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1796 - Napoleon invades Italy
Napoleon was chosen to lead French troops into Italy. There, the French defeated the Austrians, who ruled Italy at that time. As a result of this victory, France acquired Belgium from Austria. France also acquired hundreds of art treasures from Italy, which were placed in the Louvre, the French national museum. -
1798- Egypt
Two years later, Napoleon sailed for Egypt, where British forces were stationed. He won a great deal of land victory there, but the British fleet destroyed French fleet. Nevertheless, the French succeeded in establishing their influence in Egypt. Another important outcome of the French campaign was that soldiers accompanying Napoleon discovered the Rosetta Stone -
Nov. 9, 1799- The Consulate
Napoleon laft his troops in Egypt and returned to Paris. THere, he and two members of the Directory plotted to take over the government. On November 9, 1799 they put their plan into effect and met success. -
1801- Austria
Napoleon led French forces to victory over Austria. -
1802- First Consul
Because Napoleon brought peace and order, he was very popular. In 1802, he asked the people to elect him First Consul for life. They did so in a plebiscite, or popular vote. -
1802- Peace Treaty with Great Britain
He arranged a peace treaty with Great Britain. -
1803- Britain Declares War on France
In 1803, Great Britain, threatend by Napoleons actions, declared war on France. Great Britain and its allies, however, were not able to stop Napoleon and his soldiers. -
1804- Emperor
The French made Napoleon the emeror of France. His coronation was held in Notre Dame Cathedral. The pope came from Rome for the crowning but did not have a chance to place the crown on Napoleon's head. Instead, Napoleon took the crown from the Pope's hands and crowned himself. -
1805- Napolean crowned himself King of Italy
Napoleon crowned himself had crowned himsef as king of Italy. -
1806- Confederation of the Rhine
In 1806, he reformed the Confederation of the Rhine, which consisted of a group of conquered German states. -
1808- Invaded Spain and Portugal
In 1808, he invaded Spain and Portugal. -
1809- Papel States, Pope in prison
He made the Papal States part of France and put the Pope in prison. France's boundaries now included much of Europe. -
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Great Britain
He forbade the countries in his empire to trade with Great Britain, which he called a "nation of shopkeepers". His order, however was hard to enforce, and it proved unsuccessful. -
1812- Invaded Russia
Napoleon then decided to take on Russia. He organized a Grand Army of about 600,000 soldiers of different nationalities. It was the largest army the world had yet seen. In the summer of 1812, the Grand Army invaded Russia. Except for one battle, though, the Russians did not fight. As the Russians retreated, they burned their villages and food supplies, leaving nothing for the advancing French. This tactic is called scorching earth poilicy. -
1812- Moscow
In September, Napoleon reahed Moscow, which had been abandoned by the Russians. Shortly after the French arrived, the city caught on fire and three fourths of it was destroyed. The French army now had neither food nor shelter. -
1812- French Freeze
Hundred of thousands of Fench soldiers froce to death as temperatures fell to 40 degress below zero. Thousands more died from disease and lack of food. In the end, fewer than 100,000 soldiers made it back to France. -
1813- Allies Join Together
NApoleon quickly raised another army, but the new soldiers were not well trained. They were defeated by allied forces of Austria, Prussia, Russia, and Great Britain. This was the first time the four countries had joined together to fight Napoleon. -
1814- Allies take Paris
In 1814, the allies took Paris, and Napoleon was forced tp abdicate, or give up the throne. He was sent into exile to the small island of Elba off the coast of Italy. He managed to escape, however, and gathered together enough troops to invade France. For 100 days, Napoleon again reigned as emperor. -
1815- Waterloo
The allies, under British leadership of the Duke of Wellington, finally deafeated him in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo. -
1821- Death
This time Napoleon was sent to the island of St. Helena off the West coast of Africa, where he died in 1821.
