the restoration of May 30 1814.
When Louis XVIII was restored to power, how did he react?
He paraded through the streets in ‘traditional’ royalty pomp and installed himself in the Tuileries Palace
When Louis XVIII was restored to power, what did he insist?
That the published charter were to say that the freedoms promised were his gift to the people - not their basic right
What did Louis XVIII believe in?
His own Divine Right and the legitimacy of his position
What did Louis XVIII refuse?
To accept any responsibility to a new assembly
What was the treaty called that Louis XVIII had to sign in order to become King
The First Treaty of Paris to sign on 30 May 1814
Under the the First Treaty of Paris, what were the three terms for France?
- Allies agreed to withdraw from France and allow France to keep looted artworks
- France had to accept borders of 1792 so would extend east of the Rhine but lost Belgium, Holland, Italy and Germany but gained 500,000 more people than 1790
- France wouldn’t have war indemnity
To confirm the treaty and work out the details, where and when did allies and the French to agree to meet?
A Congress in Vienna in Nov 1814
Two objectives of the Vienna Congress?
- Preserve the balance of power in Europe
2. Restoration of old dynasties in Europe
Who was the British delegate at the Vienna Congress?
Foreign Secretary Viscount Castlereagh (and Duke of Wellington (Wellseley)) after Castlereagh returned to England in Feb 1815
Who was the Austrian delegate at the Vienna Congress?
Foreign Minister Klemens von Metternich
Who were the Russian delegates at the Vienna Congress?
Tsar Alexander and Foreign Minister Count Nesselrode
Who were the Prussian delegates at the Vienna Congress?
Frederick-William III of Prussia and his Chancellor Prince Karl von Hardenberg
Who was the French delegate at the Vienna Congress?
Foregin Minister Charles-Maurice Talleyrand
Who was Foreign Secretary Viscount Castlereagh (the British delegate at the Vienna Congress)? 5 things
- British statesmen and Foreign Minister between 1812-1822
- Managed sixth coalition which brought about Napoleon’s defeat
- Led British delegation at Congress of Vienna - wanted to preserve a ‘balance of power’ in Europe
- Favoured moderate liberal political reform
- Became unpopular for his repressive action against the working classes in Britain
Who was Metternich (the Austrian delegate at the Vienna Congress)? 3 things
- Able diplomat and Foreign Minister of Austria 1809-1848
- Presided over Congress of Vienna where he used his influence to resist the spread of liberal and nationalist ideas which could threaten the Austrian Empire
- Concern for monarchial government and aristocratic leadership continued in post-war era
Who was Talleyrand (the French delegate at the Vienna Congress)? 5 things
- Supporter of Napoleon
- 1804 - appointed Grand Chamberlain
- 1814 - allies entered Paris, he persuaded the Senate to establish a provisional government of five, including himself, and to declare Napoleon deposed
- Gov of Five recalled Louis XVIII who appointed Talleyrand as his Foreign Minister
- Served as France’s representative at Congress of Vienna
Who hosted the Vienna Congress, and how many people did he entertain?
Austrian Emperor Francis I, who entertained 4 kings, 2 crown princes, 3 grand duchesses and 32 German royals and their servants in his palace
How many princes also attended the Vienna Congress?
215 princes and their families
What was the atmosphere like in Vienna?
Rich atmosphere, filled with wealth and superiority
Fine dining and plethora of the best food and wine that was available
Participants enjoyed lavish entertainment: balls, banquets, concerts, theatre, ballet, hunting parties and sleigh rides
How much did the Vienna Congress cost?
Equivalent of £7m
How long did the Vienna Congress last and how was business conducted?
8 months - business conducted through informal discussions and 10 special committees which dealt with particular issues
What is the 100 Days?
A period from 20 March 1815 (when Napoleon resumed rule after escaping Elba) to 22 June 1815 when he signed second abdication
A period of 94 days during which Napoleon tried to establish a new form of government through the Acte Additionel but preoccupied with defeating old enemies
What did Napoleon do on 1st March 1815?
Landed near Cannes with under 1,000 men and attracted following of workers and peasants as he made his way north
What did Napoleon claim as he arrived back into France?
That he had been summoned to Paris by the allies
When did news hit that Napoleon had landed in France?
11 March 1815
When was Napoleon declared an outlaw and what assistance was offered to Lois XVIII?
13 March 1815 - major powers signed a declaration declaring Napoleon an outlaw and offered Louis XVIII assistance to resist Napoleon’s attempt to regain power
Who was dispatched to arrest Napoleon?
Marshall Ley dispatched after swearing an oath of allegiance to Louis XVIII
What is the story regarding what happened when Ley saw Napoleon?
When Ley saw his former commander (Napoleon) he declared his personal loyalty to him and soldiers cheered and brought out their tricolore cockades
By the time news reached Vienna, how many supporters did Napoleon have?
12,000 supporters
What did the royal army do in response to Napoleon arriving in France and when?
19 March 1815 - the ‘royal’ army stationed outside Paris defected to Napoleon
Where did Louis XVIII go in response ton Napoleon’s return?
Ghent
What did the ease with which Napoleon was able to win support highlight?
Louis XVIII’s lack of ability to win respect, loyalty and showed his vulnerability
4 reasons Napoleon was able to win support?
- Louis XVIII hadn’t purged Bonarpartists from his army - mass desertions when Napoleon returned
- Taxes were high and promises to reduce taxes on tobacco and salt hadn’t been honoured because of French debt
- Hostility to continuing conscription
- Rumours that the biens nationaux would be seized and given back to original owners - peasants particularly fearful of losing land gains
How did the press change their reporting of Napoleon?
Because Napoleon spoke so persuasively the press (which previously called him ‘the scoundrel’) began referring to him as ‘our great and beloved Emperor’
What new constitution did Napoleon put forward?
Acte Additionel (Additional Act) - appealed to liberals
What three things did the Acte Additionel promise?
- Promised free elections
- Promised free press
- Promised constitutional monarchy with a two-chamber government
In the Acte Additionel that Napoleon promised, how was the two chamber government going to be made up?
Made up of peers (hereditary members appointed by Emperor) and representatives (629 citizens elected for 5-year terms by electoral colleges in departements)
What did the plebiscite for the new constitution reveal?
1.5m in favour and 6,000 against
How big of an army did Napoleon raise to oppose the allies?
300,000 men
Although his army didn’t match the allies numbers, what did Napoleon hope for?
They’d be unable to cooperate (likely given disagreements in Vienna) and he’d be able to conclude separate peace deals
When did Napoleon leave Paris to join the French army?
June 12 1815 - Napoleon left Paris to join French army that was preparing to cross into Belgium
What was Napoleon’s aim when he went to join the French army?
Prevent British forces under Wellington and Prussian troops under Blucher from joining
What happened on the 16th June 1815?
Napoleon defeated Prussians at Ligny but didn’t follow through with victory and they pulled back in good order
How many Prussian troops were there at Waterloo?
81,000
Because of the Prussian troops arriving in the late afternoon at Waterloo, what were the allies able to do?
Secured victory over the French
What was the Imperial Guard forced to do at Waterloo?
Imperial Guard forced to retreat - their loyalty to Napoleon even when the battle was turning against the French a mark of Napoleon’s ‘spell’ over his men
When did Napoleon give into abdication?
June 22 1815 - Napoleon gave into abdication. Tried to promote son as successor but rejected
When did Napoleon surrender to the British and what happened to him?
July 15 1815 - Napoleon surrendered to British who took him to Plymouth where he was exiled to the remote British island of Saint Helena, where he was guarded for 6 years until he died
After Louis XVIII returned, what did he issue and when?
26 June 1815 - proclamation promising a pardon to all but the ‘instigators’ of those who served Napoleon in 100 days
After Napoleon’s support in the Hundred Days, what did the allies do?
Rethink their treatment of France in the First Peace of Paris and the Vienna Congress reconvened after Waterloo with Britian, Russia, Prussia and Austria more determined than ever to ensure France wouldn’t threaten European peace again
When was the Second Peace of Paris drawn up and signed?
Nov 1815
Five terms of the Second Peace of Paris
- Frontiers: French frontiers reduced to those of 1790
- Reparations: Indemnity of 700 million francs plus cost of fortifying neighbouring countries.
- Artwork: Return looted artwork
- Army of Occupation: France to host and pay an army of occupation, under Wellington, for five years.
- Quadruple Alliance: Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia formed a “Quadruple Alliance” to preserve peace in Europe.
What was the Quadruple Alliance formed at the Second Peace of Paris?
Renewed pledge to hold regular meetings to preserve peace of Europe and resist further attempts by Napoleon or his family to return to France. Backed by commitment of each to supply 60,000 men if any attempt to overturn peace settlement.
What did Prussia gain as a result of the Vienna Settlement and Second Peace of Paris?
Expands to include a part of the Grand Duchy of Warsaw, Swedish Pomerania, over half of Saxony, and above all, the greater part of the Rhineland.
With these acquisitions, Prussia obtains status of great European power.
What did Russia gain as a result of the Vienna Settlement and Second Peace of Paris?
secures its takeover of Finland. Granted trusteeship over the greater part of Poland and removes Bessarabia from the Ottoman Empire.
The Tsar thereby continues his march towards Constantinople.
What did Austria gain as a result of the Vienna Settlement and Second Peace of Paris?
Recovers the Tyrol and receives the kingdom of Venetian Lombardy, as well as Dalmatia.
These latter territorial expansions give the Hapsburg Empire a southern and Mediterranean engagement.
What did Britain gain as a result of the Vienna Settlement and Second Peace of Paris?
No territorial claims on the European continent. More concerned with developing its colonial empire and ensuring the security of its commercial shipping lanes
Obtained a certain number of islands, such as the islet of Helgoland in the North Sea, as well as Malta and the Ionian islands in the Mediterranean.
What did Sweden gain as a result of the Vienna Settlement and Second Peace of Paris?
Annexation of Norway confirmed at the expense of Denmark, which, in compensation, receives the duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg.
What were the two biffer states created to curb France’s territorial ambitions?
The Netherlands, which includes Belgium
Piedmont-Sardinia recovers Savoy, Nice and expands to include Genoa - referred to as Cordon Sanitaire
What happened to Germany and Italy?
Partitioned, in spite of the creation of the German Confederation
Which four countries who had aspirations of nationalism were thwarted?
Serbia
Greece
Bulgaria
Romania
What were the decisions in Vienna after the Hundred Days shaped by?
A determination to restore the traditionalist values of monarchy and control at the expense of democracy and nationality
What two things made the Second Peace of Paris settlement regressive
- Participants (men who spent most of their lives fighting French) concerned about compensation to the victors - punishing France and its allies and ensuring ‘strong rule’ to maintain peace
- Settlement based on conservative principles and fear of revolution pushed the clock back
What type of monarch was Louis XVIII?
A Bourbon monarch whose advisors came from Catholic aristocratic ranks
What made it difficult to understand how deep Republican and Bonapartist sentiment had run in France?
Years of exile for Louis and those who followed him
How did France emerge from 1815?
Different to Ancien Regime and charter of 1814 acknowledged that
What decisions were made in 1815 that seemed provocative?
Early decisions to reinstate the white flag of the Bourbon and to reform the Household Guard under officers drawn from former nobility
What six things remained as the system of law from 1815?
Departements Prefects Tax system Bank of France The courts Napoleonic Civil Code
Who dominated political and social life from 1815?
Bourgeois classes
Which three groups of people who benefitted from Napoleonic era continued to do well from 1815?
The bureaucrats
Professionals
Wealthier peasants
What did the restoration of nobles as ministers fail to do from 1815?
Reverse decline of noble influence
Who did Louis XVIII rely on and at the expense of who from 1815?
Moderate advisors in 1815 (Talleyrand and Fouche) at expense of the ‘ultras’ - more royalists than the king himself
What did ultras dominate from 1815?
The Chamber of Deputies and their demands were to make political life difficult
What happened to French industry from 1815?
Prospered from economy recovery - positive economic reforms of Napoleonic era which was coming into play, as well as not being confided to the continental system
What group emerged from 1815 that had the most political influence in the new constitutional regime?
The pays legal
What was membership like in the constitutional regime from 1815?
Members received the right to vote - restricted to property owners 30+ who paid over 300 francs a year in direct taxation
Mostly large landowners, snr gov officials, high-earning bankers, lawyers and merchants
What did the electorate of the new constitutional regime comprise of, from 1815?
100,000 men of 29mil and to sit on Chamber of Deputies a man had to be 40+ and pay 1000 francs in taxes
Who could propose laws in the constitutional regime from 1815?
Only King or ministers could propose laws
Though the Chamber could refuse to pass them or grant taxes
Who was the Chamber of Peers nominated by?
Chamber of Peers nominated by King
In memoirs Napoleon wrote in exile on Saint Helena, how did he portray himself?
As the ‘heir’ of the French Rev and so created a legend which has provoked debate ever since
What would those who see Napoleon as fulfilling revolutionary principles point to?
His constitutional, administrative, legal, judicial and religious reforms and policies, which continued and complemented the work of the revolutionary governments
What principle did Napoleon follow in the structure of state?
He followed the principle of equality of opportunity and he promoted ‘liberty’ in ensuring religious toleration and avoiding the grant of any special legal privileges
What was Napoleon’s Empire established in?
The name of the revolution
What sort of state was the Napoleonic state?
Authoritarian
What was wrong with the system of elections during the Napoleonic era?
System of election so indirect to make ‘one man, one vote’ provision meaningless and elected bodies were almost a sham
What did Napoleon do to allow him to ignore the elected law-making bodies?
Plebiscites were rigged, procedure of senatus consultum allowed Napoleon to ignore elected law-making bodies and re-establish hereditary rule, with subjects not citizens
What did Napoleon’s quest for strong central authority mean?
Powerful prefects, secret police, censorship, propaganda, spies and informers
Judicary placed in hand of appointed judges
What did Napoleon’s conquests in Europe and titles given to various family members suggest?
That personal aggrandisement more important to Napoleon than fulfilling the aims of revolution
Although the people of Empire may have benefited from some of ‘enlightened’ principles of Napoleonic gov, what did they come with?
Arrogant disregard for democracy in hands of nobles
What influence did Napoleon’s rule have on future generations?
No doubt his rule had profound influence on future developments of Europe, inspiring reforms and nationalism
