4.5 Flashcards
(36 cards)
Napoléon Bonaparte in the Beginning
-he called himself the “son of the revolution” because the revolution broadened his sights and opportunities (in the military and leader of France)
o his MILITARY education, courtesy of his father’s connections, allowed him to be part of the military ranks
o he studied the PHILOSOPHES and past military leaders
o He fell in love with Josephine de Beauharnais (widowed and RICH!)
Napoleon’s Military Career
o he rose quickly through the ranks, all the way up to major general
o he was able to influence people and win their support
o He commanded French soldiers in ITALY (successful) and BRITAIN (not successful)
o After being defeated by the British, he abandoned his army and went to Paris and joined a coup d’état
Napoleon’s Military Career: Britain
o Instead of fighting Britain DIRECTLY, he suggested hitting Egypt and India (major source of British wealth)
o However, Britain CONTROLLED THE SEAS and Admiral Nelson defeated them at the Battle of the Nile
Napoleon’s Military Career: Italy
o Successful because he defeated Austrians and dictated them into peace
The Coup of 1799
o The constitution had a bicameral (two branches) legislative assembly elected INDIRECTLY to reduce the role of elections which napoleon controlled?
o The executive role was in three counsels, but the “decision of the First Consul shall suffice”
-it was a PLEBISCITE meaning everyone will vote if the thing proposed will be okay or not
Napoléon as First Consul
o As first consul he had DIRECT control over the executive power
o He returned France to a monarchy and made himself the Emperor
-this was also a PLEBISCITE meaning everyone will vote if the thing proposed will be okay or not
The effect of making himself (Napoléon) as emperor
o It stabilized the regime and provided a permanence not possible in the consulate (monarchy is more stable?)
o However, the government became more autocratic than before and did not fulfill the purpose of the revolution which was to limit the arbitrary government
Napoléon and the Catholic Church: The Concordat
o in order to STABILIZE HIS REGIME, he realized he needed to make peace with the Church
o the church and napoleon gained things, but napoleon JUST GAINED MORE
o the concordat made the church NOT AN ENEMY
o the civil code completed the revolution’s attempt to codify them
The church’s gains in the concordat
o the pope could remove French bishops
o the church could not processions and reopen seminaries
o the pope had to acknowledge the accomplishments of the revolution (don’t ask questions about the lands confiscated)
Napoleon’s Gains in the concordat
o the state has the right to nominate bishops
o Catholicism is not the state religion, but the religion of a MAJORITY of French people
the clergy would be paid by the state
The Civil Code/ Code of Napoleon
o some of the codes reflected ideals of the enlightenment and revolution, but some just went backwards
-he ORGANIZED THE LEGAL CODE
The Codes Reflecting ideals of Revolution and Enlightenment
o preserved the equality of all citizens before law, religious toleration, abolition of serfdom and feudalism (revolution)
o property rights were protected
o it reflected the desire for a uniform legal system, legal equality, and protection of property and individuals (revolution)
The Codes that went backwards
o unlike during the revolution where divorce was easy for wives and husbands, the rights of fathers were restricted, and
o divorce was hard to women to obtain
o women were now less equal than before
o the CONTROL OF FATHER’S over families was restored
The French Bureaucracy
o he wanted to rationalize the bureaucracy by creating a powerful centralized administrative machine
o Instead of the assemblies (established during the revolution), PREFECTS ruled
o the tax collection system became more systematic and efficient because there were NO MORE EXCEPTIONS and taxes were collected by PROFESSIONAL collectors
o The aristocracy and promotion in offices was based on merit, therefore more were bourgeois and they were happy about it and this is what they wanted
Prefects
o They are responsible for supervising all aspects of local government
o They were appointed by the first consul (napoleon)
Napoleon’s Growing Despotism
o His domestic politics showed the desire for equality (law code, opening of careers for talent), however equality was lost in: creation of new aristocracy, use of conscription of military
o Liberty was replaced with despotism that was becoming more arbitrary
-censorship
Germaine de Stael
o She refused to accept napoleon’s growing despotism and wrote books and set up a salon
o Was exiled to the German state and missed France
Napoleon’s Desire for Peace with the Second Coalition
o Napoléon realized that he needed peace with the second coalition: Britain, Russia, and Austria
o The Peace of Amiens made this peace possible, however britain and france regarded this peace as temporary and had little intention of adhering to its terms which started THE WAR WITH THE THIRD COALITION
Napoleon’s War with the Third Coalition
o Napoléon defeated the Austrian army in Germany, but then there was the BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ
o after the battle of Austerlitz, Austria and Russia were basically defeated
o the Prussians decided to join the coalition so napoleon defeated them and also the Russians who decided to re enter
o these victories allowed him to build the Grand Empire
Battle of Austerlitz
o Napoléon defeated the Austrians and Russian although they had more men
-it created a reputation for napoleon being a military genius
The Reorganization of Germany
- his victories enabled him to dissolve the holy roman empire. he consolidated previously independent German states into a French-dominated confederation of the rhine
- he acted like a champion by abolishing feudalism and allowing peasants to be free from manorial duties
- this also led to the nationalism of germans and unification
The Grand Empire
o There was the French Empire, dependent states, and allied states
o He wanted obedience and UNIFICATION
o He also wanted to make certain REVOLUTIONARY PRINCIPLES (legal equality, religious toleration, economic freedom) to be accepted
o He wanted to destroy the old order by having no special privileges and equality of opportunity in offices
The Grand Empire: French Empire
o this was the inner core of the Grand Empire
The Grand Empire: Allied states
o These were those who joined Britain
o Prussia, Austria, Russia
