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The Concordat of 1801
Napoleon helped overthrow the directorate in 1799, and quickly became “First Consul,”. After that he agreed to the Concordat of 1801, which recognized Catholicism as the primary French religion. This in turn validated the sale of church land and the state’s payment of clergymen’s salaries if they swore to uphold the French government. This helped Napoleon because it gave him a lot of support. -
Paving a way for modernization
Even though the laws were not always good, the empire away seen as paving a way for modernization. Other institutions followed: individual schools were founded for higher education and more advanced teachers. Napoleon sponsored the creation of high schools. -
Napoleonic Code
The Napoleonic Code was completed in 1804. It standardized the laws of citizenship, family, and property. The code made rules for financial transfers and mortgages and for other legal transactions. Impoverished many women. -
Napoleon’s Battles
By 1806 Napoleon ended the Holy Roman Empire after defeating Austria in several battles. After the battle of Austerlitz in 1805 he went to defeat Prussia in 1806 and Russia in 1807. He imposed the Napoleonic Code, the metric systems, and other institutions for standardization that helped to unify Europe. -
Napoleon dies
In 1814 he is exiled to Elba, an island on the Mediterranean. A year later, he escaped, returned to France, and confronted the powers again and surrendered on July 15 1815 after being defeated at Waterloo. He was then in exile again at St. Helena when he died on May 5 1821.